I'm curious to know if anyone here has read the book "The Shack"? I recently read it because it was written by a local author and I'd heard that god is portrayed as a black woman called papa.

I was moved by the story - there were some pretty profound ideas entertained about surrender, forgiveness, the nature of "god" and religion, etc mixed in with the usual xtian ideas about faith. As I read it I found myself going through an host of emotions - at times resisting ideas I no longer hold "true", at other times stirred to tears by the depth of human suffering addressed, and at still other moments stunned by the insights offered about religious belief systems. It certainly did not convert me back to Christianity but I found in it so many gems equally shared by many other spiritual paths.

I'm wondering if any of you have read it and what you thought of it.