Rating: 
Summary: Enjoyable nonsense
Review: I gave this book two, rather than one, stars because I have to admit that it is fun to read. But that's where my praise ends. The "logic" of the arguments is appalling. I was downright surprised by some of the claims made by the supposedly serious scholars that the author interviews. Here are a couple of examples:Peter Kreeft claims that if there is no God, then the universe has been evolving for an infinite period of time, and therefore by now everything should already be perfect -- there should therefore be no evil! The fact that there is evil therefore shows that God must exist! (p. 47) I almost fell off my chair laughing. This was probably the single dumbest argument I had ever read, that is, until I read the rest of the book. On p. 292, historian of religion John Woodbridge makes the following wonderful argument for the existence of real witches (in order to partially justify the Salem witch burnings): Once, when he was listening to a call-in radio show, a woman called in and said she was a witch! That's it. That's his argument. Well, that obviously settles it, doesn't it? And in what intellectually speaking is easily the book's worst chapter -- the one on doubt -- the claim is made that doubt actually strenghtens Christianity. How convenient when the weaknesses in one's position are re-interpreted as strenghts! There are dozens of other examples like these, but rather than mentioning more of the same, let me instead point out what I think is a dishonest thread underlying the book's overall argument. One suggestion that is repeatedly made is that non-believers really want to believe, provided they put aside certain barriers to belief. The book begins by telling the story of Charles Templeton, a former associate of Billy Graham who is now an atheist. It reports how he "misses" Jesus. Later, another atheist is quoted as saying how he wishes he could believe, since that would make life so much easier. Towards the end of the book several examples are given of people who claimed to have intellectual doubts but who really just wanted an excuse to be immoral. The overall aim here is to make non-belief seem morally and/or emotionally undesirable, something one ought to avoid not because it is intellectually mistaken but for other reasons. This claim is supported by nothing more than anecdotal evidence. But what is worse is that it is presented within the wider context of supposedly intellectual arguments against disbelief, as if it too were such an argument. I doubt that was anything but intentional dishonesty on the part of the author. Why then give this book two stars? Well, because, in addition to being a fun read, it is interesting as an exercise in bad logic. In other words, a good place for the non-believer to see just what the opposition is willing to say in defense of the indefensible. For the more advanced student of such topics, however, there are far better books on theology.
Rating: 
Summary: Just a few comments
Review: I thought this was a good examination of big questions often asked by Christians and non-Christians alike. I do think non-Christians might find the book lacking or unsatisfying, because the answers are not simple and assume the existence of God and certain qualities of God. If you are a non-believer, that's a rather moot point. I think it is a well-written and clear book that any believer and many seekers would find useful and stimulating. One thing I would say in its defense per criticisms that not enough skeptics were interviewed: If Strobel himself was a longtime skeptic and atheist, then it makes sense that the people he interviewed were those he initially opposed. When an argument is formed, it is based upon some preknowledge and study. Oftentimes that argument is confirmed by only using any findings that support the argument in research, which is incomplete. Studying the counter arguments is a way to confirm or disprove the original argument. As a skeptic, Strobel would have started out with an argument against faith and against Christ with some preknowledge of what those assumptions were based upon. Interviewing the believers was his method of collecting the counter argument to his original argument. Granted, this book and "The Case for Christ" were written post-conversion, and it only retraces Strobel's personal journey of critique and study. If it is too "one-sided", then I would refer to the extensive list of references and read the counter arguments for a balanced view if you are unsatisfied. I would also critique the literature of counter arguments in much the same way: do you feel they give a balanced view of the support for Christianity? An interesting addendum to the book might be the transcript of one of the debates between a critic and an apologetic Strobel refers to.
Rating: 
Summary: Amazing The Emotion Aroused By Just One Little Book...
Review: It should be immediately obvious that Strobel will NOT, in 250-some pages, be giving comprehensive, definitive answers to the hardest theological, philosophical, and historical questions which everyone, everywhere, have ever asked. Nor does he claim to have the magical 'bolt of truth' with which to zap unbelievers. What he does, however, is tackle some of the common 'big questions' about Christian faith and offer some directions in which to begin looking for answers. Strobel's interviews provide substantial food for thought. He readily acknowledges that pursuing a few lines of reasoning one way or the other won't convert determined detractors any more than pondering philosophy or the tenets of other faiths will mysteriously cause the hard-core Christian to 'backslide'. But his answers (or rather, those of the individuals he interviews) are generally thoughtful and meatier than one might expect. He avoids the lofty platitudes of the televangelical crowd and acknowledges the complexity of his issues while still keeping things in plain English. Subjects the reader doesn't find particularly troubling still make for interesting reading; matters of greater concern may be further pursued through the bibliographies provided with each chapter or by whatever means the reader chooses. Minor stuff keeping it from being a 5-star book: (a) Strobel is occasionally a bit melodramatic in casting his own behavior and style during the interviews. I suppose newspaper journalists aren't generally expected to write themselves into their stories, and this is easily forgiven although a bit distracting at times. (b) The "Questions for Reflection or Group Study" at the end of each chapter smack of the prepackaged religion he otherwise avoids (I can only hope and assume they are a publisher's addition rather than Strobel's idea). (c) While the scope and nature of this work demand it be in some ways perpetually incomplete, I'd have gladly waded through 50% - 75% MORE book in order to see some of these ideas fleshed out a bit further or some of these questions tackled from multiple perspectives. It's a judgment call, and he does point out ways to further study. But I'd have taken more, here, this way. I suppose for serious intellectuals, whether Christian or not, this book may be little more than an amusing diversion--with perhaps the occasional bit of insight or philosophical prompting, but otherwise unnecessary. For myself, though, I've always found that half the battle in tackling any issue of substance is clearly defining the question or questions, realistically framing possible answers, and fighting the murkiness, the diversions, and the pseudo-reasoning that plague our times. In this, I believe, Strobel succeeds wonderfully.
Rating:
Summary: It's Been A Supplement, Everyone
Review: I am not quite yet finished with this book, but as for what I have read in depth, I can predict what is coming. Good stuff, though not comprehensive (it appears other reviewers agree). I was so pleased to find someone willing to ask these questions that so many skeptics ask and so many struggling Christians WANT to ask but do not because they are afraid. So many of my Christian friends struggle with their own similar doubts that this book came out right on time for us. The people Strobel interviews give good answers based often on Biblical truth and thoughtful possibilities. The answers are truly reasonable and are soul-satisfying. Even whenever I happened to object or did not fully agree, I realized there was a stubborn heart attitude behind the doubt and a hurting soul from past experiences. I came to know my God truly better through reading this, and I truly began to grow in my faith. However, as I said, this book is not comprehensive. So many questions are NOT asked, and some answers seem to only address some vague possibilityies. This book is more philosophy based on in-depth Biblical references that are not always mentioned. As for the scientific chapters, like about evolution, the arguments only chip away at the evolution theory. The arguments cannot completely dismantle it. So, if you are not into today's Christian philosophical trends and do not know the Bible well, this book may not reach you as effectively as it could. The best thing to do is to read this book, wrestle with the information, and read the Bible along with it if you are open to it. However, most of all, I learned one thing through this book. Faith is not necessarily having to know all the answers but trusting that Somebody else does. It's time for intellectuals to realize our logical capacities can only go so far.
Rating:
Summary: Another Solid Work by Lee Strobel
Review: In the same vein as "The Case for Christ" Strobel uses his investigative prowess to interview certain scholars regarding the issues of faith, evil, suffering, evolution, miracles, etc. Strobel seeks answers from some of the most renown Christian apologists, theologians and philosophers. Some of the men Strobel interviews are Norman Geisler, J.P. Moreland, Ravi Zacharias, John Woodbridge, Peter Kreeft, etc. The style in which Strobel writes makes the book very engaging and helps keep the reader's attention throughout. While the book itself does not exhaustively answer to my satisfaction every issue that was covered (which I don't think was Strobel's intention), it nonetheless gave me a desire to further research the issues. I wish the issue of faith and reason could have been detailed but perhaps Strobel had other intentions. Nevertheless, this book would be a great "starter" text for those who are desiring to get a basic handle on certain issues (i.e. the problem of evil and suffering, evolution, etc.) but it is not the kind of text for the academic researcher in those areas. Thus, this book is a must for lay people of the Christian church, and those who want to know where to begin researching the issues on a small scale. I would recommend this book to anyone involved in Christian ministries, Christian leadership positions, and especially youth ministers. Once again Lee Strobel has provided a fairly solid work.
Rating:
Summary: 5 star Investigation
Review: This is the first book I read by Lee Strobel. The book is based on a great Idea by inerviewing different experts in different fields. The main case is to find answers to the 8 main arguments that atheists and agnostics use agaist God, Christianity and Faith... Because it's an interwiev and not a fact book it does not give ansver to every question and does not go deeper inside the answers than nesessary(or to the point where Strobel is somehow statisfied). Lee Strobel has done a good research first, and also with the history as an atheist makes the plot somehow complete. He know what to ask about, and not to give up to find the answer he can agree with... His backround as a Journalist is also very good. In the end i was thinking that I have to read this book again to remember all of the answers, because they was good. But still I got the feeling of that I did not get all the answers I wanted, or that Lee asked all the right questions - but that's a part of the game. He wrote the book in his unike style, and there is a price to pay. The result is still very Good. *gone to recomend the book to atheists* ;)
Rating:
Summary: An answer to many difficult questions...
Review: The Case for Faith is a must-read for those who want to believe in the promise of Christianity yet feel hindered by nagging doubts. This book looks at 8 major issues that keep many people from truly accepting Christ. As a major skeptic, I read this book and found that the scholars interviewed within the pages offered convincing arguments as to why we should believe. Like many others, I had a hard time believing that a loving God could exist when there is so much pain and suffering in the world; that is one of eight issues explored within the book. Strobel does not rely on his own ponderings to answer these fundamental questions to the validity of Christianity; rather, he interviews scholars and scientists, all of whom give thoroughly researched answers, not vague dogmatic assertions.
Rating: 
Summary: Good in spots.
Review: The Case for Faith is a simple and readable book based on a good idea: interview top Christian thinkers about questions that many people see as roadblocks to faith. Strobel begins with just the right tone, an empathetic and poignant interview with elderly skeptic and one-time evangelist, Charles Templeton. Some of the interviews are pretty good, and all of them have something of value, for those who are looking for it. I doubt most of the interviewees would call themselves "fundamentalists," as one reviewer describes them; certainly not Catholic philosopher, Peter Kreeft! Kreeft is generally good on the Problem of Pain, though some of his solutions may seem a bit post hoc to those who do not share Christian assumptions. Sometimes the honest bewilderment of Job seems preferable to clever philosophical answers. Not that Kreeft's answers are merely clever; it's a tough question, and there is a lot to what he says. William Craig is, as always, sharp (on miracles, here) informed about contrary positions, and accustomed to fielding questions in the environment of debates with top skeptics, not just Christian pep rallies, qualifies himself appropriately. Walter Bradley's discussion of the difficulty of life emerging from non-life was excellent. I only noticed one lapse. But it was a major one: he didn't mention the idea of molecular evolution, and Strobel didn't ask. I'm not sure that's a very good solution, and Bradley's arguments may largely answer it anyway, but not bringing the question up I found rather gauling. Ravi Zacharius did better than I expected on Jesus being the only way to God. But while Zacharius gave good general theological answers, and he seems to know Western philosophy fairly well, I didn't see much evidence of deep and sympathetic knowledge of non-Christian religions. The chapter on church history was, in my opinion, weaker than it should have been, though for a different reason. John Woodbridge may be an excellent historian, but he doesn't appear to be an apologist. He relates the conventional version of what happened, rather than putting events in philosophical and spiritual context. For example, he mentions the Crusades without explaining the background of Muslim conquests or the reality of Turkic rule, the makeup of the "Christian" troops sent to the Middle East, or contextual facts such as that Pope Innocent's promise of salvation to fallen warriors was an echo of the Muslim promise, half a millenia earlier, that "the way to Paradise is lit by the flash of swords!" The "Christianity" of the era, in other words, had itself become partly Muslim. I found Geisler quite disappointing. His argument that God was being nice when he ordered genocide on the Palestinians was unsatisfactory, to put it mildly. Better to say you don't understand, and admit perplexity, than to give lame explanations like that. At least say "maybe" or "the way I see it." (Richard Wurmbrand, a Christian pastor who was tortured by the communists, writes briefly on the subject with more authority, and empathy. See In God's Underground.) Then Geisler claimed that the Fall of man was responsible for animal suffering. Strobel didn't even ask, "What about the millions of fossils of animals we find in layers of rock untroubled by any footprint of man? Were the effects of the Fall retroactive?" The question glares from the text like a flare. These lapses were unfortunate, because other things Geisler said could be helpful, if the whole were packaged a little more carefully, and critiqued more thoroughly. While this book is entitled "The Case For Faith," in fact it does not mention a lot of the best evidence for the Christian faith, and is largely defensive in nature. (Answering objections as much as giving positive arguments.) While I disagree with some arguments, I think it may be helpful to many people. As other readers said, it is a generally good introduction to the subject.
Rating:
Summary: Short, Sweet, and to the Point
Review: This book is perfect for those starting to studying apologetics or those looking for answers! The book obviously isn't meant to close the case, but give the bare-bone basics to the answers of the common criticisms of Christianity. This is one of the most basic books on apologetics, and if you feel it doesn't go in depth enough for you, then buy a more advanced book. Also, keep in mind that these are interviews. I think the scholars did a very good job for giving these answers on the spot. Overall, it was an amazing book, but only useful to those who haven't studied these topics much before.
Rating: 
Summary: The Case Against Lee Strobel
Review: Short summary: Lee Strobel, the then "militant atheist," didn't think Christianity wast true, until his wife told him it was. Intrigued, he then asked a bunch of conservative religious scholars if she was right, and (gasp!) they said it was true too! Utterly convinced by this point, he turned his wacky adventures into a book in order to let other conservative Christians know that their religion is true. He informs us (repeatedly) that we should all reach the same conclusions he did, because he's such a wonderful investigative reporter, and if you don't believe that, he'll tell you again (and again, and again...). This book could have made a much better case if its interviews had been a bit more fair and balanced. Every single one is taken from the most conservative end of the spectrum, and his scholars often blatantly contradict scripture, logic, themselves and each other while reaching their conclusions. If you're a conservative evangelical simply looking to reaffirm things you already believe to be true, then this book might be useful, but not so much for anything else. It certainly won't be much help in convincing any serious skeptic. If that's your goal, then do yourself a favor and invest in one of the many reputable scholarly apologetic sources out there.
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