Rating: 
Summary: Good introductory level apologetics
Review: Lee Strobel has written another fantastic book for the beginners-level apologist. This book turned out to be an excellent sequel to his previous two works, "The Case for Christ" and "The Case for Faith." I found the experts that Strobel interviewed to provide excellent cases for "Intelligent Design" based on data from their respective fields of study. Strobel also does a good job of keeping the book entertaining by providing the right mix of technical data and easier-to-immediately comprehend material. This is a good feature so as to keep the reader interested. It must be kept in mind that Strobel discusses 8 or 9 topics, each of which has prompted the writing of a multitude of books covering that topic alone. The reader that wants a comprehensive defense of each individual topic must look elsewhere, and Strobel, as in his previous 2 books, provides a short list of pertinent books at the end of each interview. A solid summary-defense seems to be offered in each case as well as answers to a few objections, but in the limited space devoted to each topic, it is impossible to do complete justice to all of the evidence and to answer every possible objection. One example would be in the first interview with Jonathan Wells where various common evolutionary "icons" (e.g. Java man) are discussed. Wells it seems gives the reader good reason to be skeptical of the evidential value that each icon discussed may actually have for evolutionary theory. However, not all of the icons touted by evolutionists could be discussed, and Strobel rightly concedes as much in his book. One point of this chapter, however, was to evoke a healthy skepticism and desire to scrutinize the evidence that is being touted rather than accepting it as fact uncritically, and I think that Strobel is successful in demonstrating why this should be done by the reader. For a reader wanting to become familiarized with some of the evidence for "Intelligent Design," this book is fantastic. For one wanting to delve deeply into the evidence, this book would still provide a great stepping-stone into deeper-level material, such as the books that Strobel lists at the end of each interview.
Rating:
Summary: Good introductory level apologetics
Review: Lee Strobel has written another fantastic book for the beginners-level apologist. This book turned out to be an excellent sequel to his previous two works, "The Case for Christ" and "The Case for Faith." I found the experts that Strobel interviewed to provide excellent cases for "Intelligent Design" based on data from their respective fields of study. Strobel also does a good job of keeping the book entertaining by providing the right mix of technical data and easier-to-immediately comprehend material. This is a good feature so as to keep the reader interested. It must be kept in mind that Strobel discusses 8 or 9 topics, each of which has prompted the writing of a multitude of books covering that topic alone. The reader that wants a comprehensive defense of each individual topic must look elsewhere, and Strobel, as in his previous 2 books, provides a short list of pertinent books at the end of each interview. A solid summary-defense seems to be offered in each case as well as answers to a few objections, but in the limited space devoted to each topic, it is impossible to do complete justice to all of the evidence and to answer every possible objection. One example would be in the first interview with Jonathan Wells where various common evolutionary "icons" (e.g. Java man) are discussed. Wells it seems gives the reader good reason to be skeptical of the evidential value that each icon discussed may actually have for evolutionary theory. However, not all of the icons touted by evolutionists could be discussed, and Strobel rightly concedes as much in his book. One point of this chapter, however, was to evoke a healthy skepticism and desire to scrutinize the evidence that is being touted rather than accepting it as fact uncritically, and I think that Strobel is successful in demonstrating why this should be done by the reader. For a reader wanting to become familiarized with some of the evidence for "Intelligent Design," this book is fantastic. For one wanting to delve deeply into the evidence, this book would still provide a great stepping-stone into deeper-level material, such as the books that Strobel lists at the end of each interview.
Rating:
Summary: Stunning reconciliation of science and faith
Review: Like a lot of people (including the author of this book!), I was turned off to faith in God because I thought Darwinism made theism obsolete. I found Phillip Johnson's book "Darwin on Trial" and Michael Denton's book "Evolution: A Theory in Crisis" helpful in refuting the fundamentals of evolutionary theory, but this book is even more powerful for several reasons. First, this book is not just a critique of Darwinism, although it does contain an excellent interview with Dr. Jonathan Wells, who pretty much decimates the idea that evolution can explain the diversity (or origin) of life. This book also builds a persuasive AFFIRMATIVE case for God from a scientific perspective. Drawing from interviews with scientists and philosophers of science, this book methodically builds the case for a creator from cosmology, physics, astronomy, biochemistry, biological information, and cognitive science, or human consciousness. By the time I finished, I felt like the verdict of "design" was pretty close to being airtight. Second, this book is actually entertaining to read! I've looked at several other books that delve into faith and science, including those that espouse the "intelligent design" perspective, and frankly they were pretty tough to slog through. In contrast, this book has energy, colorful writing, and an intriguing true-life storyline of a one-time atheistic reporter pursuing the facts. The opening chapter really grabbed me as the writer describes a newspaper assignment that confirmed his opinion (at the time) that science has dissolved theism in a vat of nitric acid. By the end of the book, he has shown quite the opposite to be true -- "science, when done right, points toward God." The interview with Dr. Stephen Meyer on the relationship between science and faith was worth the price of the book, in my opinion. If you believe, as I once did, that science and faith are in perpetual conflict, read this chapter! Meyer not only forcefully argues that science and faith actually are compatible, but he then does a phenomenal job of summarizing the evidence from science that points toward the existence of God. This chapter ought to be reproduced and distributed to every science student in the country! I highly recommend this book to anyone whose faith has been undermined by those who claim science has relegated God to the unemployment line. As this book documents, not only does science point toward a creator, but the clear-cut implications of the data are that this creator fits the description of the God of the Bible. That may seem controversial, but the facts speak for themselves. Read this book and decide for yourself.
Rating:
Summary: Stunning reconciliation of science and faith
Review: Like a lot of people (including the author of this book!), I was turned off to faith in God because I thought Darwinism made theism obsolete. I found Phillip Johnson's book "Darwin on Trial" and Michael Denton's book "Evolution: A Theory in Crisis" helpful in refuting the fundamentals of evolutionary theory, but this book is even more powerful for several reasons. First, this book is not just a critique of Darwinism, although it does contain an excellent interview with Dr. Jonathan Wells, who pretty much decimates the idea that evolution can explain the diversity (or origin) of life. This book also builds a persuasive AFFIRMATIVE case for God from a scientific perspective. Drawing from interviews with scientists and philosophers of science, this book methodically builds the case for a creator from cosmology, physics, astronomy, biochemistry, biological information, and cognitive science, or human consciousness. By the time I finished, I felt like the verdict of "design" was pretty close to being airtight. Second, this book is actually entertaining to read! I've looked at several other books that delve into faith and science, including those that espouse the "intelligent design" perspective, and frankly they were pretty tough to slog through. In contrast, this book has energy, colorful writing, and an intriguing true-life storyline of a one-time atheistic reporter pursuing the facts. The opening chapter really grabbed me as the writer describes a newspaper assignment that confirmed his opinion (at the time) that science has dissolved theism in a vat of nitric acid. By the end of the book, he has shown quite the opposite to be true -- "science, when done right, points toward God." The interview with Dr. Stephen Meyer on the relationship between science and faith was worth the price of the book, in my opinion. If you believe, as I once did, that science and faith are in perpetual conflict, read this chapter! Meyer not only forcefully argues that science and faith actually are compatible, but he then does a phenomenal job of summarizing the evidence from science that points toward the existence of God. This chapter ought to be reproduced and distributed to every science student in the country! I highly recommend this book to anyone whose faith has been undermined by those who claim science has relegated God to the unemployment line. As this book documents, not only does science point toward a creator, but the clear-cut implications of the data are that this creator fits the description of the God of the Bible. That may seem controversial, but the facts speak for themselves. Read this book and decide for yourself.
Rating: 
Summary: the category is apologetics, not science
Review: Lots of people have religious faith. There are lots of religious faiths. Then there's science. Science and religion are very different things. They're not necessarily contradictory, but when religious apologists like Strobel try to make science fit their particular dogmatic brand of religion they do both a grave disservice.
Do you consider yourself a rational person, a critical thinker? Then please do not treat this book as any sort of authoritative work on any of the science topics it mentions. The world revealed by modern science, including physics, biology, geology, and anthropology, is far more interesting than Strobel can comprehend. Exercises in apologetics only serve to justify Faith. The Mysteries of the world are vast (to paraphrase Alfred North Whitehead), and religious faith is itself another layer of Mystery.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent summary of evidence for a Creator
Review: No book of this size could obviously be exhaustive, but what Strobel accomplishes is giving the reader much to think about. In my opinion, the evidence presented in this book clearly indicates that belief in a creator requires much less faith than does the belief in naturalism. For me, the main point is that belief in a creator is NOT a belief based on ignorance, but actually belief based on what best explains the evidence we have in the different fields he addresses. Those who have a predisposition of naturalism - that is, they have decided in advance that miracles are not possible and everything at all times can be explained by natural causes - will most likely not be swayed by this book (or any other book of its kind). Those with this worldview in mind will only be determined to undermine the work and will eventually lead to reviews with zero stars in order to make a point. However, those who can honestly keep an open mind when reading this book will at least be presented with much evidence that clearly supports the conclusiion. It has been said that those who feel the need to invoke a "creator" are presenting an "argument from ignorance". However, when examing the evidence from many different fields of science, it is clear that this isn't the case. The discoveries of science over time have indeed made the case for a creator much stronger. I believe, however, that the reason this position is so vigorously resisted is not because it points to a "god" for creation - BUT that the Christian worldview best makes sense of the evidence. So in order to discredit and resist the implications of Chrisitianity, they simply cannot succomb to the conclusion that the universe was created and designed. After all, if the two are put together (creator + Christianity), it demands a change of life - not just viewpoint.
Rating:
Summary: Strobel comes through again!
Review: Once again Strobel does a great job of exposing a view lost in our culture today - that Christianity best explains the evidence both philosophically and scientifically. The days of the intellectually fulfilled atheist are over, and Strobel helps to bring the reader to that realization by getting the reader in touch with academic Christian writings and scholars. This book will get you in touch with the evidence you need, either in its pages or through its resource listing. You can come to the realization with Strobel that it takes blind faith to be an atheist and justified faith to be a Christian - because the Christian can follow the evidence where it leads!
Rating:
Summary: Misrepresentation is par for the course
Review: Strobel presents an array of common misconceptions in order to make his argument. He relies on the thoughts and opinions from like-minded individuals rather than do the footwork himself. That is, Strobel offers nothing in the way of scientific evidence to support his beliefs. The author is, in short, preaching to the choir.
Rating:
Summary: I Used To Be An Atheist, But . . . .
Review: The Case For A Creator by Lee Strobel
It all boils down to this. Tell me about a person's world view and I'll tell you what side of any argument he/she favors. By "world view" I mean simply if he is a theist or an atheist. I interpret these two categories broadly and to have wide variation. There are theists who simply say, "I believe there's probably a God". There are also those who say, "I know there's a God and don't tell me anything about science that conflicts with that knowledge." Atheists, too, have great variation.
Given that, when reading books like "The Case For A Creator" by Lee Strobel, you can save lots of time and money by realizing that he's in the latter category. Writers like him use an infinity of strategies from, "Look stupid, . . . can't you see the truth?"-to "Well, I used to be an atheist, but all this evidence just plain convinced me I was wrong (and a sinner besides)." This is Sobel's tactic. But the theme is the same. "I want there to be a God, so I want all of science to be wrong." It is amazing how sneakily they can get their points of view into the mainstream. Usually they form or join groups with scholarly sounding names like "Scientists for Truth" or "American Association of Biologists". But invariably they turn out to be fundamentalist ministers with a degree in biology or sometimes fairly well-educated anthropologists or geologists who for personal reasons have become God-obsessed.
They display pretty good awareness of the material, and invariably they zero in on a few flaws in some existing theory and then deliver what they consider to be lethal blows to science, materialism, naturalism or whatever they choose to call it. Finally, they proclaim, as Strobel has done (to evolution) not only that "Darwinism has remained a philosophy still in search of convincing empirical data to back it up (pg. 65)", but then make the ludicrous leap to "The Case for Christ (pg. 293)". And there it is. The Evangelical strategy for America. Knock out science and all it adherents and convert everyone to Jesus Christ's message and we'll all live happily ever after in Heaven after the Rapture.
In case you were not aware, any scientific theory is incomplete, no matter how incontrovertible the bulk of the evidence. The current theory of the solar system and its workings leaves some gaps in our knowledge of the asteroid belt, conditions on Uranus and Pluto, and the total number of planetary moons, for example, but that does not prevent scientists from sending a rocket hundreds of millions of miles to Saturn or Jupiter with amazing accuracy and having it relay back data. Would we say that our knowledge of the solar system is wrong because of some gaps in the data? But this is what Strobel has done with evolution and Darwin, and worse than that, has replaced centuries of painstakingly acquired scientific knowledge with the superstitions of the Bible.
The Case For A Creator is a thinly disguised evangelical Christian polemic for "Intelligent Design" masquerading as scientific work. Along the way, it distorts, defames, lies and misleads while suckering in the unwary using the old line of, "I used to be an atheist until, . . ."
Rating:
Summary: Very Powerful; Stronger than Others
Review: The Case for a Creator is mostly in the form of an interview, where Strobel interviews a leading scientist in each chapter on particular areas in science relating to evidence pointing to a Creator. While most of the text is from the interviews, Strobel also fills in information where necessary to help the reader in understanding the picture. This is in addition to the introduction and conclusions. The best thing is that Strobel doesn't just interview the scientist; he cross-examines them, mercilessly attacking the ideas like any commited and skeptical atheist would. The good defenses from the scientists make the case for a Creator even more convincing. Strobel writes the book in a highly-readable and engaging manner, without over-simplifying the sometimes-technical issues involved. Thus, some of the material may be beyond a high-schooler -- I mention this as a comment, not a criticism. For those who are interested in researching further into the subject (since a book of this size cannot cover all the areas in detail), this book is a great start as it also provides loads of valuable references which are very current (up till 2003). Highly recommended.
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