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Summary: NOT THE WAY TO DO APOLOGETICS
Review: I admire the intent here; I just don't think this is the way to go. Jesus said, "Blessed are they that have not seen yet believe." If modern scientific theories are making it hard for you to believe, this book is dangerous stuff! The proof for biblical truth is in the personal effect salvation has within a soul - the ability to change a life. Looking for "scientific rebuttals" to secular theories is fundamentally wrong-headed. If you lack in faith, pray for more! If you have academic curiosity, be prepared to realize that that not all of the doctrines we as evangelicals hold are provable!
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Summary: McDowell is not the real deal
Review: If you are a Christian who has gone to chuch every Sunday all of your life, you have wondered from time to time about fundamental questions like reliability of the bible, and you want to quiet some of the doubts, then this is the book for you. If you are a seeker of the truth, don't bother reading the amateur apologetics of Josh McDowell.
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Summary: Is Josh McDowell in Denial?
Review: According to the cover, volumes I and II of _Evidence_ have been "fully updated in one volume to answer questions challenging Christians in the 21st Century." However, with all the charity in the world, I can't imagine how that statement could possibly be true. Many readers will recognize me as the editor of a comprehensive Internet rebuttal to Volume I of McDowell's _Evidence_. Yet McDowell completely ignored our criticisms in his "fully updated" _New Evidence_. This cannot be due to ignorance. I have personally tried to correspond with Mr. McDowell twice; each time I received no acknowledgement. Likewise, I know that many Christians have urged McDowell to respond to our critique, for they have written me telling me so! Clearly, McDowell has no obligation whatsoever to communicate with me or to answer our critique. But he cannot claim that his book has been "fully updated" when he ignores a direct and comprehensive rebuttal to it. Likewise, I expected McDowell to include a direct rebuttal to the major claims of the Jesus Seminar, but all I found was one brief chapter--a mere 11 pages--that was too brief to be of any real use to anyone. Even if the intended audience for McDowell's book were only committed Christians, this is still somewhat puzzling. Even Christians might want direct answers to the specific historical claims of the Jesus Seminar. If I were a Christian, I would expect to find such information in McDowell's book and would be disappointed when I realized it was missing. In short, I don't think this book accomplishes what it claims to do. And I can think of better books, written from an Evangelical perspective, which do accomplish those same aims. Even if I were an Evangelical, I'm afraid I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone.
Rating: 
Summary: Okay but...
Review: I have read the book several times thru (both old and new versions) and find some excellent source references but also must agree with some of the critics that the author relies on circular and emotional reasoning. Better to read "Christian Apologetics" by Norman Geisler for the conservative viewpoint (also William Lane Craig) and Antony Flew for a more liberal minded approach to philosophy of religion. (and yes, I hate to shove such people into compartments of liberal and conservative, so please forgive me the labeling)...I think it much wiser to go to the sources and read as much as you can from their own style and thinking and then make the decision for yourself. ETDAV is okay as a source material but tends to get a bit preachy without having everything to back it up. I am a Christian but am always wary of any one person or source claiming they corner the market on Truth. Yet this is a bit better than Kreeft's Handbook of Christian Apologetics. Anybody out there who could recommend good apologetics books to me please do so at bat70@yahoo.com
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Summary: Fantastic book!
Review: This has become my second Bible almost. I do a lot of skeptic evangelism, and the information I have attained from this book has given me a great way to answer those who doubt, and even some believers who have questions challenging their faith. I recommend this to anyone who doesn't mind a bit of a dry read, and wants more support for their faith.
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Summary: Not for closed-minded skeptics
Review: If a skeptic reads this book with the determination to not believe any of it, then of course he's not going to learn anything. Skeptics enjoy accusing Christians of circular reasoning and pre-conceived biases, but what do you call the following?-- "I don't believe that there's a God, therefore the Bible must be ficticious literature, therefore Josh McDowell's entire book is poppycock." That, my friend, is circular reasoning and pre-conceived bias. For those of you who think there must be a God out there-- the beauty of nature speaks to you, the complexity of the human body amazes you, inexplicable "coincidences" stump you... this book is for you. For those of you who think that part of the Bible is true, but you're not sure if you can swallow Creation or the Great Flood as being anything but cute stories... this book is for you. The outline format allows you to cover the presented information at your own pace, and with the Bible at your side to reference any quotes. You will learn about many astounding examples of modern science backing it all up. McDowell's language is very readable... it's neither "inimidating" nor "childish" (as elsewhere asserted). And the collaborators of this book ARE experts in science and historical writings, as well as in theology. That was their whole purpose of writing this book, for crying out loud. For those who are looking for the truth, you will learn much from Evidence That Demands A Verdict. It will help you explain and defend your faith to those who are curious about it. This book has helped lead many skeptics to salvation. However, always keep in mind that it will never convert those who flatly refuse to listen.
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Summary: Doesn't Accomplish What it Claims
Review: Lately I visited my local library and checked out this book. The idea behind the book is that it contains overwhelming evidence that Christianity is true. It doesn't contain anything of the sort. First of all, he doesn't understand what atheism is, and buys into the long-debunked idea that it leads to immorality. Second, he relies heavily on meaningless appeals to authority. These are usually numerous quotes of conclusions reached by his sources, not their findings. He also relies on circular reasoning in many instances. For example, one of his sources claims that certain books are not canonical because the disagree with inspired scripture. How was it determined which is inspired and which isn't? Prophetic power (whatever that means) and poetic and religious feeling (which is also claimed by the same source)? McDowell also goes into detail on subjects that don't mean anything. For instance, what do the coins mentioned in the New Testament prove? He also goes on about how skeptics are wrong for not having the worldview that he is attempting to prove true in the first place. Some reasoning this guy has. This book is worthless. Don't bother wasting your time on it.
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Summary: One of the best ,most defined books upon definding the Bible
Review: While many would say that there is a lack of "information", such as the other Frank reveiwer, I would like to point out that it is because they are trying to mix the truth of the Bible with fantasy (such as the Mith. and Osiris mythologies)... there is ample evidence in defending the true faith...This book says it clearly and plainly...the Bible is what it says it is... Jesus was/is who He says He was/is... Of course, I do get a bit confused at times with the layout of the book...but I can't take a star off just for that because the writing it so passionate and powerful and true... And just to set the record straight, this isn't from a "blind dog listening to the preachin'"...I searched over fifteen years for my soul...to quinch the heart and soul thirst and hunger I had... I tried atheism and science, eastern mysticism, shamanism, wicca...none could satisfty my soul and heart... It was only through the power of Christ's offer of grace taught in the Bible that I was able to gain fruition and learn... I would like to suggest further reading for those who enjoyed this book: 1) Jesus: who is He? by Tim LaHaye (same one who writes Left Behind) 2) No Wonder They Call Him the Savior by Max Lucado 3) Case for Christ by Lee Strobel 4) Mere Christianity by C. S. Lewis I hope and pray that...though the clock is running short and as Tim LaHaye points out in his Are We Living in the End Times... that those negative to the Bible and Christianity ... like those negative reviewers in this section...will find Christ...
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Summary: Not nearly as convincing as it would like to be.
Review: After wading about halfway through Mr. McDowell's book I finally had to put it down. I was most struck by his failure to pursue obvious questions that he himself raises. For example, he expounds on how the death of Jesus simply could not have been faked, and how there was no possibility of any trickery being done with the body. He points out that Jesus's tomb was heavily guarded by the Roman Centurions. He details the discipline of the Centurions, and the severity of the punishment they would endure if they failed in their duty. However, he fails to address one key question; what happened to the Centurion on duty when Jesus's tomb was found empty? Was there a guy on duty who saw Jesus get up out of the tomb? Did Jesus somehow "dematerialize" and reappear elsewhere, thereby bypassing the Centurion? If so, then what happened to the poor guy on duty guarding the tomb? You would think he would have been in a lot of trouble, if not in fact executed. Did the resurrection of Jesus cost another man his life? Josh McDowell is strangely silent on this obvious question. His other logical arguments have similar weaknesses. At one point he claims that the death of Jesus was "one of the best documented deaths in history". Oh please. This is absurd on the face of it. Where is the medical report? Where are the autopsy photos? Where is the certificate of death? Other reviewers have already covered the whole thing with Mithraism, so I won't belabor those points. All in all, this book will serve its purpose of comforting Christians and befudding the sub 100 IQ set. The rest of us can at least learn the stock arguments used by Christians, so that we can be ready with our counterarguments.
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Summary: Praise the Lord!
Review: Josh does an incredible job at showing that Jesus Christ of Nazareth, born of the Virgin Mary, is in fact who He claims to be--God. Josh effectively weilds the gifts God has enabled him to have, through the Spirit, to communicate that Jesus is Lord of Heaven and Earth! Josh shows how incredibley obvious the evidence for Jesus' credibility truly is in the Bible. It is amazing, though, how people critics without the aid of the Spirit understand it as a bunch of hogwash. Josh's book, New Evidence That Demands A Verdict, is nothing short of a work of God (who is NOT in us, as the critic from April 25 claims, but is the one true God). Praise the Lord!
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