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.
Lee Patrick Strobel is an American Christian author and a former investigative journalist. He has written several books, including four that received ECPA Christian Book Awards (1994, 1999, 2001, 2005)[2] and a series which addresses challenges to the veracity of Christianity. He also hosted a television program called Faith Under Fire on PAX TV and runs a video apologetics web site.
.... much use of the bible to support the case for christ/faith which does not lead a critical thinker in the proper direction, so much of the bible is whimsical, inaccurate, and simply fantasy that depending on it to buttress a serious discussion of faith is not of value to me
He writes way over anyones head especially for a subject as complex as religion. I didn’t read a case for faith. Some of the points made, made sense. There isn’t this great story or an explanation made as to why and how he was converted to Christianity. It was glazed over the last chapter.
THE CASE FOR CHRIST: As is always the case with Lee Strobel books, the big problem with THE CASE FOR CHRIST is that it's written by Lee Strobel. Lee Strobel used to work as a journalist for the CHICAGO TRIBUNE and was also trained as a trial lawyer--a background which he's inordinately proud of and can't help referencing nearly every other page or so, beginning with the front cover. His background is the main angle for the book's marketing strategy and is largely responsible for making him a best-selling author. Ironically, though, this aspect of the book is also its biggest failure. Many people read Strobel's writing because they assume that, as a journalist, he will approach the topic from a relatively unbiased perspective and that, because of his lawyer experience, he knows how to avoid the kind of things that would lead to a mistrial. Well...wrong on both counts. I'm delighted that Strobel is a professing Christian, but I think it's cheesy that, during the course of this book, he sort of half-pretends to be a skeptic. He interviews a host of Bible scholars from different backgrounds and acts as though he's grilling them in order to get answers. Strobel calls it "playing Devil's advocate," but it all comes across as being very silly and disingenuous, and it's obvious that his blustering is only done for dramatic effect. The Bible scholars he interviews certainly realize from the outset that Strobel is on their side, and, sure enough, he readily concedes to their every argument. I realize I sound like I'm attacking THE CASE FOR CHRIST, which must seem odd in light of my four star rating. The truth is that I found it to be both entertaining and very informative. I could care less about Strobel's bias... Personally, I think the idea of absolute journalistic integrity sounds nice, but realistically is little more than a pipe dream. I'd just as soon journalists wore their biases on their sleeves so we could easily see exactly where they were coming from. Anyway, Strobel is more of a glorified interviewer than an actual writer, and he doesn't really contribute much to the overall content of the book apart from introducing each of his interviewees. As with his other books, it is the people he interviews who are the main focus of the book, and it is they who serve to make it interesting. This book will give you a whole new perspective on the gospels. It will also introduce you to a bunch of new authors you might want to check out. It covers a lot of ground in a short time, and it's never boring. Despite all its flaws, I think that counts for quite a lot.
THE CASE FOR FAITH: This is a very interesting book, though I would certainly agree with those who say it's misleadingly advertised. As a former journalist, lawyer, and devout atheist, author Lee Strobel makes much of his unique qualifications for compiling this work; however, he lets the reader down on every count. As a piece of journalism, the book is a joke. Strobel knows from the outset what kind of answers he is looking for, and he chooses beforehand the kind of experts who will best support the conclusion he had intended to write from the outset. That isn't to say his conclusion is wrong; it just isn't good journalism. Strobel tries to be cute in the format of the book by laying it out like a trial--with "evidence," "deliberations," and a "verdict". But, in this particular trial, Strobel embodies the entire trinity of prosecution, defense, and judge. He also leads witnesses and prejudices the jury (which I'm assuming is the reader), so the whole idea of faith being "on trial" is totally absurd. As a representative of skeptics, Strobel fails to follow up on his experts' opinions with questions that most intelligent atheists would be bound to ask. Sure, many of the questions Strobel posits are indeed difficult ones, but he doesn't ask them with the tenacity of a true atheist. The parts of the book where Strobel tries to come across as being truly critical of what the interviewees tell him are laughable in their blatant artificiality. How much the better if this book had been written by a true skeptic! Then there's the matter of Strobel's cheesy, self-serving writing-style... So, why then the four stars? Well, because the people who Strobel interviews truly provide a great deal of insight, and, whenever I was reading their words and not Stroble's, I was lovin' it. Not for being an effective piece of journalism, mind you, but for expanding my mind as to the possibilities of how God might reasonably operate--the best example for me being the chapter on hell, which changed my perspective on the topic completely; and that kind of paradigm shift just doesn't happen to people very often. So, despite its myriad flaws, the book was a valuable read for me. It's great to see such intelligent men expound on such interesting and important topics...and all without ever even once insulting or questioning the intelligence of those with contrary opinions or beliefs--a truly rare thing indeed.
Most of the points are well supported, but the style of writing can be a turnoff for non-Christians. I was hoping to find a book that could ask the hard questions and provide plausible answers without sounding so "excited".
"The Case for Faith" gives some suspiciously easy answers to extremely hard questions, and this was probably not the best title for this book. It’s more like "The Case for Reaffirming Your Faith," because it’s far better at preaching to the choir than convincing the rest of us. The subtitle, like many of the other books in the "Case for" series, takes the angle that this is a hard hitting work of journalism that looks into the evidence for an open question, answering questions from those with objections to Christianity. Presumably this includes skeptics and seekers from other religions. Unfortunately, this book is only useful for one type of faith and already knows the answer it wants to arrive at. It will leave anyone of a different religion – or of no religion – unsatisfied.
Many of the topics in this book center around the most serious objections to a loving God’s existence, such as the problems of evil and suffering. I’ve read enough apologetics to know that answers to this issue can range from trite and callous to downright cruel. The very first expert Strobel interviews proves to be exactly what you’d expect, downplaying the horrors of the world with philosophical mind games and reassurances that there will be justice when evildoers get to Hell. If you don’t believe in Heaven and Hell, this exercise is a moot point, not to mention a way to kick the can down the road while proposing an answer that cannot be verified or disproven. But forget evil. The answer to why God allows pointless suffering is no better, simply that we can’t understand everything God does (or in this case, declines to do) and that some good might come out of it. “God works in mysterious ways” could work for small inconveniences but is highly troubling when applied to natural disasters or painful terminal illnesses.
Another frightening thing is that the only skeptic interviewed comes away looking more humane than the Christians. The opening chapter features an interview with Charles Templeton, an evangelist turned agnostic. Templeton, who was suffering from Alzheimer’s at the time of the interview, bursts into tears over the world’s suffering. His heart is absolutely broken over the pain in the world – and yet he is the cautionary tale. He is compared unfavorably with his one-time colleague, Billy Graham, who apparently managed to quash similar doubts by ignoring them. Templeton is the one you DON'T want to be like?
The rest of the debates in the book are same old, same old and warrant little comment. You’ve got William Lane Craig doing his variation of the “no uncaused causes” argument that goes all the way back to Thomas Aquinas, which predictably terminates with a special exception for God. You’ve got clumsy attempts to justify God’s genocidal, capricious behavior in the Old Testament, which again is irrelevant for anyone who is not already a conservative Christian. The dusty old anti-evolution arguments were tiring twenty years ago and they’re even less relevant today.
It’s not entirely Strobel’s fault that his "experts" give such tone deaf answers. But it’s still a remarkably unconvincing book for anyone interested in a genuine case for faith, whatever that might entail, rather than something that begins with the end already determined and twists itself like an intellectual pretzel to make it work. In spite of its subtitle, "The Case for Faith" is not a book for anyone who isn’t already an evangelical Christian. Maybe it will shore up the confidence of some wavering believers, but despite how it may be marketed, this is not a book for skeptics. This is a book for people who are worried they will BECOME skeptics.
This is the second book I have read by this author. The first book I read was “The Case for Christ”. It was game changer. I was hoping for the same with this one. I have to say, that I struggled a little bit with this book. I felt that the author failed delve enough into some of the topics. I felt like there were things that should’ve been explored/challenged further and it left me questioning some of his conclusions. With further explanation and investigating on his part, I may have been in total agreement with some of his points. I felt that he didn’t challenge things as stringently as he did for “The Case for Christ”. In part, some of it may be due to my lack of scholarly knowledge in this area. However, there was a lot to contemplate and numerous valid points. I am glad that I read this book as it helps me in my faith journey.
I've never read any book written by an investigative journalist. This was my first, and I think the author has achieved in convincing the reader of the Case for Christ. The book reads easy and quick and addresses different aspects of his investigation thoroughly. I've even suggested this as a read of a law student - I'm sure she'll enjoy it.
Coming to the content of Case for Christ, I don't think the book attempts to make a Christian of every reader. I think it provides a basis from where the reader can investigate what Christianity is about. The movie Case for Christ focuses on the life story of the author and sort of fills in the blanks that are not described in the book. I can suggest for anyone that liked the book to also go watch the movie.
I didn't read this to challenge my self to believe in Christ as the risen Lord and God of creation. I read it for knowledge and fortification of my own walk. I on a journey to draw ever closer to our Lord and be an improved defender to those who would challenge His existence and historically factual life on earth. The facts presented will undoubtedly increase my ability to present the gospel in ways I lacked before. Praise God for books like this and people like Lee.
This is a great story of one man's quest for the justification of his position. Considered as apologetic work, it seems simplistic, as is often the case. However, the book provides some great sources of information for the person that wishes to pursue these questions a little deeper. The case is compelling and it is difficult to come away without considering the biblical account as truth. Recommend .
After having read Strobel's The Case For Christ, I knew I would like this one, which was referred to me by a friend. Again Strobel's investigations were thorough and his interviews with highly qualified people answered all his doubts and some of mine, as well. I highly recommend it.
As a "progressive" Christian pastor -- certainly not a fundamentalist nor one who believes the Scriptures to be inerrant -- I found Strobel's "case" fascinating, although obviously selective in his evidence and summation ... especially about many church traditions.
The Case for Christ was excellent and easy to follow. Being a Christian it was understandable using the Bible verses as references. However A Case for Faith was more philosophical and harder to follow.
potential wasted. Strobel claims he is laying out a case for Christianity, faith, and Christ, but this book is nothing but interview excerpts and no evidence. Any 'case' worth pondering contains evidence which this does not.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
I like the presentation because the book is written in a logical, analytical manner, which connects with the analytical part of me that needed answers to big questions.
When I sit down to begin writing these reviews, I often find myself wishing that this site offered the ability to do half stars. This time was no exception; I was really torn between the two and three star ratings for these books but ended up going with the three star if only marginally. I felt one of the two books in this larger book deserved two stars while the second was probably more a three star rating but the latter slightly edged out the former. I wasn't wildly crazy about either of the books but they were closer to a three than a two.
Anyway, now that I've covered that on to the actual books. I was curious about these books for a while but hadn't gotten around to them until I heard some reviews from others that I knew that enjoyed them. When I started reading the series, I read it with a friend with a drastically different viewpoint than my own and we had some good discussions as we read through Case for Christ but I wasn't overly impressed with the book. It does have some interesting chapters and some decent insights but I quickly got tired of the repetitive set up of ever chapter. Three or four chapters into the book and you can write an outline for each chapter of how it will be approached as each interview is treated the same way. Does that make it easier to follow? Probably. Does that make it boring and dry? Definitely. Personally, I'm not all that bothered on what the person you interviewed was wearing or how their house is decorated.
I often felt that much of Case for Christ was not what I was expecting it to be. It brushed along the surface of many issues and just kind of wandered through them. For someone seeking, this might be a good resource but I also feel like the author let his journey color some of what he had written. For instance there were comments such as 'this had provided significant proof' or 'solid evidence' which is poorly done if you're attempting to be objective and not lead the reader. Also, there were times when weak arguments were accepted without even a question. There was one argument, I can't remember which it was exactly, but the person being interviewed said 'if you subscribe to the view of X, which most scholars do not, then y makes sense'. If most scholars don't believe that's accurate, why should it be swallowed wholeheartedly without the opposing side being presented?
Case for Christ was a weaker book than Case for Faith in my opinion because much of it just seemed to leave me thinking 'so what?' after I'd finished reading the chapter. Case for Faith deals with the tough issues that most people don't really want to deal with and sometimes the answers really aren't cut and dry as we'd like them to be but it doesn't try to skitter around them and just take the easy path as often as I felt Case for Christ did. That said, I think the book would have been vastly improved had it been approached with two interviews per subject, one pro and one against, to clearly show both sides and the views each holds.
All of that said, the books were okay and somewhat interesting but I would imagine there are books out there that deal with each of the issues in depth that would be better to study and read through than trying to tackle everything at once and only getting a brief preview of each issue.
Lee Strobel's attempt to "determine if there's credible evidence that Jesus of Nazareth really is the Son of God." Compelling interviews with various experts in several fields of study present the reader with facts which are very hard to dismiss. Easy, quick read but provokes the reader to do his own research.
I'm giving this 5 stars because Strobel does a marvelous job addressing several issues I've struggled with. In The Case for Christ, he searches for proof/evidence supporting the New Testament accounts. In The Case for Faith, he addresses 8 different "road blocks" people have regarding Christianity. Most of the time I found his "answers" compelling--at the very least they gave me something to think about. All in all, he directly responded to several things I had come across over the years, things like: the books of the Bible were hand picked by a few leaders who wanted a specific perspective; that the Bible significantly contradicts itself; none of the modern translations are accurate since the entire Bible has undergone multiple translations with hidden political/religious agendas; why bad things happen in the world and God doesn't stop them; you get the point.
There's a part of me that knows that for every one of Strobel's experts, there is at least one strong expert who believes and promotes the opposite view. And while these experts dispute those opposing claims, there is no response or rebuttal from the opposite side of the argument. Of course that would take a much longer and much different book. I still found these arguments to be if not convincing, at least compelling.
"Okay, from an historical perspective we all know that Jesus existed as a person on earth. But this book offers specious arguments at best for his divinity and certainly offers nothing even approaching proof. The author touts his findings as "A Jornalist's Personal Investigation of the Evidence for Jesus". However my daughter studied it in one of her journalism classes as a poor representation of the trade."
Do you have questions about Christianity? Would you be interested in knowing what made an atheist lawyer/journalist start a new life in Christ? A Case for Christ and Case for Faith, by Lee Stroble (former atheist), puts Jesus and the Bible on trial to prove that it is just a bunch of hype. Through the process, Stroble commits himself to Christ due to the overwhelming evidence. Are you ready to review the case files and see for yourself the overwhelming evidence for Christ?
For anyone seeming answers, this is a great beginning. If you've wrestled in your faith or if you are searching I would highly recommend these two books. They don't have ALL of the answers but they do provide some great insight and should trigger some reflection. If read with an open mind,they provide an excellent first step for a lifelong journey.
Great starter books into Christian apologetics, as well as for those looking for answers to questions they may have. They include suggestions of many other books to delve deeper into areas that interest you.
I'm loving it! As a believer, I do not ned to be convinced, but the information is so rich. This book is empowering and every time I learn something newit solidifies my faith.