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402 reviews for:
The Case for Christ: A Journalist's Personal Investigation of the Evidence for Jesus
Lee Strobel
3.94 AVERAGE
402 reviews for:
The Case for Christ: A Journalist's Personal Investigation of the Evidence for Jesus
Lee Strobel
3.94 AVERAGE
challenging
informative
inspiring
Compiled by Strobel well after his conversion, this book is not an exhaustive list of anthropological, archeological, and psychological evidence that stands up to every objection against the historical Jesus. An exhaustive list will never be enough in a journey that eventually requires some measure of faith. In the words of [a:Pope Benedict XVI|4905855|Benedict XVI|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1307445928p2/4905855.jpg], the "demand for proof is a constantly recurring theme in the story of Jesus' life... and we make that same demand of God and Christ and his Church throughout the whole of history".
What this book offers, however, is a detailed exploration of the available data across multiple fields of study in favor of the Christian understanding of Jesus. At its heart, [b:The Case for Christ|73186|The Case for Christ|Lee Strobel|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1448776489l/73186._SY75_.jpg|333464] is a conversion story, and quite a powerful one at that. For anyone interested in an overview of how to present Christianity as a well-reasoned option from the historical perspective, this is a great compilation of sources to start with! I learned quite a lot!
Cons:
Strobel's research can feel so in depth at times that it is hard to remember that this book is only a starting point for this topic. There were many points that I wish he had pursued in greater detail and some points at which I felt an argument was waived away for the sake of keeping the book concise. It's understandable, but leaves me wanting more.
Maybe it's nit-picky, but as a Catholic, the fact that communion was totally glossed over in two sentences as a symbolic celebration just HURT. These guys are wading knee deep in early apostolic documents - they have to know there has always been more to it than that.
Pros:
Strobel's motif in which he mirrored each topic against real court cases was absolutely intriguing. His narrative prowess was made evident in the opening chapter and he was able to maintain my interest in a way that very few non-fiction books are able to.
The audiobook narration performed by Strobel himself was riveting. I didn't expect that he would be so talented!
What this book offers, however, is a detailed exploration of the available data across multiple fields of study in favor of the Christian understanding of Jesus. At its heart, [b:The Case for Christ|73186|The Case for Christ|Lee Strobel|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1448776489l/73186._SY75_.jpg|333464] is a conversion story, and quite a powerful one at that. For anyone interested in an overview of how to present Christianity as a well-reasoned option from the historical perspective, this is a great compilation of sources to start with! I learned quite a lot!
Cons:
Strobel's research can feel so in depth at times that it is hard to remember that this book is only a starting point for this topic. There were many points that I wish he had pursued in greater detail and some points at which I felt an argument was waived away for the sake of keeping the book concise. It's understandable, but leaves me wanting more.
Maybe it's nit-picky, but as a Catholic, the fact that communion was totally glossed over in two sentences as a symbolic celebration just HURT. These guys are wading knee deep in early apostolic documents - they have to know there has always been more to it than that.
Pros:
Strobel's motif in which he mirrored each topic against real court cases was absolutely intriguing. His narrative prowess was made evident in the opening chapter and he was able to maintain my interest in a way that very few non-fiction books are able to.
The audiobook narration performed by Strobel himself was riveting. I didn't expect that he would be so talented!
In this skeptical age, I think maybe there are plenty of Christians out there who have caught a bad case of doubts about their faith. Not to mention the growing cultural phenomena of atheism. Anyway, I read The Case for Christ during a time (years ago now) when I was suffering from doubts about Christ and what the church taught about Him. I had questions which mostly arose from being exposed to so much doubt and skepticism that it was starting to rub off on me. The Case for Christ answers so many of the criticisms people lob at Christian beliefs, and I think it does such a good job because the author was an atheist who set out to disprove Christian claims. Strobel was a journalist and he interviewed experts about the evidence for Christ from the fields of science, philosophy, and history. The evidence isn't proof, but it is substantial evidence, enough to convince Strobel that Christ IS who He claimed to be, and enough to cast away my doubts too.
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
hopeful
informative
reflective
fast-paced
This book was recommended to me by a good friend a couple of years ago when I was going through a major faith crisis--from which I currently have not completely emerged. I went out and bought the book, put it into a basket of books that "I'm going to read just as soon as I have time and have finished all of the books from the library and also that stack of books over on that table and that table..." So, needless to say, I have not opened the cover of the book for the past two years. Then out of the blue, my new audio book arrived from simplyaudiobooks.com and it was The Case for Christ. Apparently, I had put the book on my "to rent" list at some point. So I popped the first disk into the machine and sat back to listen. Interesting book. Lee Strobel traces his journey from athesism to faith in this book. An investigative journalist by trade, Strobel deals with the issues of faith like a lawyer building a brief. He talks to about a dozen individuals with advanced degrees in history, philosophy, science, and theology to try to find the answers to questions such as "How historically reliable is the New Testament?" and "Was the Resurrection an actual event?" While the discussions with the experts were interesting, I learned that I still strongly believe that it is called faith for a reason.
Admittedly, there was very little chance that this book was going to change my skeptical worldview. I think a lot of people cross a threshold of inquiry from which it is impossible to return. Regardless of what Strobel writes in this book, it is clear that he wanted a change in his life, and he only interviewed apologists that would grease his path to faith. To use his somewhat tortured analogy of building a legal case, it is a bit like a trial in which only the prosecution was allowed to present evidence.
My first problem with Strobel is that he is a mediocre writer. There is a lot of shifting in chairs, sipping coffee, leaning forward in excitement, and grinning with confidence. I think that all of this description of his interview subjects is meant to build their ethos, and to create a sense of realism, but what you get is gruelling repetitiveness and a wish that he would just get to the point.
C.S. Lewis is much better, mainly because you get a sense of candor and honesty about his spiritual belief- he not trying to hoodwink anyone, merely express his true faith the best way he knows how. The Case for Christ, on the other hand, is a classic example of card-stacking and argumentative sleight of hand.
Some basic logical problems with the specious reasoning of this book:
1) Strobel argues that the apostles could not have lied about the resurrection without the people of Jerusalem refuting them. Well, most people of Jerusalem DID NOT adopt Christianity. It is entirely possible that they saw this as just another sect that they could ignore.
2) People do not die for a lie - I agree with this. But a lot of religious belief could generously be called delusional - meaning that the early followers of Jesus actually believed in the Resurrection, ignoring contradictory evidence to grasp on to a belief that gave their lives meaning and purpose. The great classic work on religious fervor is William James' "The Variety of Religious Experience". I assume most Christian apologists disregard James, because he clearly shows how people's spiritual experiences can lead them to extreme acts.
3) Strobel never addresses the supernatural vs. materialism piece. How do you bring a dead body back to life? Does it require supernatural "magic", or is there a rational scientific explanation? People for many centuries were absolutely convinced of the existence of witches and demons in their midst. From the modern perspective, these beliefs can be explained away as a lack of understanding of natural phenomena.
4) Christianity spread rapidly through the Roman Empire - which is not proof of the truth of its claims - and coincided with the decline of Rome and the onset of the dark ages. Not exactly an argument in favor of Christianity.
5) He interviews psychologist Gary Collins, who professes a belief in demons as a cause of psychological distress / mental illness. Dr. Collins should have his license revoked.
6) This was the most offensive part:
"I shook my head, saddened at the thought of how many other Jewish children have grown up thinking of Christians as their enemies."
Does Strobel not know about THE CENTURIES of persecution and slaughter of Jews by Christians, culminating in the Holocaust? Do Jews have no reason to suspect Christians, especially when Christians call them IGNORANT for not embracing the "truth of Christ"?
I would like to hear more about Strobel's supposed "atheism" before he started writing this book. Did he read the great skeptical writers and philosophers? Or was this a canard to draw in unbelievers?
Also, the ad hominem attacks on the Jesus Project as being "radical, left-wing scholars" does nothing to diminish their arguments. Why not interview one of the participants, instead of giving all of the page space to their right-wing critics?
As an agnostic, I don't believe that this conversation will ever be over. What troubles me is that Evangelicals (along with radicals in all religions) are not content to let people alone with their beliefs. Atheists can be just as strident and dogmatic in their desire to convert people. To me, it is interesting that people are drawn to religion - but the individual should have the freedom and autonomy to find his own way through life.
My first problem with Strobel is that he is a mediocre writer. There is a lot of shifting in chairs, sipping coffee, leaning forward in excitement, and grinning with confidence. I think that all of this description of his interview subjects is meant to build their ethos, and to create a sense of realism, but what you get is gruelling repetitiveness and a wish that he would just get to the point.
C.S. Lewis is much better, mainly because you get a sense of candor and honesty about his spiritual belief- he not trying to hoodwink anyone, merely express his true faith the best way he knows how. The Case for Christ, on the other hand, is a classic example of card-stacking and argumentative sleight of hand.
Some basic logical problems with the specious reasoning of this book:
1) Strobel argues that the apostles could not have lied about the resurrection without the people of Jerusalem refuting them. Well, most people of Jerusalem DID NOT adopt Christianity. It is entirely possible that they saw this as just another sect that they could ignore.
2) People do not die for a lie - I agree with this. But a lot of religious belief could generously be called delusional - meaning that the early followers of Jesus actually believed in the Resurrection, ignoring contradictory evidence to grasp on to a belief that gave their lives meaning and purpose. The great classic work on religious fervor is William James' "The Variety of Religious Experience". I assume most Christian apologists disregard James, because he clearly shows how people's spiritual experiences can lead them to extreme acts.
3) Strobel never addresses the supernatural vs. materialism piece. How do you bring a dead body back to life? Does it require supernatural "magic", or is there a rational scientific explanation? People for many centuries were absolutely convinced of the existence of witches and demons in their midst. From the modern perspective, these beliefs can be explained away as a lack of understanding of natural phenomena.
4) Christianity spread rapidly through the Roman Empire - which is not proof of the truth of its claims - and coincided with the decline of Rome and the onset of the dark ages. Not exactly an argument in favor of Christianity.
5) He interviews psychologist Gary Collins, who professes a belief in demons as a cause of psychological distress / mental illness. Dr. Collins should have his license revoked.
6) This was the most offensive part:
"I shook my head, saddened at the thought of how many other Jewish children have grown up thinking of Christians as their enemies."
Does Strobel not know about THE CENTURIES of persecution and slaughter of Jews by Christians, culminating in the Holocaust? Do Jews have no reason to suspect Christians, especially when Christians call them IGNORANT for not embracing the "truth of Christ"?
I would like to hear more about Strobel's supposed "atheism" before he started writing this book. Did he read the great skeptical writers and philosophers? Or was this a canard to draw in unbelievers?
Also, the ad hominem attacks on the Jesus Project as being "radical, left-wing scholars" does nothing to diminish their arguments. Why not interview one of the participants, instead of giving all of the page space to their right-wing critics?
As an agnostic, I don't believe that this conversation will ever be over. What troubles me is that Evangelicals (along with radicals in all religions) are not content to let people alone with their beliefs. Atheists can be just as strident and dogmatic in their desire to convert people. To me, it is interesting that people are drawn to religion - but the individual should have the freedom and autonomy to find his own way through life.
the book did cover a few interesting ideas but i really can't take Strobel seriously as a scholar and journalist when he describes someone's research as credible based on facts such as "he was even wearing a tie emblazoned with drawings of books"
like ... come on
unnecessary comments like this in a supposedly serious book, based on academic research (which it wasn't always, by the way) just made me very annoyed
like ... come on
unnecessary comments like this in a supposedly serious book, based on academic research (which it wasn't always, by the way) just made me very annoyed
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
tense
medium-paced
challenging
informative
inspiring
mysterious
medium-paced