Introduction Questions
1) Define ‘religion’. Define a ‘relationship with God’. How are they different, how are they the same?
2) Willie described Mack’s Family as “committed to caloused hands and rigorous rules… externally religious…” etc. How is this common in today’s families? Is it common? What about your family? pg. 7
3) How does an ‘overly religious’ family leave a child feeling?
4) Mack claimed to have “a way of pointing out people’s faults and humiliting the while maintaining his own sense of false power and control”. How and why do people do this? pg 9
5)Why would Mack “see the landscape of human ideas and experiences differently than everybody else”? pg 9
6)What is a “love/hate relationship with religion”? pg 10
7) How would childhood experiences effect marital relationships?
8) Explain: “most of our hurts come through relationships, so will our healing.” pg 11
9) Why does “grace rarely make sense for those looking in from the outside?” pg 11
10) Are you totally at home “in your own skin”? Why or why not? pg 11
11)Willie says Mack is “no longer just wide, he had gone way deep. But the dive cost him dearly.” What does that mean? Does it have to cost dearly? Can we go “deep” with God? pg 11
Chapter One: A Confluence of Paths
1) What is your favorite name for God? pg 22
2) What do you think about giving God a name other than the ones mentioned in the bible?
3) Mack told Nan “I’m sure God knows what He is doing” even though Mack did not totally and personally believe it. Do you ever try to encourage people with things abuot God you do not believe? Does this help them? What does this do to you? pg 22
Chapter Two: The Gathering Dark
1) Mack’s companion was the “Great Sadness”. What is your companion? pg 24
2) How does your companion effect you? pg 25
3) Who was Jesus’ companion? How did it effect him?
4) What are the similarities between the Princess and Jesus? The differences? pg 30
5) Why do people think God is mean? Is He? Do you think He is? Why or Why not? pg 31
6) What is the connotation and denotation of the word ‘discipline’.
7) How far will God ask us to go? pg 32
Chapter Three: The Tipping Point
1) How much of what we view as God comes from our relationship with our earthly fathers? pg 38
2) Can our relationships with our earthly fathers (and people in general) be changed by having an accurate view of God? How?
3) How does God view us?
4) How was Mack alone, yet not alone? pg 39
