Customer Reviews
The Verdict Is In 
2008-08-31
Let me start by saying that this book has been recommended to me by Christian friends for a long time. And in my own atheist circles, I've heard Strobel criticized pretty rampantly. So, in the interest of fairness (although I wasn't expecting much, to tell the truth) I picked it up.
I didn't get beyond a couple of pages. Strobel presents an interview with an academic in which the claim is made that we can attest to the historicity/authenticity of the Gospels because Papias SAYS they are authentic in the early second century! Said academic then CONFOUNDS his egregious error by tacking Irenaeus, who lived much later in the second century, on there!
Let me explain for those of you who may not know: the Gospels are generally accepted to have been written in the late first century, with Mark being the oldest at ca. 70 CE--because it mentions the fall of the Temple of Herod in Jerusalem. Matthew and Luke are later, maybe 75-85 CE or thereabouts, and seem to draw on Mark but in their own way. John is believed to be the very last, maybe 90-100 CE.
So, the Christian tradition that the Gospels were written by the apostles of Christ is an old one, but it is just that: a tradition. And given the dates it's thought by credible historians that the Gospels were not written by Christ's apostles. For Strobel's authority to claim that they ARE based on a LATER source and a STILL LATER source is an absurd and transparent appeal to authority: 'X is true because so-and-so says X is true'.
I put the book down because frankly, anyone who's going to butcher something that badly has destroyed all credibility with me. Read it if you must, as a lesson of what NOT to do when arguing about the Gospels. Otherwise leave it on the shelf.
The Case that saved my life 
2008-08-30
I grew up going to church, but never really understood God's purpose for sending Jesus. When I went to college I took a Women's Study class. Which, is not studying women at all. It is a very liberal focused feminist class intended to sway women's views toward the extreme feminist position. I left that class very confused about the truth of life. I searched for several years looking for the truth, not sure if I believed in God anymore. The Case for Christ was given to me as a Christmas gift. I listened to all ten cd's within a week. I wanted evidence, not just blind faith. I'm happy to say Lee's research has certainly provided that. With Lee coming to the table as an atheist, I feel that the research was unbiased and thorough. I have been able to pass this onto others who are searching for the Truth. Praise God for Lee's diligence and desire to know the Truth.
wasnt as biased as i expected 
2008-07-25
I was expecting this to be biased since the author is christian. And biased it was indeed, but not as much as I thought it would be. As an agnostic this book was very interesting and helpful at times. I had some doubts about the bible and surprisingly enough after reading this book now I have even more doubts. So it certainly isn't as biased as some would like to say. If you have questions about the bible and Christianity this book is a great place to start. It makes you believe and doubt at the same time. I liked it and recommend it, although the last 2-3 chapters were a waste of time
A Great Introduction to the Reliability of What We Know About Jesus 2008-07-21
This book offers a great (if introductory) challenge to anyone who is of the modern, rational mindset and questions the historical and authorial integrity of the New Testament. Christian readers who are unfamiliar with the issues surrounding the authenticity of the New Testament are likely to be pleasantly surprised by how reliable and trustworthy its documents are. Non-Christian provocateurs have their work cut out for them if they wish to undermine scripture's integrity. In fact, as some groups have unsuccessfully been trying to do for thousands of years, "wishing" for a scripture killer that does not rely on faith itself is probably their best bet. Just don't ask them who might grant such a wish.
My criticism of this book is that it does not offer a great apologetic resource for individuals of a postmodern mindset. For those of postmodernity, claiming or demonstrating that something is "true" is not sufficient grounds to take up its cause. It must also be lived out in a way that harbors peace and reconciliation. This is surely an area were Christians need to improve on and remain steadfast in its application. Nevertheless, this text should lead honest inquisitors to ask, "If the disciples and related NT authors were accurately reporting on these events, what will we do with this information?" This represents the lion's share of opportunity for Jesus' message to continue changing the world. Believing in him requires more than mental assent to a list of propositions. We must also be committed to following his lifestyle to the best of our ability and let his grace cover the rest.
For truth-seekers looking to explore further, I also highly recommend Paul Eddy's and Gregory Boyd's book, "The Jesus Legend."
thanks for reading,
-C. Lambeth
Jesus Legend, The: A Case for the Historical Reliability of the Synoptic Jesus Tradition
The Case for seriers is great. 2008-07-19
1 July 2008 - Great Book...a friend gave me this book years ago but after reading The Case for a Creator I read it and thought it was amazing. It was the abridged version.
Unbearably Apologetic Pseudo-Scholarship 2008-07-19
Using the dramatic scenario of an investigative journalist pursuing his story and leads, Lee Strobel uses his experience as a reporter for the Chicago Tribune to interview experts about the evidence for Christ from the fields of science, philosophy, and history. Winner of the Gold Medallion Book Award and twice nominated for the Christian Book of the Year Award.
if I could give this book less than one star, I would 2008-07-01
This book is presented in the guise of addressed serious questions of the Christian faith in an objective, thorough manner; as a lawyer would defend a case. Listen, if Lee Strobel was defending Christ in a court of law, Christ would be in trouble. No offense. This book may work well for the naive, but is doesn't answer any serious questions regarding the validity of Christianity. Also, notice how everyone he interviews is a "Dr." Something. That's to help him prop up his side of the argument. He's hoping that the reader will see the "Dr." and not question the evidence. It's downright insulting. If he had good evidence to answer the questions posed, he would need someone with a "Dr." in front of their name. He could just use the evidence.
Case Closed 2008-06-27
I'm not your classic Doubting Thomas, but I certainly like primary sources and first hand evidence where possible. As an educator and a person formally trained in literary and source criticism of the Bible, I constantly struggle to make a case for many the tenets of faith it heralds. Given that preamble, I gladly agreed to read A Case for Christ at a colleague's recommendation.
Lee Strobel, a former court investigative journalist, set out to tackle the tireless task of making a case for and proving the existence of Jesus, not as a man, but as the Christ. He relied on his investigative prowess to prove the case for Christ. Each chapter opens with a vignette from a criminal case within the justice system. Strobel then takes the role of litigator and begins to question expert witnesses. This proved to be a very compelling process, as the Bible itself is actually filled with legal and courtroom jargon. Along the way Stobel interviewed a variety of experts in fields from psychology to fingerprints, but only gave a slight nod of the head to archeology.
In each case Strobel defaults to faith and written words that have been edited, redacted, translated, deciphered and used for political posturing for more than two thousand years. He leans heavily on the Apostle Paul. In the end, his strongest argument, one he defaulted to again and again, comes as he points to the Bible. The New Testament says the Jesus story is true, ergo it must be. Moreover, rather than delineate an iron clad case for Christ, the book reads like a personal testimony for Strobel's religious beliefs. His "expert" witnesses all used the opportunity in like manner, as each admitted to being a Christian.
For many, myself included, the Bible certainly holds authority, but I need more than the one believer's veiled testimony in order to suspend understanding and rational thought processing in the name of faith. To stay with Stobel's motif of the justice system, Mr. Strobel did not make his case beyond a shadow of a doubt.
Terrible reasoning 2008-06-20
"The Case for Christianity" is a terrible book, and the only way the conclusions could be reached would be if Lee Strobel WASN'T an atheist, but already a Christian. The reasoning was awful - 'I can't explain this, it must be God. And if it's God, it can't be a general God, it MUST be Christ!' Or... "This New Testament researcher who's a Christian SEEMS to be using flawed and biased knowledge, therefore he MUST be correct! There's surely no need to talk to someone less biased who would know about the New Testament."
I read this book AS a Christian, and I recognized it for what it truly is: tripe for fundies that are so convinced already, that this sort of reasoning is allowed to continue.
Outstanding 2008-06-15
This is an excellent book for anyone who wants to know more about why someone would choose to believe in Christianity.
