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Type of bind: Paperback
Dewey Decimal Number: 232.908
EAN num: 9780310209300
ISBN number: 0310209307
Label: Zondervan
Manufacturer: Zondervan
Quantity: 1
Page Count: 304
Printing Date: September 01, 1998
Publishing house: Zondervan
Sale Popularity Level: 1540
Studio: Zondervan
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Product Description:
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.
Amazon.com Review:
The Case for Christ records Lee Strobel's endeavor to 'determine if there's credible evidence that Jesus of Nazareth really is the Son of God.' The book consists primarily of interviews between Strobel (a former legal editor at the Chicago Tribune) and biblical scholars such as Bruce Metzger. Each interview is based on a simple question, concerning historical evidence (for example, 'Can the Biographies of Jesus Be Trusted?'), scientific evidence, ('Does Archaeology Confirm or Contradict Jesus' Biographies?'), and 'psychiatric evidence' ('Was Jesus Crazy When He Claimed to Be the Son of God?'). Together, these interviews compose a case brief defending Jesus' divinity, and urging readers to reach a verdict of their own.
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Rated by buyers 
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It's very simple - a proper, effective argument for Christ must defeat the arguments against Christ IN THEIR BEST LIGHT. Anybody can take the worst arguments for a stance, and defeat them - and then pretend that that's the end to the debate (this is especially easy when everyone at the debate is on the same side). To truly prove validity, you need to take the best and brightest of the arguments, and show why they're wrong. Otherwise, you've made a "case" for nothing at all (except maybe one's own intellectual weakness/dishonesty).
At best, this book is the intellectual equivalent to putting the Lakers on a basketball court vs. a junior high basketball team and saying that the Lakers winning the game is proof that they're the best team in the world. At worst, it's putting the Lakers on the court vs. the Lakers Cheerleaders who let them win, cheering them on each time they make a shot - and again, claiming that this proves their dominance.
It is also, in another way, plain dishonest - Strobel doesn't claim that this book is him, as a Christian, presenting the arguments for Christianity - no matter what the title of the book is. He claims this to be a documentation of his journey from Atheism to Christian belief. If we take him at his word on that claim, Strobel was either a miraculously easy convert or very stupid Atheist. Although, unfortunately for Strobel, something much worse is painfully obvious - that his claim of this book being a factual retelling of his conversion from staunch Atheism to equally firm belief is wholly false. His reasons for painting this picture are obvious - he hopes to guide the unbelieving of us along with this character named Lee Strobel, meeting us very first in our land of unbelief, and guiding us down his trail to Christian freedom. Unfortunately, his dishonest grasp at this goal is self-defeating. In fact, it's insulting. Strobel thinking that anyone will identify with the simplified, ridiculously weak-minded caricature he presents of the non-Christian proves a barrier from him identifying with contemplative non-Christians.
Let's think of the same exact book, same exact structure, except instead "retelling" the conversion of a Christian to an Atheist. If we used the same methods as Strobel, it would go something like this:
"I, a hard-nosed, stubborn Christian journalist, was about to start my very first interview with these Atheists, to see if they have answers to the hard-hitting questions...
'Author: So, Atheist X, I believe there's a floating bearded man in the sky who, after thousands of years of promoting barbarous behavior (killing any child who disobeys once, killing women if they are not a virgin on their wedding night, etc.), magically impregnated a virgin (who happened to have a boyfriend of sorts) to do some magic tricks, tell us all to love each other unconditionally, and die, come back to life, and thus save us all from the evil that was started when our great-great-great (etc) granddaddy ate an apple that a snake gave to him. I don't really have any facts to back this up, and I assure you that I will not try to refute any of your arguments, nor will I seek out anyone who can. Basically, I just believe this because my pastor told me so. So what do you have to say to that, Mr. Atheist, huh?'"
This is not an honest documentation of an Atheist's struggle and eventual conversion, or even an honest debate. It's a fixed game of bowling on page - Lee setting up pins, making them easy for a list of apologists to knock down. This is a Christian poster-child being dishonest (or at best, less than completely honest, which really isn't any different) about what really happened in his past in order to convince people to entirely change their worldview on life, death, and eternity. Why this isn't receiving the same type of scorn as a James Frey who does the same just to get published and sell some books makes me wonder if everyone is on crazy pills.
As a follower of Christ, this book embarrasses me.
Rated by buyers 
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I'll make this short. I think Strobel's book is an excellent introduction to Christian Apologetics. He kept his explanations at a high enough level so that they were easy to understand without burdening the reader with much more, heavy detailed evidence that exists.
What I find interesting, however, is the number of readers that apparently have completely missed the point of the book. I've seen many reviews that criticize Strobel for not interviewing a single person that had a opposing point of view, for not interviewing any Atheists, etc.
To those people, I want to say this - Did you not read the title of the book??!! It's called the "Case FOR Christ", not "Notes from the Stenographer at Christ's Trial". Strobel was a confirmed Atheist (the prosecuting attorney if you will) before he wrote the book and in an endeavor to DISPROVE the divinity of Christ, became a Christian.
Let me also ask this - if you were writing a book called "The Case For Christ" why WOULD you interview people that had an opposing point of view?
There are plenty of books out there that could be titled "The Case Against Christ" - they are written in general by Atheists, and I don't think you're going to find that they interviewed too many Christian scholars in the process of researching their books.
When you read a book it's kind of important to very first understand the context of the subject and where the author is coming from when he wrote the book - I thought Strobel did a very good job in laying the groundwork on this - sorry that this point was apparently lost on some people.
Rated by buyers -
"In light of the convincing facts I had learned during my investigation, in the face of this overwhelming avalanche of evidence in the case for Christ, the great irony was this: it would require much more faith for me to maintain my atheism than to trust in Jesus of Nazareth!" ~ pg. 265
"The Case for Christ" is quite an experience. If you read this book as an unbeliever the facts presented may lead you to a deeper understanding of Jesus and his mission. If you read this book as a Christian, your faith will be strengthened.
Lee Strobel was an atheist for most of his life until he began researching the life of Jesus Christ. In this book he challenges leading scholars with objections he had as a skeptic. His questions are hard-hitting and precise. In turn, the scholars present convincing arguments that are intellectual as well as heartfelt. Some of the questions he asks include:
Can the biographies of Jesus be trusted?
Is there credible evidence for Jesus in history?
Is Jesus really the Son of God?
Does Jesus match the identity of the Messiah?
Was Jesus seen alive after his crucifixion?
If you have any doubts about the validity of the New Testament, this book puts them to rest. Did Jesus really die on the cross and how could the resurrection be true? Lee Strobel investigates every aspect of Jesus' life and comes away with some startling facts and brilliant conclusions.
I love the way this book is written. As a journalist, Lee Strobel knows how to ask the right questions. His conversations with prominent scholars are the highlight of the book. I was amazed at the depth of knowledge these scholars possess.
I think this book can be enjoyed by atheists and Christians. I personally found this book to be exciting, informative and very well researched. Reading "The Case for Christ" could affect your life in a very positive way. It could also help you determine your eternal future. This is a book you will want to buy for all your friends!
~The Rebecca Review
Rated by buyers -
Atheist or believer, this book is worth investigating. The author interviews several scholars concerning different aspects of Jesus such as archeology, history, psychology, and medicine. All the experts weigh in as to how plausible certain claims of the gospel are. Granted, all the experts are believers themselves, but this book does not intend to give a "both sides" account. It is also seems that their area of expertise and their studies helped convince them even MORE (or in some cases just convince) of the truth claims of Jesus.
The book is very easy and fun to read. It is written in the form of the conversation that the author had with each of the scholars and the author's commentary. It will give a believer a good idea of what academic areas have to say about Jesus, and non-believers an idea of what they need to argue against.
Rated by buyers -
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 very 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.
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