Rating: 
Summary: Still, the Greatest Story!!
Review: Mr. Storbel's approach to give credibility to Jesus Christ and His historical account are remarkable. One reviewer called the story of God coming to earth, "just a story." However, it is still the greatest story ever told. The documentary information Mr. Strobel gives is impressive, and the manner of personal inquiry is modern in its approach. I believe most readers will find this work easy to read and useable in apologetic research.
Rating: 
Summary: Persuasive and powerful
Review: This effort by journalist Lee Strobel to investigate the evidence for Jesus Christ is an excellent introduction to this fascinating topic. The writer stands in the shoes of the skeptic (having been one himself) as he cross-examines leading Christian academics. While much of the material isn't very new (it can be read in the books written by these scholars themselves), the format of this book makes it far more accessible than some dry academic tome. I would urge readers, however, to carefully study what these scholars are saying. So many of the reviews of this book are full of either accidental or intentional misunderstandings of what the book says. For instance, the ramblings of one reviewer about whether the disciples died for their faith is quite handily dealt with in the book. While he talks about one brief comment by Dr. Craig Blomberg, he overlooks a subsequent interview on the subject by Dr. James P. Moreland. Personally, I found the book meticulous in its accuracy, fair in its presentation, and compelling in its conclusions. Would I have liked to have seen critics of Christianity interviewed? Sure, but so much of the pap that passes for historical critique tends to collapse under its own weight anyway. I'd give this book ten stars if it were permitted!
Rating:
Summary: A VERY good book
Review: I am a young adult, and am truly grateful for this book. I have a strong belief in Jesus and the Christian faith, however it was based almost soley on faith. The author brought solid proof that Jesus truly walked on this earth, did what the bible says he did, and was not just an over-rated man that Christians base their belief on. A great book for those who are trying to understand their faith, and I have heard great reviews by people with a lot of knowledge in this area as well.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent, well-documented book
Review: "The Case for Christ" is a well-articulated defense of the Christian faith, which is a statement I don't make lightly because I am not a Christian. I wish some of the reviewers of this book held to the same sober standards that the author employed in seeking the historical evidence for Jesus. They make all kinds of ill-supported claims --for instance, that the author tries to offer "conclusive proof" of the deity of Jesus. But the book never claims such "conclusive proof" is possible; only that the preponderance of the evidence points toward the conclusion that Jesus rose from the dead and thereby confirmed that he is the son of God. There's a big difference! Other claims about the martyrdoms of the disciples are easily put into context. For instance, the book never claims the disciple John was put to death for his faith. I'm sure Dr. Blomberg, who was one of the scholars interviewed, would not include John among the 10 disciples who died for their beliefs. Also, there is significantly better historical evidence for the martyrdom of some disciples (James, the half-brother of Jesus, for example) than for others. However, the critic can point to zero historical evidence that any disciple ever recanted their testimony about the resurrection, even in the face of grisly deaths. Also, the main point is the willingness of the disciples to die for their faith, not whether they actually did or not. Church history does record the martyrdoms of various disciples, and while someone may try to pick that apart, there is no other evidence to the contrary. But the biggest point is that the critic should read further into the book, to the interview with Dr. J. P. Moreland, who deals with the critic's argument that dying for one's beliefs does not mean one's beliefs are true. The point isn't that the disciples (like the Heaven's Gate followers) died because they believed something was true. In the disciples' case, they knew whether it was true that Jesus rose from the dead. They encountered him personally. And knowing the truth, they were willing to die. That's a major distinction apparently lost on the critic. As the book points out, many people die for what they believe is true, but nobody will willingly die for something they know is a lie. I mention some of this merely to point out that prospective readers of this book should take negative reviews with a grain of salt because there are answers to the objections raised. Unfortunately, it's difficult in this kind of format to instantly provide those responses. I'd encourage the reader to check the book out for himself and weigh the evidence personally. I found this book extremely helpful in my own investigation of Jesus.
Rating:
Summary: Keep an open mind (all ways!!)
Review: Whatever it is that you think you believe -- if you're firm and humble enough in your knowledge than the worst the book can do is give you something to think about--but the best may just be even better than you can imagine. Keep an open mind, and if you believe that the other side makes assumptions...consider your own. You won't be disappointed.
Rating:
Summary: Confirmation of belief
Review: I thoroughly enjoyed Strobel's _Case for Christ_. I devoured it over a two day span. The book is not written as a scholarly excercise, (although there are a large number of quotations and citations) rather as a series of interviews with acclaimed scholars. This made the book very readable as there is a great deal of dialogue. Interestingly, Strobel included modern day cases and experiences as an editor for the Chicago Tribune to explain why he asked the questions he did, some of those vignettes were fascinating. For the strict readability of the book I would rate it very highly.The documentation, as a beginner in studying apologetics, seems quite convincing. I have read, More Than a Carpenter and Don't Check Your Brains at the Door, both by Josh McDowell and aimed more at high schoolers than adults, and would probably rate this an adult version of those treatments as an introduction to apologetics. I do have a couple of issues, however. First the balance issue. Mr. Strobel interviews 13 people who are convinced of Christianity and their studies are in fields related to the historical, archeological, theological, etc. studies of scripture and ancient times. Granted, he interviewed people who have spent a lifetime studying and have a permanent interest in studying these issues. The lists of their accomplishments/publishing and degrees are quite impressive, they possibly are the top in their field. And he did quote several objectors and questions to these people for their reactions. But, I would've liked to see him approach a non-believing scholar with the pro argument for each of his issues as well. Second, because these scholars are so advanced (many have multiple PhDs) sometimes they jump to a conclusion that may seem quite obvious to them, but may not seem so obvious to me - and they only discuss one conclusion with no alternatives. I'm certain that the interviews were significantly longer and more in-depth than what was (or could be) presented in the book, but sometimes the leaps seemed a bit far without the historical, educational and language background even most Christians have today. I'm not certain I would give this book to a friend who is a skeptic for these two reasons. However for Christians, Mr. Strobel does include a large bibliography and end notes which includes both the pro- and con- sources he studied in his search for evidence. This, I think will be immensly helpful because, overall, this book has whet my appetite for more in-depth apologetics, especially of the historical evidences.
Rating: 
Summary: Subjectivity disguised as objectivity
Review: Throughout the whole book, Stobel emphasises that he comes from a critical standpoint and is really trying to find correct and balanced evidence for or against Jesus.
However, he only interviews scholars that have no doubts about the correctness of the gospels and Jesus' death on the cross and subsequent rising from the dead.
He mentions critical ideas from other scholars, which are then refuted, but he doesn't give those scholars equal voice to present support for their theories. Of course, the logical conclustion from such one-sided research is what you set out to show: Jesus existed, thought of himself as the messiah, got crucified and rose.
Rating: 
Summary: They Died for Their Beliefs?
Review: In chapter two of Strobel's book, he has "tests" for his interviewee, Dr. Craig Blomberg, concerning the historical reliability of the gospels. One of these is the "character test." This test asks "whether it was in the character of these [gospel] writers to be truthful" (45). To substantiate their trustworthiness, Blomberg mentions that "ten of the eleven remaining disciples" lived by their beliefs to the point of "being put to grisly deaths," which he says,"shows great character" (45). There are at least five problems with this assertion, however. First, martyrdom does not necessarily show great character. People may be martyred as sincere fools or become unwilling martyrs by promoting beliefs they know to be false and which are unpopular with the majority. Joseph Smith (1805-1844) was almost certainly such a martyr, with his ridiculous claim to have found ancient golden plates with "revised Egyptian hieroglyphics," which he supposedly miraculously translated into the Book of Mormon. Most encyclopedias fail to mention that Smith first worked as a conjurer and claimed that he could divine--for paying clients!--"hidden treasures in the bowels of the earth" and was charged and convicted with being a "disorderly person and an imposter" (James Randi, An Encyclopedia of Claims, Frauds, and Hoaxes of the Occult and Supernatural [New York: St. Martins's Press, 1995] 219-20). Indeed, Smith is a good candidate for being one of those people who was actually martyred for spreading beliefs he knew were false! According to Christian apologists, however, there have been no such people. It is therefore reasonable to suspect that some of the first generation Christian apostles could have done the same. Second, a person's willingness to die for a belief does not guaranty the truth of that belief. In March 1997, for example, 38 members of the Heaven's Gate cult committed ritualized suicide so that their souls could board an extraterrestrial spacecraft hidden in the tail of Comet Hale-Bopp. The Branch Davidians and followers of Jim Jones are two more cults whose members died for their ridiculous beliefs. Third, it is highly questionable whether any of the eleven disciples left after the death of Judas actually wrote any of the New Testament, especially the gospels. Excluding the authentic epistles of Paul, agreement is virtually universal that the rest of the New Testament is written either anonymously or pseudoanonymously. Indeed, Luke 1:1-4 openly admits that his materials are no better than secondhand. But we are supposed to be asking about the character of the gospel authors, rather than the eleven men about whom they wrote! Fourth, our ability to answer the "character test" is tenuous, since we are ignorant of the gospel authors' identities. Finally, even if we allow that some of the New Testament and gospels were written by some of the eleven disciples, the traditions about their martyrdoms which are intended by Blomberg to substantiate their trustworthiness were written centuries after the apostles' lifetimes and are incoherent, unreliable legends of church propaganda. Our first evidence for Peter being crucified upside down is the church History (III.1), by Eusebius (260-340?). Our authority for the beheading of James, the brother of John, is Acts 12:1. But James is the only one of the original twelve whose death is recorded in the New Testament after the death of Judas. According to The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church (from which I get my subsequent information), upon "flimsy," "imprecise," and "wholly inconclusive" evidence from writers of the 5th and 9th centuries and martyrologies, John was martyred. Moreover, according to Latin legend, John "was ordered by [Emporer] Domition to be thrown into a cauldron of boiling oil...and came out unharmed." The martyrdom of Andrew is based on "a late and unreliable tradition." Polycrates, a second century bishop of Ephesus, says that Philip died of natural causes in Hierapolis, but "other traditions describe him as having suffered crucifixion." It is a mere tradition that Bartholomew was "flayed alive at Albanopolis in Armenia." With regard to Matthew, the "Roman Martyrology states that he was martyred 'in Ethiopia', the Hieronymianum [from 5th cenury Greek martyrology] puts his death 'in Persia in the town of Tarrium...', while some apocryphal Greek Acts...state that he suffered in Pontus"! According to the Gnostic "Acts of Thomas," Thomas preached in India and was martyred there, but the Syrian Christians of Malabar contend to this day that Thomas evangelized them and was martyred and buried at Mylapore, near Madras. Concerning James, the son of Alphaeus, virtually nothing is known, although he has been stupidly identified with James, "the Lord's brother" (Mk. 6:3), which would make him not the son of Alphaeus but the son of Joseph. By means of the incredible veracity of Christian traditions, Thaddaeus has been identified with both Jude and Addai. And Jude has been identified as both Judas, son of James (Lk 6:16), and Jude, brother of James (Jude 1). As the Apostle Jude, Thaddaeus was martyred, according to the apocryphal "Passion of Simon and Jude." As Addai, Thaddaeus founded the Church at Edessa and was one of Jesus' 70 (or 72) disciples (Lk 10:1), whereas, as himself and as Jude/Judas, Thaddaeus is one of the twelve. Will the real schizophrenic Thaddaeus please stand up?!! Finally, we have Simon the Zealot, who was supposedly martyred, according to the aforementioned apocryphal "Passion of Simon and Jude." What a worthless pile of pious poppycock upon which to base Strobel's "character test"! The sloppy reasoning and ignoring and/or misrepresenting of relevant evidence for Strobel's "character test" characterizes his entire book. It is therefore rightly designated as being dishonest Christian propaganda rather than what he represents it as being--a book of honest, rigorous, logical inquiry. It is not! "He who is afraid to know both sides of a question cannot think upon it. Christians do not, as a rule, want to know what can be said against their views..." --George Jacob Holyoake (1817-1909), from "English Secularism"
Rating:
Summary: excellent intro material
Review: Well, I have read very briefly through some of the criticisms and felt the need to express what I thought of the book. First there are some things you must realize. One, this book is simplistic as it is intended for the general layperson. Two, the book is a great intro arguement for the historical signifigance of the arugement that most Christians would give for Jesus. If you really wanted to "get into it" you would have to read the suggested reading material that is noted at the end of each chapter. All the people Lee Strobel interviewed are credible Biblical scholars, whether people here like to admit that or not. Do note, this book does only argues for Christ after bringing up some challenges that anti-Christian scholars raise. Strobel went on a "journey" to uncover the truth of this arugement. Strobel is a very smart man, with a credible degree from Yale and was an award winning journalist for the Chicago Tribune. After a period of many years of interviews and reading, he converted to Christianity after realizing that Jesus was God's Son. This book is a compilation of those interviews, and is presented very clear and concise manner for the general person to read and for Lee to give the "Case for Christ" that won him over to Christianity. Its wonderfully and written and is a great intro. Nothing more, nothing less. If you have further desire to read into the subjects, then read the suggested readings. For New Testament scholarship, my favorite remains F.F. Bruce. For Old Testament scholarship, my favorite is Tremper Longman III. Search for some of thier material, and you will be pleased to see the scholarship ability this book seems to be leaning towards. Peace.
Rating:
Summary: Good evidence for Jesus
Review: This book is a Chicago Tribune editor's personal investigation on the evidence of Jesus. The great thing about the book is that Strobel interviews many experts in various areas of study - theology, archeology, and more. This not only provides many insightful and expert opinions, but it also leads to other books to read. The book is a quick read for an apology, and Strobel captures the reader's attention by telling different legal cases he has covered in the past, and then relating the case to the "case for Christ." In the end Strobel provides much evidence and proof to Jesus Christ.
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