Customer Reviews

The Case for Faith: A Journalist Investigates the Toughest Objections to Christianity

5 star:		(110)
4 star:		(51)
3 star:		(23)
2 star:		(18)
1 star:		(47)

 

 

Lee Strobel has written several good books that could be especially valuable to someone new in the Christian faith. In fact, even older Christians will appreciate the information offered in The Case for Christ and The Case for Faith, both of which nicely complement each other in their easy-to-read style. In The Case for Faith, Strobel--who is a former skeptic--continues where he left off with The Case for Christ. He interviews scholars all over the country, picking their brains for answers to some of the toughest questions out there, including evil, miracles, and "oppressive" church history. Read sort of like a novel, Strobel introduces each chapter by mixing in interesting crime/court stories he gathered during his investigative reporter days for a Chicago newspaper. Sometimes, though, his writing is a little melodramatic, as there were several times I became annoyed with his overuse of neon yellow adjectives. Otherwise, I thought the novelistic style helped make the book a quick read. While the average reader should not need more than 6-8 hours with this book, if he/she reads carefully, much can be learned about answers to some pretty difficult questions. Overall I recommend The Case for Faith for its apologetic value. Deeper material can certainly be gathered in other places, including the little more detailed "When Skeptics Ask" (Geisler) and the much more detailed "Encyclopedia of Christian Apologetics" (Geisler). As a beginning book, though, The Case for Faith works well.

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.

This excellent resource provides persuasive answers to the "Big 8" objections to Christianity. As a former skeptic myself, I consider this book to be the very best of its type in terms of readability, cogent analysis, and honest engagement with the most difficult issues involving Christianity. Like the author's previous best-seller, "The Case for Christ," this book is sure to garner a huge number of strong supporters as well as a small group of vociferous critics. That's because some people simply won't like the author's conclusions and will do anything to discourage people from reading the book. However, read the negative reviews yourself and you'll see their logical holes or their blatant misunderstanding of the author's points. Incredibly, one reviewer accuses the author of not disclosing he's a minister -- when that very fact is emblazoned across the back of the book! So the credibility belongs to the author, and anyone who is sincerely seeking answers to their tough questions about faith will find this book to be thorough, engaging, and potentially life-changing!

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.

It cannot be overstated what Lee Strobel has done for apologetics. He is truly talented and articulate. I think that his lack of fear in tackling big Christian issues is noble. This book, like "The Case for Christ", is an enjoyable and faith-building read.

That said, I would like to make my one contention. Namely, as an individual with his master's degree, and a major in biology, I cannot help but say that Strobel's chapter on evolution is misleading at best. The issue is not about that one chapter, but the fact that his lack of forwardness may encourage honestly investigating "seekers" to discredit all his work.

First, he says that if evolution exists, it undermines God. Says who? He does not support this statement, but assumes it, as many uneducated about biology do. Strobel is willing to accept many non-literal interpretations of the bible (see his chapter on hell), but he is not willing to state that perhaps Genesis was written in a non-literal way.

Second, he says that any thinking person has to admit that evolution occurs, "at least somewhat". But, if evolution occurs, and it undermines God, then why is he writing this book?

Third, he talks nothing about evolution, but, rather, the origin of the first living thing. A misunderstanding about evolution is that it claims to answer where the first living thing came from. Evolution describes a pattern of change in organisms over time. It does not say where the first organism originated. There are scientists who study that, and Strobel does confront those scientists well.

The reality is, there is virtually universal consensus among biologists that evolution occurs; and among those people are Christians who see evolution as no threat to their faith whatsoever. Many would even argue that, once take slightly non-literally, Genesis takes on a surprisingly accurate description of exactly what scientists of all types are elucidating about our universe, and, as such reinforces the validity of the bible.

It seems, in this chapter, as though he is catering to a vocal demographic of Christians who wish their faith to be the result of neglected evidence, as opposed to supporting evidence. It goes without saying that there is plenty of supportive evidence as to believing in Christ, and, as such, it is disappointing to make such a flimsy argument here.

The biggest problem is not the lack of supportive evidence against evolution; it is that it undermines one's confidence in the rest of his work. The major problem is that he is in a position where people are using him to find their faith. If he becomes partial in the evidence he considers, then those reading him will begin to discount all his work, based on a few flaws, even if most of it is sound.

I am not willing to remain silent as he alienates well-educated people from Christ because he doesn't want to upset those pre-existing Christians who wish to deny the overwhelming evidence for evolution. He should not be writing things so poorly supported that people have to question the overall support of the evidence for Christ.

I would like to reiterate that I do find his work to be generally well supported, and think that he is doing great work. I simply could not leave it unsaid that this chapter could be seen as an apologetic weakness that encouraged greater skepticism in his work.

I've read several books purporting to provide answers to tough objections to Christianity, but this book succeeds like none of the others. First, it deals with the right questions -- the ones that seekers and skeptics are asking. Second, it goes to excellent sources for answers. Rather than the author merely providing his own perspective, he interviews knowledgeable scholars. They are able to offer solid yet understandable replies. Third, it's well-written. The interview at the beginning with Charles Templeton, who once was a friend of Billy Graham's but later lost his faith, is riveting! The entire book actually is the unfolding of a story -- the author reliving his own spiritual investigation from atheism to Christianity. Fourth, the book has a fine bibliography. If any reader wants more in-depth information (after all, one book can only provide an overview), good resources are offered. Will this book help Christians strengthen their faith? Undoubtedly. Will it help spiritual seekers move closer to God? I'm sure it will. Will it convince hard-core skeptics? Probably not. That doesn't mean there aren't great answers for them, merely that one book can't go in-depth enough to satisfy everyone. That's where the bibliography comes in. All in all, I give this book five stars because it accomplishes its objective of providing thoughtful answers to the Big 8 objections to Christianity. You will not be disappointed by this book!

This time Strobel covers some of the major claims against faith in God, and in particular, arguments against Christianity. He starts by talking to skeptic Charles Templeton, and from there proceeds to question several scholars. My criticism to "Case for Christ" still applies here; Strobel did not directly interview many sceptics, but simply mentioned some of their claims to Christian scholars, who tried to refute the problems. If the reader keeps in mind that this title clearly isn't intended to be a debate, it's not a problem. Strobel tries to defend his faith as well as he can, and that's what you probably will be reading the book for. Anyone wanting more arguments from the other side will have to read separate titles (Strobel mentions many skeptic works).

Strobel interviews Peter Kreeft (problem of evil and suffering), William Lane Craig (Miracles and science), Walter L Bradley (attacking evolution), Norman Geisler (God's violence on innocents), Ravi Zacharias (Problems on Jesus being the only way to God), J.P. Moreland (Eternal torture in Hell), John D. Woodbridge (Church History and violence) and Lynn Anderson (Belief while in doubt). My favorite expert was definitely William Lane Craig, showing once again all his knowledge while dealing with such a hard subject. I expected better from Geisler, who needs no introduction but left me feeling that the subject was not as well defended as it could have been. Woodbridge's interview was good. Strobel did focus the book on the toughest intellectual obstacles to belief, missing a few, but hitting the major ones. Unfortunately, this book will be somewhat unsatisfying for anyone looking for more depth and rigor then dealing with the most difficult questions about God and the divine. Beginners will value the brevity and plain language of the interviews, but it will limit its power to make hardcore skeptics feel in trouble; I can't blame Strobel on this however, that's the price to pay for having such complexity reduced to accessible answers, and one should keep in mind that each one of the 8 problems covered is complex enough to fill a whole fat book, or a pile of them. Anyone who finds this title interesting should also take a look at "Letters From a Skeptic" by Gregory Boyd, which covers many similar questions and supplies more satisfying answers in a few aspects. And of if you want to balance it with something from the other side, "What is Atheism?" by Krueger is a easy way to start.

While "The Case for Faith" compiles many good arguments against questions made by doubters, it doesn't have as much impact as "The Case for Christ" and will probably take more fire from skeptics, but this is still a good contribution, almost always captivating no matter if you believe or not. (Reviewer Bill Hays from Tustin did a good job showing some of the problematic issues covered, but didn't mention that the point of this book is precisely defusing some of those claims; Also, Strobel can hardly be considered dishonest for not mentioning he's a pastor, since anyone can easily see all that simply by...Reading the back cover) You might also like to know that this title is well organized, includes a nice compact Summary of his previous book (TCFC), useful for those who missed it, supplies references to both pro and against books and also a includes a good Index.

Yet again Lee Strobel has created a powerful combination of facts and storytelling to tackle what he refers to as the "Big 8": the eight toughest questions people often have about Christianity. Rather than shy away from facing the kinds of struggles people have with the Christian faith, Strobel attacks them head-on, looking at their ins-and-outs and striving to uncover every facet, and then providing answers in plain language that don't require a master's in philosophy to understand. His natural storytelling ability makes you feel as though you've drawn up a chair beside himself and the many brilliant minds he interviews. Your intellectual side will be satisfied, as will your craving for a good story.

It's a great read, a book that makes you think, and a story that can change your life. Read "The Case for Christ" and see for yourself.

First and foremost, I am very pleased that this book has generated so many reviews - both positive and negative. I believe that Lee Strobel's intent is to get Christians, and others, talking about some of the more difficult questions that arise if we take our faith seriously. A lot has already been said about this book by other reviewers, so I will keep my comments brief.

Overall, I enjoyed the book. Three strong points drew my attention - first the eight questions covered are good ones. I read the book hoping to add more depth to my ability to answer these questions. I feel like I accomplished this goal. Secondly, the persons interviewed are some of the top Christian thinkers around today. So, for the most part, the views presented are solid. Third - the premise the book uses (and begins with) is good. Interview a man who has fallen away from God (Templeton), find out his reasons, and then try to answer his questions. The Templeton aspect of the book gives Strobel a legitimate starting point before he begins the investigative process.

There are some issues that some have raised about this book that I think are legitimate. First - the author does not take a balanced approach. Strobel is guilty as charged, he only interviews Christians. Although, I am not sure how he could have covered the wide range of issues and included opposing views without exceeding 500 pages (probably too long for most, myself included). Secondly, the author is not really an unbelieving skeptic anymore. He was at one time, but he is now a member of the Body of Christ. I think this does prevent, or limit, his ability to ask certain questions during the interviews. Lastly, the book may not convince non-believers to follow Christ, so it probably better serves those who have already made this decision than those who have not. In defense of Strobel, he is not an apologist, so I did not really expect an extremely strong defense of the Christian faith from him.

I do think this book is well worth reading, so I recommend it to anyone looking for answers to some of the more difficult questions about faith. If you are a skeptic, hopefully it will answer some of your questions. If you are a believer, hopefully it will increase your faith, and ability to provide solid answers.

This book, in my own opinion, is a gem for those who need a place to start to think about issues such as hell, church atrocities, and so on and so forth. These issues are issues which are too often dodged by Christians, maybe because of the fear that these questions don't have much of an answer. While the questions are not completely answered here (who could answer these questions completely, anyway?), the book gives the sense that there are Christian answers which are solid in substance. I do agree with one reviewer when he says that the arguments presented in the book can be torn up rather quickly, but then again, these arguments are presented in such a way that common people can understand, and not just the academic elite. With these things in mind, the book does fill its niche rather well, and is definitely worth buying, no matter which side of the debate you are on. Yes, the book is biased, but so is ANY book you will buy, so get a few on the Christian side, get a few on the non-Christian side, and see how they stack up against each other (and don't forget to use your own brain too).