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The Case for Christ

3.99 of 5 stars 3.99 · rating details · 26,132 ratings · 791 reviews

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.

Paperback, 367 pages

Published August 27th 1998 by Zondervan (first published January 1st 1998)

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Jun 13, 2007 Ancient rated it 1 of 5 stars Recommends it for: People not looking for real answers, Christians who really don't want to challenge their beliefs

Shelves: religion, f-this-crap

Rated 1 star for false advertising, poor journalism, poor investigation, poor argumentation, and poor scholarship.

There's not enough room here to critique all the specifics of this book, so I'll get right to the heart of things (if you're interested in a more detailed critique, check out Robert M. Price's excellent The Case Against the Case for Christ. Or check out the review at infidels.org).

At the beginning of The Case for Christ, Strobel presents himself as a former atheist, skeptic, an...more Rated 1 star for false advertising, poor journalism, poor investigation, poor argumentation, and poor scholarship.

There's not enough room here to critique all the specifics of this book, so I'll get right to the heart of things (if you're interested in a more detailed critique, check out Robert M. Price's excellent The Case Against the Case for Christ. Or check out the review at infidels.org).

At the beginning of The Case for Christ, Strobel presents himself as a former atheist, skeptic, and journalist who is about to conduct a serious investigative search into whether or not Jesus is exactly what orthodox/fundamentalist churches teach him to be - the God Man with miraculous powers born of a virgin to die for the sins of the world, etc., etc.

But here's the problem - the contents of this book are nothing resembling serious investigative journalism. They are a collection of arguments, quotes, and information almost 100% of which are supplied by a small group of like-minded, Evangelical Christian apologists. Strobel never interviews any of the many, many other scholars with views that differ from that of this small, very conservative Evangelical group. (And there are plenty of scholars just as, if not more qualified and respected, who would disagree with what the members of Stobel's clique have to say.)

I rate TCFC at 1 star not because I disagree with the arguments presented in it (which I do), but because it's so dishonest. It claims to be investigative reporting when it presents only a mass of one-sided, biased apologetical material. Either, after having spent years as an investigate journalist, Strobel is clueless as to what constitutes investigative journalism (possible, but unlikely), or Strobel began this project already possessing a set of strong religious convictions, proceeded to gather only those arguments, interviews, and info which support these particular convictions, and then combined that material into a book dishonestly marketed as investigative journalism (the more likely case).

Strobel is free to write whatever kind of books he wants, but he isn't free to make false claims without expecting to be called out on them.

The true intended audience for TCFC are Christians who are looking for somebody to tell them exactly what they want to hear - that all the traditional (and overly simplistic) beliefs they were taught about Jesus in Sunday School are true and proven. TCFC is not a book written for critical thinkers looking for an honest exploration of well-researched and well-supported scholarship and arguments concerning who Jesus was.

If you are interested in a more honest inquiry into opposing viewpoints about Jesus written for the average reader where different sides get to present their own views in their own words (although one that is still quite slanted in it's presentation), check out Will the Real Jesus Please Stand Up? edited by Paul Copan.(less)

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Elizabeth Newton I agree. But let's be honest here. Strobel wants other people to experience what he has experienced. I haven't actually yet read the book. My brother...more
Mar 01, 2013 06:29pm

Ancient Elizabeth wrote: "I agree. But let's be honest here. Strobel wants other people to experience what he has experienced. I haven't actually yet read the...more
updated Mar 06, 2013 10:24am

Jan 01, 2013 Lady Danielle aka The Book Huntress rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Anyone who has questions about the faith of Christianity and the person of Jesus Christ

Shelves: audiobook, library-checkout, owned-copy, christian-theology, 2012-sky-s-the-limit-club, favorites, yearly-reading-challenge, nonfiction

This review is probably not as well-crafted as I would have hoped, since I am very swamped right now, and unable to do better. However, I wanted to write my thoughts on the book to the best of my ability as soon after I finished the audio version as possible so I wouldn't forget too much. I hope to reread it and analyze it more at a later date.

When I finished this book, I felt that Mr. Strobel tackled the tough questions about Christ that one might ask if they were skeptical about the faith and...more This review is probably not as well-crafted as I would have hoped, since I am very swamped right now, and unable to do better. However, I wanted to write my thoughts on the book to the best of my ability as soon after I finished the audio version as possible so I wouldn't forget too much. I hope to reread it and analyze it more at a later date.

When I finished this book, I felt that Mr. Strobel tackled the tough questions about Christ that one might ask if they were skeptical about the faith and the person of Jesus Christ. I grew up in a Christian home and I have been a personal confessor of faith in Jesus for well over twenty years. However, it was good to take a hard look at the questions I didn't have the answers for from a scholarly standpoint. And I believe that Jesus wants anyone who chooses to follow him to count the cost and look hard at who he is. He is honest and righteous and doesn't want anyone to be misled about who he is. So I would say that anyone of my bent is encouraged to do the same.

I felt that Mr. Strobel showed his investigative journalism chops in addressing those important aspects of Christ's identity and the reliability of the evidence of his claim as the Son of God who died for the sins of every person who ever lived, and rose again from the grave, and the areas that one might use to discount his message and the affirming power of faith in Jesus Christ as the Messiah. Ultimately, those who choose not to believe will probably continue to not believe (and they have that choice), but those who want to take that step to believe in him and have some factual proof about him and what faith in him offers, they will find enough here to further confirm that faith in Jesus is not blind faith, but a reasonable, eyes open step of faith. What I do not propose here is that this book takes the place of the Holy Bible, but instead, Strobel's investigation shows that the Bible is a reputable historical document and what it says about God and Jesus Christ is historically accurate. And for those who seek further inquiry, one will find a very good bibliographical source of reputable scholars who can offer even more sound information about Jesus Christ, the historicity of his persona, and the proven historical accuracy of the New Testament Gospels and how they relate to the Old Testament. In fact, this was one of strongest elements of the book for me, since it gave me even more books to read as I get the opportunity.

While I have seen plenty of 1 star reviews for this book, I personally feel justified in giving it 5 stars. One might argue that I like it because it justifies what I believe. That's not completely untrue. It does justify what I believe. I'm glad that I walked into this book with my brain prepared to take a hard look at the evidence and that scholarship was rewarded in Strobel's methodical and thorough investigative process. Let me add that I would have believed what I did anyway based on the process of my individual faith walk. Instead, this book just provides more solid evidence to underpin what I already believe.

I am a rational person. Very analytical, and I have never felt that having faith in God requires throwing out the thought processes and rational inquiry. After all, God gave us brains and he expects us to use them. So for me, this book takes a thinking person who values factual evidence and solid inquiry on a logical investigation into the identity of Jesus of Nazareth, who has proven he is the Son of God in so many ways that those who believe in him will not find themselves disappointed with that decision in the long run.

I would recommend this book. (less)

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Oct 07, 2012 Yvonne rated it 3 of 5 stars

Recommended to Yvonne by: LuAnn

Shelves: books-i-read-on-the-mission

Although this is not on the 'approved' LDS missionary library, I read it anyway because of friend of mine asked me to. It was very interesting to see the archeological and historical proof that Strobel had for the life of Jesus Christ. It was also good to understand what kind of proof many Evangelicals want to see before they accept the Book of Mormon as true. However, just because there is historical or archeological evidence supporting the existence of Jesus Christ doesn't prove that he is the...more

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Jul 26, 2008 Brooke rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: non-fiction

My review for this book and The Case For Faith are the same, since I read them at the same time five years ago and can't remember which topics were in which books. I managed to forget I ever read them, and only when I saw them on this site did remember.

These books were given to me by a guy I was dating at the time who decided I'd only be an acceptable wife if I converted to Christianity (I'm currently single, if you're wondering how well that went over). It's a shame he chose these books as hi...more My review for this book and The Case For Faith are the same, since I read them at the same time five years ago and can't remember which topics were in which books. I managed to forget I ever read them, and only when I saw them on this site did remember.

These books were given to me by a guy I was dating at the time who decided I'd only be an acceptable wife if I converted to Christianity (I'm currently single, if you're wondering how well that went over). It's a shame he chose these books as his main plan of attack, because they're terrible.

Lee Strobel's first mistake is that he tries to answer everything with a pat, definitive response. The tone he uses is one that says, "AH! This is so simple, now that you've explained it! How does anyone not understand?" As most people realize, religion is complicated and often requires you to just believe in things that you take on faith, rather than because it's been proven by evidence. Trying to argue for faith makes faith a moot point.

When answering the question, "If there's a God, why does he allow such suffering in this world?" Strobel trots out the tired response, "Because God gave us free will." For a book that's supposed to help convert people, that answer isn't going to reassure someone who had strong objections in the first place. It also fails to acknowledge that we really just don't know, and that we tell ourselves this to try to make sense of things, not because we know for sure.

Strobel also tried to address deep questions with anecdotes - one that sticks out in my mind to this day was a response to a question about how people who never heard of Jesus could be saved, and isn't it a flaw of the religion if it only applied to people who happened to live in a place where Jesus was brought to their attention? Strobel somehow thought that a story about a Muslim girl in a Muslim country who one day randomly thought "I need Jesus's help" and secretly became Christian answered it sufficiently and proved that we will just know Jesus in our hearts.

Other answers required a preexisting belief in order to make sense. They reminded me of the circular argument the aforementioned ex-boyfriend would give for Jesus's divinity - Jesus is God, so since he says he's God, if I don't believe he's God, I'm calling God a liar.

The kicker for me was a chapter about the prediction of the Messiah in the Jewish bible - Strobel managed to find an ignorant Jew who must have never done even the minimal Torah study. With his help, Strobel spins a conspiracy where Rabbis hide the fact that the Jewish bible prophesied the arrival of the Messiah. The ignorant Jew tells Strobel all about how he didn't know such a thing was foretold, and it was such a revelation to him that he converted to Christianity. I want to find this guy and smack him up the side of the head with my Tanakh and suggest he look up that little thing about the descendant of King David.

Strobel would have done far better to admit that these are complicated questions for which we don't have all the answers, if we have any at all. The fact that he has an answer for everything just makes him look silly and arrogant. If religion were this easy, we wouldn't have the Talmud and Midrash.(less)

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Jan 29, 2008 Michael rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: history

This book will not persuade anyone who doesn't believe in his heart already.

Strobel claims to have been a serious skeptic about Jesus and to have done these interviews in the style of a serious journalist in order to decide for himself whether Christians are right.

I don't believe him. As an actual skeptic who is very familiar with the Bible, I find that Strobel consistently avoids the obvious problems with the arguments put forward. He interviews only Christians and blindly accepts everything t...more

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Sep 18, 2007 Joanna rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: anyone

The Case for Christ is a collection of interviews that retraces journalist Lee Strobel's journey from skepticism to faith. Not content to merely take someone's word for it, Strobel used his journalism and law training to track down and agressively interview experts on Christ and the Christian faith. Because Strobel is willing to ask taboo questions and attempts to poke irreparable holes in his own faith, the answers he finds from various professors and clergy are both compelling and intellectu...more

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Mar 10, 2008 Barry rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: spirituality-religious-history

Another book that I had high hopes for that didn't deliver. In fact, I think I have less faith in Christ for having read this book.

Lee Strobel is a journalist who converted to Christianity from Atheism and now makes millions of dollars selling 'The Case For..XXX" books. This book supposedly details his journey from skeptic to believer in which he interviews several different experts on topics related to Christ.

His conclusions are transparent from the outset and I found the scholarship and logi...more

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Sep 04, 2008 Ron rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: religion-philosophy

Unfortunately, Strobel does not make his case very well. It's exactly the superficial twaddle you'd expect from a lawyer-turned-reporter.

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Apr 13, 2008 Skylar Burris rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: christianity

The author compares his investigation of the evidence for Christianity to his investigation of evidence for a legal case when he worked as a lawyer. While I appreciate the point he is making, this constant method of comparison becomes a bit tedious; as a reader, I just want to get on with the apologetics. His interview style is likewise wearying. While he's telling me what professor this or that is doing with his pipe before answering his question, I just want to say, "Get to the point." The int...more The author compares his investigation of the evidence for Christianity to his investigation of evidence for a legal case when he worked as a lawyer. While I appreciate the point he is making, this constant method of comparison becomes a bit tedious; as a reader, I just want to get on with the apologetics. His interview style is likewise wearying. While he's telling me what professor this or that is doing with his pipe before answering his question, I just want to say, "Get to the point." The interviews themselves seem a bit contrived, as though he was selecting and arranging his questions in order to produce a certain set of desired responses: leading the witness, so to speak. When reading his accounts of these interviews, I did not feel persuaded that Strobel was being convinced of the evidence for Christianity via his investigation, but that he was already convinced prior to the interviews, and that the interviews themselves are little more than a rhetorical device. There's nothing wrong with using rhetorical devices in apologetics, but then you shouldn't pretend it's something other than a device, and Strobel pretends it's an empirical investigation born of doubt; I think this tactic is very much going to hurt his case with atheists and agnostics who will see it (perhaps not wrongly) as a ploy and then consequently discount the very real and otherwise persuasive evidence he does present.

In short, I would have preferred a straightforward recounting of the evidence on behalf of Christianity. There are many nuggets of persuasive value in this book, but you have to wade through a lot of extraneous material to get there. I wasn't learning anything I haven't already read before in other, more concise or more poetical apologetics, and so I ended up putting the book aside unfinished. If I were to suggest an apologetic, it would not be this one. I would suggest Mere Christianity, Misquoting Jesus, or What's So Great About Christianity long before I would suggest this one.
(less)

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Dec 12, 2007 Craig rated it 2 of 5 stars

This book is not very well written both in terms of the writing itself and in being unconvincing. The author interviews several conservative scholars about many of the common challenges to the Bible and Christian theology and gets their responses. No problem there. The trouble is that the author tries to pretend he is this hard hitting journalist who doesn't pull any punches and rattles his subjects with bull-dog like tenacity and... you get the picture. Well the reality is that he is none of th...more This book is not very well written both in terms of the writing itself and in being unconvincing. The author interviews several conservative scholars about many of the common challenges to the Bible and Christian theology and gets their responses. No problem there. The trouble is that the author tries to pretend he is this hard hitting journalist who doesn't pull any punches and rattles his subjects with bull-dog like tenacity and... you get the picture. Well the reality is that he is none of those things. Each interview has the same pattern.

1. Introduce subject
2. Build the credibility of the subject both in the professional and personal sense ("I was expecting an ivory tower dork-wad, but was surprised to find a super smart awesome guy.")
3. Present a series of challenges to Biblical accuracy or Christian theology ("Can the Gospels really be relied upon as accurate?")
4. Listen to the response ("Yes and here is why.")
5. Make slanted statements about any consensus amoung Biblical scholars, "the majority of reputable scholars are fairly comfortable with most of such and such.")
5. Admit that the interview subject is right "Okay, okay, stop pummeling me with your unassailable arguments." "I now see that the weight of the evidence is overwhelming." "I couldn't argue with his rock solid arguments." blah, blah, blah.

No real attempt at counter argument is made. There is no hard hitting journalism. There is no real attempt at cross examination (no pun intended). After about the third interview, I began to actually feel uncomfortable for him in that he was still trying to keep up this charade of confrontational skepticism.

That being said, the book does have some positive aspects. It does provide a good overview of many of the criticisms of the Bible as well as an initial response to those criticisms. I know that you can't present every answer and counter arguement to every issue in one book, but the way it is done just isn't going to be very convincing to anyone. I think that such a weak effort can actually have the opposite of the intended effect and make people more skeptical. As someone who is already a believer, I think we can do much much better than this in terms of defending the Bible and the faith.(less)

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May 19, 2008 Eric rated it 2 of 5 stars

Strobel, a former investigative reporter and religious skeptic, interviews scholars from various fields, including history, psychology, and archeology, to determine if it is possible that Jesus is the Messiah. The book is structured similar to a court case, with Strobel explaining the different types of evidence he is about to present by using court cases to illustrate how they can impact a trial.

However, the major problem with his argument is that he leaves out one very important part of a cour...more

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Dec 29, 2007 Mark Conwell rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Anyone

This book thoroughly investigates Jesus claim of being the one and only son of God. Lee Strobel took the time to seek out and question scholars who provide overwhelming evidence for Jesus as the Messiah. I have seen several criticisms of this book that say Lee did not talk to scholars who refute Jesus life, death, and resurrection. However, as a former atheist Lee gives due attention to the opposite side of the argument. As a Christian, I would recommend this book to anyone and challenge people...more

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Apr 24, 2008 Jeremiah rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: christian-apologetics

This book is quite possibly the most readable and engaging book to ever hit the field of apologetics; I recommend it to every Christian. The book chronicles Strobel's inquisitive journey as he questions some of the most astute thinkers alive today about some of the most pressing questions a Christian can ask. Read it for no other reason than to ground yourself more deeply in the True faith, to stand strong and to live a life of bold confidence.

P.S. Buy and watch the DVD (by the same title) that...more

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Apr 05, 2008 Nicole rated it 5 of 5 stars

AWESOME!
The Case for Christ records Lee Strobel's attempt 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 J...more

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Mar 19, 2008 Daniel Lundgren rated it 4 of 5 stars

I really liked this book at the time. It was reassuring to have something so concrete in high school. While I think it was helpful at the time, I find myself not needing it as much at this stage of my life. Hopefully this is because I have moved past the need for an intellectual defense of my faith towards a discipleship under the lordship of Christ based upon who he is as seen in scripture and through the experience of Christians throughout the ages. Ultimately, I think this is a book for Chris...more

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Feb 05, 2008 Tina rated it 3 of 5 stars

A journey investigating the evidence of Jesus - and was pretty interesting. The one thing I didn't like is the author always knew the answers to the questions he was posing to people he interviewed. He had read their books, he had done the research - the interviews just seemed to be there to include a dialogue. I do wish the author had included a more balanced view on his topics - each person interviewed only supported his final decision and he didn't provide a very balanced view - and not a tru...more

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May 17, 2013 Dawn Hamsher rated it 4 of 5 stars

This book was recommended by our youth pastor because my daughter has been asking tough faith questions like:

How do you really know there is a God?
How do you know Christianity is the right faith?
Was Jesus a real person?
Is it documented anywhere besides the Bible that Jesus did miracles?

I really enjoyed the book! As a journalist that covered courtroom cases, Mr. Strobel opens every chapter with an intriguing court case that leads into the topic about Christ that he is investigating. He is...more

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Mar 14, 2013 Jennifer Davis rated it 4 of 5 stars

This book is appealing to a broad range of people, whether Christian, nonbeliever, or somewhere in-between. It would be most effective for people who are experiencing a struggle with faith, as Strobel himself did, because the book is designed to answer questions specifically relating to doubt in Christ's deity.

Pros:
Informative, well-researched, well-written, and honest. It's a book for people who are having issues with their faith or who feel some stirring of "there's something going on here." I...more

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Sep 29, 2012 Andrew rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I'm skeptical that Lee Strobel was ever a skeptic of Jesus. He certainly doesn't take much convincing within the book, and his parallels to real-world criminal evidence are contrived.

Argumentum ad Ignorantiam (Argument from Ignorance): A fallacy of logic; this argument attempts to prove the existence of something by stating that it cannot be disproved.

Lee seems to think that by not being able to disprove Jesus as the Messiah, he must be the Messiah. He does present evidence in support of Jesus a...more

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Jul 16, 2012 Mary Ann rated it 4 of 5 stars

It was very nice to have concrete facts from scholars whose opinions and research I find very reputable. I learned a LOT from this book, and it helped strengthen my faith. I do agree with some that Lee Strobel was clearly already a believer and I am not totally convinced that he was as skeptical as could be going into the interviews. I also agree that it would have been nice to hear an interview with an atheist or someone from the Jesus Seminar, as opposed to just reading about their beliefs. Wi...more

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Jul 07, 2012 Adam rated it 2 of 5 stars

Pros: Strobel does a decent job of sticking to his approach (that of a law journalist) as he builds the case from "witnesses" (Gospels, et al) and other historical documents to prove the empty tomb theory. He would be convincing to many believers, and could act as a modern anchor for Christian faith.

Cons: I admit that I am not predisposed to believe in such things as the "resurrection" - so I am trying to be fair. Simply put, I did not like the ruse that Strobel offers as a personal background -...more

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Jan 13, 2012 Zach rated it 1 of 5 stars

Intellectual dishonesty could not be applied enough to this book. It does not take any sort of academic degree to see huge holes in this guy's logic or presentation.

First, it's totally dishonest to portray your journey as part of an investigation and then only interview one side. Atheist and other secular arguments are sometimes presented, but always within the span of a sentence or two, all of their substance ripped out and replaced with straw. While you might expect to encounter at least the...more

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Nov 15, 2011 Janelle rated it 3 of 5 stars

The Case for Christ is a uniquely written by Strobel. He is an atheist and a journalist in search of evidence of the existence of Jesus. The reason his searched started was because his unbelieving wife became a believer after attending a church service that her friend begged her to go to. He then resented the fact that he let her go and tried to persuade her to not believe, but she challenged him to give facts to her on why she should not believe. This started his journey and he began to intervi...more

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Oct 17, 2011 Christopher rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: christianity

This is probably my second or third read through this book and I must be expecting more from it than I remember because it wasn't as good this time around. Not that it is bad or anything, rather it just isn't as revealing the second time around as the first, like the surprise twist in a movie you've seen a million times already. Really, this book is great its first time around and is specifically meant for either skeptics seriously investigating Christianity or believers who are looking for a hi...more

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Sep 26, 2011 Malcolm rated it 5 of 5 stars

As with any religious book, objectivity is impossible (since religion, by loose definition, is subjective experience of that which is unproven); so here's my subjective opinion as a Christian.

Non-believers
If you are a non-believer, you're going to fall into one of three general groups: atheists, agnostics, and seekers (and that fourth most special group made up of all the people who just refuse to be grouped by a small-minded Christian, dammit :) ).

If you are actually a member of that fourth g...more

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Sep 20, 2011 Kate rated it 5 of 5 stars

This is a great read because it is not one-sided. Lee Strobel is a former journalist and legal editor of the Chicago Tribune. He uses his skill in research to provide a book that explores the claims of Christianity. I like that Strobel writes almost in a detective-style format, he offers challenges, interrogates witnesses, challenges his sources, and presents the evidence in a blunt and organized manner. He examines the evidence with neutrality and attention to detail. It is refreshing to read a...more

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Sep 19, 2011 Kerrie rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: religion

I pretty much agree with everything Christopher Hitchens and Richard Dawkins have to say on the subject of religion (with a few exceptions), but I'm not about to limit my reading material to what fits my worldview. I'm entirely open to reading religious material and see what it has to say. This book was put into my hands by a Christian who said it proved beyond a doubt that Christ existed, was resurrected, and therefore Christianity/God/salvation was real. This story has obviously convinced bill...more

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May 30, 2011 George rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: church-book-club

It was interesting to read others' reviews of this book before writing my own. Of the (only) three one-star reviews I read, I think each person missed the point and, frankly, had expectations that were too high for the book. So, the most helpful review in this forum is to say that this book is, in fact, as advertised -- it is ONE MAN's review of information that led him to Christ [the sub-title makes this clear]. Strobel tells us that he researched the existence of Jesus Christ in 1981; this boo...more It was interesting to read others' reviews of this book before writing my own. Of the (only) three one-star reviews I read, I think each person missed the point and, frankly, had expectations that were too high for the book. So, the most helpful review in this forum is to say that this book is, in fact, as advertised -- it is ONE MAN's review of information that led him to Christ [the sub-title makes this clear]. Strobel tells us that he researched the existence of Jesus Christ in 1981; this book is a review/refreshing of the research he personally and privately conducted in the early '80s, published in 1998. In this book, Strobel interviews highly credentialed scholars in various subject areas related to each of those questions/issues/topics. Perhaps it could be better titled, "_A_ Case for Christ" or "Lee Strobel's Case for Christ," but the fact remains that the book is as advertised -- one guy's search for understanding about the earthly existence of the person of Jesus Christ.

In that vein, I think this book is an excellent first look at this topic. It doesn't answer, or even pretend to answer, every single concern someone might have on this topic, but it provides an excellent framework to begin to investigate the topic individually. You're immediately told that Strobel is a convert to Christianity, so there are no tricks at the end--you always know where the book is headed. Strobel provides detailed introductions to each "expert witness" that speak to their ability to weigh in on a subject and provides citations of their work and additional articles on each topic. If you don't know where to begin on a search to understand the existence of Jesus, I think this book would help. If you're convinced that Jesus is a myth or legend, I think this book would provide lots of food for thought that would require additional research in order to resolve that belief. If you do believe, this book would be useful and highly interesting, but...would probably only prompt you to do more research.

Why?
Because there are a few failings of the book as a definitive piece of scholarly research (but it never pretended to be that, so...maybe I'm unfair). First: I'm sure that in an effort to make the information accessible, Strobel's journalistic style suffered. Strobel is too present in the work; the book is more a travelogue from argument to argument than it is a dispassionate dissertation on various items. Strobel injects himself and his interview subjects into the book, but it falls a bit flat because we know that he converted to Christianity from atheism 17 years earlier. This style degrades the seriousness of the book, but does make it highly readable.

Second: Not every scholar he interviews is on equal academic/professional standing -- although each interviewee is highly, highly credentialed and he only presents one view per each topic. My only example re: professional standing demonstrates my own bias: the gentleman he interviews early in the book has degrees from Yale and Princeton; he subsequently interviews a gentleman teaching at Jerry Falwell's Liberty University. Fairly or unfairly, I judge Liberty University poorly because of some of the statements of its founder (although I did just check and Liberty is accredited by the same organization that certified Vanderbilt University, Duke University, and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill). Strobel could have helped us by providing multiple first-hand viewpoints per topic. He does establish that he's interviewing THE EXPERT on a topic, but it would've helped to have multiple opinions. He does provide information from contrary viewpoints, though -- but only in the form of a literature review. I think he may have been better served to have had additional view points per topic.

This book is definitely worth reading; it will likely be a quick but thought-provoking read and will likely spur you to additional research. (less)

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May 28, 2011 Melody rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites

This book was great. My fiance is really into apologetics (defending christianity), and is a fan of Josh McDowell so this was my first book into this topic so I thought it would be interesting to compare this author to McDowell.

Lee Strobel is a former athiest who on finishing this book became a Christian. He was and is an award winning legal journalist for the Chicago Times and has a fantastic resume/experience in journalism and law (from Harvard).

So when his wife becomes a Christian and he noti...more

2 likes · like · see review

Dec 04, 2010 George rated it 5 of 5 stars

Really guys, what are you disputing? Facts are facts. I was not an atheist, but have done great study on the reliability of the manuscripts of the New Testament. I have also debated in a liberal seminary with professors and scholars which I attended. Their arguments were blowing in the wind. There is NO reason to believe that Jesus was not who He was reported to be. Although I do not know Lee Strobel, he seems to have put forth a reasonable and well researched argument. Is it not liberals that a...more

3 likes · like · see review

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Quotes from The Case for Christ

“Only in a world where faith is difficult can faith exist.” — 26 people liked it

“To be honest, I didn't want to believe that Christianity could radically transform someone's character and values. It was much easier to raise doubts and manufacture outrageous objections that to consider the possibility that God actually could trigger a revolutionary turn-around in such a depraved and degenerate life.” — 9 people liked it

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