Home / Quotes / Quote by William P. Young

Quote by William P. Young

“I think my books give people a language to have a conversation about God that's not religious. There isn't enough new literature that brings the conversation of God into a modern context. I love the Bible, but in the West we've analyzed it until it fits into a structure of control. We need more new stories. We need different ways of looking at things, and I think it's coming.”

Quote by William P. Young

Author

William P. Young

William P. Young, born on May 11, 1955, is an American author whose novel 'The Shack' has gained worldwide attention and become a bestseller. His work has sparked widespread discussions about religion and the meaning of life. more

You May Also Like

“I make a distinction between true and real. I think that the story is true, it’s just not real. That’s what a parable is. It takes things that we all know are real, and it takes life events that actually happens, and it weaves them into a fiction that allows truth to actually be embedded.”

Thinking Knows Real Stories Happens Fiction Events Distinction Embedded Parables

Author:William P. Young

“There is nothing more corrupting, nothing more destructive of the noblest and finest feelings of our nature, than the exercise of unlimited power.”

Feelings Political Nature Power Military Fine Exercise Noble Presidential Destructive Paradox Finest Unlimited Paradoxical Power Corrupts Unlimited Power Presidents Day Great Presidents

Book:William Henry Harrison, 1773-1841: John Tyler, 1790-1862; chronology, documents, bibliographical aids

Source: William Henry Harrison, 1773-1841: John Tyler, 1790-1862; chronology, documents, bibliographical aids

“I grew up fundamentalist, evangelical, Protestant. Those are my roots, and they are good roots. But it means the Pharisees are my people. I grew up with an image of God that was not helpful -- largely the face of my father expanded.”

People Mean Faces Father Grew Grew Up Roots Helpful Protestants Evangelical Fundamentalist God Image Pharisees

Author:William P. Young

“Jesus was always challenging the dogma of religion. So, you know, it's not like I'm out there by myself.”

Knows Jesus Challenges Dogma

Author:William P. Young

“I don't want my kids growing up with the image of God that I had -- Plato's white grandfatherly god -- because that god is not a very good father. When it comes down to it, you can't trust him with your kids.”

Want Kids Father White Growing Up Growing Very Good Plato God Image Kids Growing Up Good Father Plato S

Author:William P. Young

“You are the root, and only God knows that the flower will be.”

Knows Flower Roots God Knows Only God Knows

Author:William P. Young

“My dad was a preacher. My relationship, for example, with my father -- very difficult, and very painful, and it took me 50 years to wipe the face of my father off the face of God.”

Years Faces Father Difficult Example Dad My Dad Painful Preacher Wipe

Author:William P. Young

“Look at us human beings: it's so much easier to be right than to love.”

Humans Looks Human Beings Easier

Author:William P. Young

“We've created a theology in the West of a God who is fundamentally self-centered. The imagery of God as distant, unapproachable, unreachable -- that's not a God who is relational. It is a God that gets to declare or judge when he gets pissed off. But there is no basis for love and relationships if God is a fundamentally self-centered being.”

Ifs Self Judging Bases West Theology Imagery Self Centered Pissed Off Love And Relationship Unreachable

Author:William P. Young

“I wrote a story for my kids. It's fiction. It's not systematic theology. It's not a new book of the Bible. It's flawed, I wrote it. All of that goes into the mix, but I love the controversy. It elevates the conversation.”

Book Stories Kids Fiction Conversation Theology Controversy Flawed Systematic New Books

Author:William P. Young