Rating: 
Summary: Not Convincing at all
Review: Lee Strobel's book, despite its high sounding title, miserably fails to make a case for the historicity of Jesus Christ. Strobel, without doubt, is a dramatic writer. Unfortunately, drama cannot substitute for substance, logic and consistency. Drama is not evidence. Strobel is a former legal affairs journalist. Strobel's background makes it harder for me to believe that his earnestness about his case for Christ is real. What is real is his immaculate understanding of his main audience (hordes of believing Christians) who are predisposed to accept any "evidence" that confirms their belief in Jesus Christ as a historical character. Strobel deftly exploits this predisposition of his audience to the fullest. To those who are not similarly predisposed, but eager to sincerely hear his case, Strobel's brilliance fails to dazzle. In fact, the lack of substance in his "case" is disappointing, even annoying. PREPPING HIS AUDIENCE -- STROBEL'S INTRODUCTION Strobel cleverly uses the introduction of his book primarily to prep his audience. He starts out by informing his audience that he was an atheist. [Message: "Unlike many of you, I am not predisposed to believing."] It was the sudden conversion of his wife to evangelical Christianity that changed Strobel's life. The wife's conversion impelled Strobel to take Christianity seriously and to inquire the historicity of the Gospel accounts. Immediately he puts his audience into a great, positive mood by claiming that Christianity had no negative effects on his wife. Strobel's initial fears regarding her wife's conversion, such as her turning into a "sexually repressed prude," were groundless. Much to Strobel's relief, Mrs. Strobel maintained her "upwardly mobile lifestyle." Not only that, to Strobel's utter amazement, Mrs. Strobel miraculously developed "integrity" of character and "personal confidence." To the believing audience the message is clear: Jesus Christ has to be real to cause such "fundamental changes in her character." To the unbelievers the subtle message is: "No further proof is necessary. But since I said I will give you evidence for the historical reality of Jesus Christ, I shall condescend." To further prep his audience Strobel asserts, "we can't have absolute proof about anything in life." That is a specious statement. Who is asking for "absolute proof?" All that is being asked is proof beyond a reasonable doubt. By making this "absolute proof" statement, Strobel is once again sending a subtle message to his audience: "There is sufficient "proof" for the Jesus story. But the skeptics are not going to believe even if "absolute proof" were offered." Strobel continues this technique through out his book of sending subliminal manipulative messages to his ingratiated audience. "THE EYEWITNESS EVIDENCE" That is the title of Strobel's first chapter. When I read that title I thought Strobel is going to do what no one has done: Present eyewitnesses accounts of the life of Jesus Christ. So what is Strobel up to? Well, through an irrelevant contemporary story of a black youth named Leo Carter, who witnesses murder and in the process almost gets killed, Strobel is dramatizing the importance of eyewitness testimony. Thank you Mr. Strobel for the dramatic story of Leo, or we would not know the central importance of an eyewitnesses testimony. Strobel writes: "I knew just as Leo Carter's testimony clinched the convictions of three brutal murderers, eyewitness accounts from the mists of distant time could help resolve the most important spiritual issue of all." Leo Carter's story as an eyewitness to multiple murders is real life drama. I begin to shift in my chair with excitement at the possibility of meeting the Leo Carters of "distant time." Strobel punctures the balloon of my excitement. Instead of bringing eyewitnesses to the witness box to get "solid answers," who does he bring? Hold your breath! It is Craig Blomberg, the author of The Historical Reliability of the Gospels." So much so for the eyewitnesses! To clear the mist hanging over Strobel's opening chapter, let us imagine that Strobel is in the courtroom before the judge. He just finished relating Leo Carter's story. This is what happens next. Judge: "Mr. Strobel now produce your eyewitnesses please."
Silence.
Judge: " Mr. Strobel, I heard your irrelevant story about the black kid, now will you produce the eyewitnesses for your case, please."
Silence.
Judge: "One last time, Mr. Strobel, do you have an eyewitness?"
Strobel: "Your honor, I have an expert who can testify..."
Judge: " Mr. Strobel, by the story of the black kid you gave me the impression you had eyewitnesses -- don't you even have one eyewitness?"
Strobel: "I have an expert, actually several scholarly, sincere, Christian experts, who are willing to testify."
Judge: "So, you concede you have no eyewitness for Jesus Christ?"
Strobel: "Your honor, I will offer you expert testimony that shall convince you and the jury of the authenticity of the Jesus story." That summarizes what Strobel's book is about. From here on all that Strobel does is talk to Christian experts who according to him are scholars of distinction and know their subject well. So much so that Strobel does not see the necessity to talk to any neutral or "non Christian" sources. Strobel's case is exclusively based on interviews he conducts with Christian "experts ." This one sided opinion is presented as "testimony." And woe unto you if you do not believe this testimony. Case closed. Strobel completely aligns himself with the religious mindset and the book is nothing but a reinforcement of "accepted" Christian belief and scholarship. Not only his "case" has no eyewitnesses he has nothing to offer by way of new research or unbiased answers. Is this deception or what? Why not tell the reader at the outset, "Look I have nothing new to offer. I concede there are NO eyewitnesses for my case for Christ. But I can offer you the expert opinion of Christian scholars who know what they are talking about." Such forthright statements are not made because such an admittance does not sell.
Rating: 
Summary: an excellent primer for the orthodox view of jesus
Review: Strobel, I'm sure, didn't set out to provide an exhaustive list of evidences for the existence, deity, and resurrection of Christ. That would require a much longer, and tedious, book. He does, however, provide sufficient evidence. While a skeptical reader may not be convinced after reading the book, he cannot say that there is no or little evidence for the authenticity of traditional christian belief. Whether he believes the evidence is a different matter altogether. Strobel, therefore, provides a lengthy bibliography for those who want to do a more extensive study on the subject. In addition, he provides resources written by Crossan, Martin, and other non-believers. This indicates to me that Strobel is not afraid to let the reader see both sides of the issue. Most books on Jesus that i've read written by liberal scholars almost never point readers to resources that expound an opposing view. For a more scholarly (yet highly readable) treatment of the orthodox view of Jesus, I'd recommend The Historical Jesus by Gary Habermas, and Jesus Under Fire by M. Wilkins and J.P. Moreland. As for the negative review dated Sept 11, 1999, the reviewer states that Palestine didn't become a roman province until 6 a.d. This is simply false. Any perusal through a book on Roman or Palestine history will show that Jerusalem was conquered by Pompey in 63 BC.
Rating:
Summary: A Literary Masterpiece
Review: I recently asked a Christian friend how he could possibly believe the Jesus story as outlined in the gospels when there were so many other plausible explanations as to what may have occured. He suggested I read this book. I bought the book and began reading it this morning. It was so captivating that I didn't put it down until I finished it! Instead of popping off with one's personal opinion refuting common objections to the gospels, the author addresses 13 experts in the fields of theology, history, philosophy, psychology, archaeology, and pathology with some of the same objections I have had regarding the Jesus story, plus some that I hadn't yet thought of. No creampuff questions here, mind you. These were difficult questions that I was certain could not reasonably be answered in the affirmative. I was shocked to find that in each case, overwhelming evidence was presented that supports the life, death, and resurrection of Christ as outlined in the Bible. This is not the outcome I expected to have from reading this book. Rather, I was certain I would come away with a more solid foundation of why I was right to not believe this legendary story of Christ. I don't recall ever reading a book that has moved me like this one has. I would recommend this book to agnostics as well as Christians. However, athiests may not care too much for it, as indicated by the other ratings posted here. Either way, I feel that this book is well-worth reading.
Rating: 
Summary: Opened doors
Review: I read this book a few years ago while just investigating christianity. I was very skeptical, and had all kinds of doubts, based on my knowledge of evolution, my public school education, exposure to the discovery channel, PBS, etc., which all tend to support a mere mythological view of christianity. I read the whole book in a matter of days, and was very impressed with the amount of topics that were satisfactorily covered in this book. I'm not going to say I gave my life to Christ immediately, but this book opened the door for me to take Christ seriously, and to apply the same skepticism toward scientific theory that I had previously applied only toward religion. I eventually became convinced of the reality of God and the truth of the gospels, and have since trusted my life to Christ gratefully. I've bought several copies of this book and given it as a gift to family members and other non-believers in hopes that it will open doors for them as it did me. This book isn't perfect, but its a very readable exploration into christian apologetics for a newcomer. I read The Verdict recently (the book written to counter this one), and it was surprisingly weak. Nearly every major argument in The Verdict was based on the same faulty logic (argument from silence). I started highlighting major logical fallacies from the beginning, and got about halfway through that book before my hand had turned yellow and I decided it just wasn't challenging enough. The sheer inability of the author of The Verdict to adequately challenge the arguments in this book are a testament to its quality. I'd definitely recommend this book to anyone, along with Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis.
Rating:
Summary: Misses its audience
Review: Read these reviews, folks. The arguments in this book only seem to make sense to "believers". The cases made in this book are actually highly illogical--even to me, a Christian. A few reviewers wrote off the people who gave this book one star as "atheists". But these so-called atheists wouldn't waste their time reading a book like this if they weren't interested in who Christ is. (Would a believer read a book on atheism just for fun?) These so-called atheists are supposedly the audience this book is directed to....and it seems to fail miserably with them. What a missed opportunity! If these are the best arguments Christianity has to offer, we're in trouble.
Rating:
Summary: Great Read, Right for the Genre
Review: Lee Strobel's "The Case for Christ" is a readable presentation of the apologetics in favor of the orthodox Christian faith as held by Catholic, Orthodox and Protestant communions worldwide since the earliest days of the church. Though the subject matter is somewhat technical at times, it is as understandable as any work of this genre probably can be. Strobel does not explore beyond orthodoxy in his interviews, but then, that was not his purpose in writing this book. It is a defense of the foundational beliefs of the Christian faith, and a successful one at that, in my opinion.
Rating: 
Summary: Good Evidence, Bad Analysis
Review: Strobel's book takes us deep into evidence from scholars on the issues of Christ and more exact: Is Christ the Son of God? Perhaps reading a book or trying to find evidence is not the way to start this task... however, revelation is. God is not an object to be pondered, God should be seen as a person to be encountered. Thus, we cannot know God unless God reveals himself to us. As seen in Matthew 16:15 and bit after that... A book to be read regarding this topic should be: "Natural Theology: Comprising "Nature and Grace" by Professor Dr. Emil Brunner and the Reply "No!" by Dr. Karl Barth." Strobel's book can make you feel good about compelling evidence regarding Christology... yet without revelation and without God giving God's self to be known to an alienated humanity, we can never know who God is. Where is the Holy Spirit in Strobel's case?
Rating:
Summary: Imagining a better case
Review: Absent from Strobel's courtroom are a judge, opposing counsel, and witnesses for the defense. In a fair trial, rebuttal witnesses would include mainstream Christian scholars. Perhaps even a few pesky "liberals" from the Jesus Seminar would make it to the stand and actually speak for themselves. (Can the 200 theologians of the Jesus Seminar, doctors all, truly be the boneheads Strobel depicts? It's hard to tell. Strobel's would-be refutation consists entirely of ad hominem attacks, straw men, and begging the question: the Seminar's findings are wrong because the Seminarians are liberal, because they are marginal, because a goofy portrayal makes their position look goofy, and because their findings are wrong.) Adversary counsel could pose objections, and a judge would rule on them. This would elevate the proceedings by tossing out Strobel's many fallacies of relevance: red herring, straw man, and ad hominem. And how lovely it would be to have some Perry Mason in the room to jump up and say, "Objection. Counsel is presuming facts not in evidence." One wonders how a Yale law graduate like Strobel could commit such bloopers, unless, maybe, that law degree isn't quite what it appears to be... (Google "master of studies in law" site:yale.edu). Conservative evangelicals will likely rate The Case for Christ much as did the many conservative evangelicals who reviewed it here on Amazon.com: the book is grand, the reasoning flawless, the author meticulous, the case proved. Even the publisher's blurb on dust jacket may look probative to these believers. The fellow who gave me the book -- an evangelical minister and Strobel's vociferous champion -- certainly found it so. Others, too, may find value in the book, however. It offers stunning insight into one brand of religious mentality. It's a reminder to cherish, and cherish some more, the rationalists in one's acquaintance.
Rating:
Summary: garbage in- garbage out
Review: The old axiom for computers is particularly true here. This book a thinly guised recruitment tool at best, at worst an absolte fabrication. The subtitle gives it away- Stroebel was never an actual atheist, only an agnostic. Most people are indoctrinated and "programmed" into christianity from childhood. A true atheist, however, having seen "behind the curtain" and exposed the real "OZ the mighty" as just a man, cannot go back to "faith". A true atheist is a permanent change that cannot be undone. At any rate, this book is about as scientific as a coloring book, and about as biased as it could be. I noted with no surprise it is in the "faith" rack at the bookstore and not in non-fiction. If you are a christian, then this will "confirm" your faith by telling you what you want to hear. If you are not sure, then I suggest reading Bertrand Russell and "the elegant universe" by Brian Greene. Stroebel's book is nothing but a "witness" and has no "evidence" of any kind except staged interviews with christian "scholars", a contradiction if there ever was one. It would be akin to proving the exsistence of Santa Claus by interviewing young children in December. Except this is more biased.
Rating: 
Summary: The good and the bad
Review: First the good news: This book is great for anyone who is trying to piece together who Christ is and what Christinality is. The material presented in this book is invaluable. If you are atheist/agnostic/or whatever - i encourage you to take your questions seriously, and this book offers some interesting, factual historical material to build your decision. Strobel has taken great pains to uncover and summarize the history of Christ, which makes this book both fascinating and commendable. Now the bad news: I must say that it is written with bias. I am a Christian , so of course i agree with the conculsion. But, Strobel inadvertently hurts his case by interviewing ONLY evangelical scholars. In fact, i found myself DESPERATELY wanting to hear what the skeptics had to say. I guess he figured he was the skeptic, so no use in interviewing any other skeptics. But, then he rags on the Jesus Seminar and these other atheists, and they have no opportunity to defend themselves. In a healthy debate, you would definetly interview BOTH points of view. Therefore, if i was an unbeliever reading this book, i would most likely dismiss it b/c it did not show both sides of the story. I do believe the arguments and evidence for Christ far outway those against Christ. But, by not interviewing the other side, you don't give the skeptics a chance to be right or wrong - there's no healthy debate. And, for a skeptic reviewing this book for harsh evidence - that's a problem. Even though great information is in this book, it is probably thrown out by a skeptic just b/c the book is so biased.
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