"A phenomenal resource that is both user-friendly and up-to-date, [and will] equip believers to defend this crucial issue." - Josh McDowell. Includes an interactive CD in a game-show format to test your memory of the key issues and concepts. (20061101)
The Case for the Resurrection of Jesus
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Editorial Reviews
From Publishers Weekly
Habermas, who has written several apologetic works on the resurrection, and Licona, a speaker and budding New Testament scholar who was once Habermas's student, offer a comprehensive and far-reaching argument for the historical veracity of Christ's resurrection. In fact, at times it is too far-reaching, as when the authors digress into refutations of Mormonism, alien activity and Elvis sightings; this book would be much improved if it had been trimmed by about a third. Many evangelicals will appreciate the authors' broad evidentiary claims and marshalling of historical, theological, archaeological, biomedical and literary data to support their belief in the resurrection. Yet despite its strong content, the book is poorly written, and is organized in a workmanlike outline format that seems more appropriate for a seminary lecture than a seamless book. A closing chapter offers practical tips for evangelical Christians who wish to share their faith with others.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Review
Carolyn Keefe Church and Synagogue Library Association : "This outstanding teaching tool has multiple uses for church congregants: individual or small group study, visitation and evangelism preparation, church school elective courses, and theological fortification of secular university students. In addition, it provides stimulating study for pastors who have not taken an apologetics course in seminary or who need a refresher."
L.R.K. Church Libraries : You will find this book to be the most practical and reader-friendly book in defense of Jesus' resurrection on the market today.
L.R.K. Church Libraries : You will find this book to be the most practical and reader-friendly book in defense of Jesus' resurrection on the market today.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
65 of 70 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
To be candid, I am not a fan of most popular apologetics -- especially on the resurrection. But when I saw that this book was 384 pages long, I thought it was perhaps an exception and would cover the issue in more detail than others. I was wrong. So why do I still rank this book so high? Because it does what it intends to do effectively.
This book effectively equips Christians to witness to their friends, neighbors, and families using the historical evidence for the resurrection of Jesus. Habermas and Licona begin with a discussion about the importance of the resurrection of Jesus to Christianity. Though this seems obvious, the discussion is helpful because it wisely recommends focusing on the resurrection without getting bogged down in, presumably, issues such as inerrancy and a complete harmonization of the resurrection narratives. This is a common failing of Christians trying to share their faith. The authors' emphasis on keeping the eye on the ball extends throughout the book.
After the opening chapter, the book turns to the core of the issue, the historical evidence for the resurrection of Jesus. The strength of this section is that it distills down, accurately, a high level of scholarship on the issue. Habermas and Licona present five "minimal facts." That is, they focus on five historical facts that are accepted by most scholars:
1) Jesus' death by crucifixion;
2) Jesus' disciples believed that he rose and appeared to them;
3) Paul, a persecutor of the church, has suddenly changed to faith in Jesus;
4) James, skeptical of Jesus during his ministry, was suddenly changed to faith in Jesus; and,
5) The tomb of Jesus was empty.
No. 4 is perhaps more disputed than Habermas and Licona discuss (and by far the least important of the five), but the rest of the discussion accurately represents the state of historical scholarship. Although their discussion will not supplant the more probing discussions of N.T. Wright or William L. Craig, it will equip the reader to accurately present to their friends, neighbors, and family the persuasive historical evidence for the resurrection of Jesus. They fit their "minimal facts" together effectively to present a strong case for the resurrection of Jesus.
Most of the rest of the book deals with various objections to the resurrection. This includes the usual suspects, such as the hallucination theory or the forgotten grave site. But it also includes others that scholars tend to ignore but which actually pop up in real conversation, such as whether Jesus could have been an alien (don't laugh, I've heard that one) and how do we know that even if there was a resurrection that God had anything to do with it. Their response effectively focuses on the context of Jesus' ministry and claims about himself.
There are a few sections that appear out of place, such as the discussion of near death experiences and even the section about the existence of God. But the book closes with its strength, a helpful discussion of how to take the knowledge conveyed by the book and convince others about the resurrection of Jesus.
Christians wishing to share effectively the core of their faith with those they care about will find this book very helpful. And for that reason, I recommend it.
This book effectively equips Christians to witness to their friends, neighbors, and families using the historical evidence for the resurrection of Jesus. Habermas and Licona begin with a discussion about the importance of the resurrection of Jesus to Christianity. Though this seems obvious, the discussion is helpful because it wisely recommends focusing on the resurrection without getting bogged down in, presumably, issues such as inerrancy and a complete harmonization of the resurrection narratives. This is a common failing of Christians trying to share their faith. The authors' emphasis on keeping the eye on the ball extends throughout the book.
After the opening chapter, the book turns to the core of the issue, the historical evidence for the resurrection of Jesus. The strength of this section is that it distills down, accurately, a high level of scholarship on the issue. Habermas and Licona present five "minimal facts." That is, they focus on five historical facts that are accepted by most scholars:
1) Jesus' death by crucifixion;
2) Jesus' disciples believed that he rose and appeared to them;
3) Paul, a persecutor of the church, has suddenly changed to faith in Jesus;
4) James, skeptical of Jesus during his ministry, was suddenly changed to faith in Jesus; and,
5) The tomb of Jesus was empty.
No. 4 is perhaps more disputed than Habermas and Licona discuss (and by far the least important of the five), but the rest of the discussion accurately represents the state of historical scholarship. Although their discussion will not supplant the more probing discussions of N.T. Wright or William L. Craig, it will equip the reader to accurately present to their friends, neighbors, and family the persuasive historical evidence for the resurrection of Jesus. They fit their "minimal facts" together effectively to present a strong case for the resurrection of Jesus.
Most of the rest of the book deals with various objections to the resurrection. This includes the usual suspects, such as the hallucination theory or the forgotten grave site. But it also includes others that scholars tend to ignore but which actually pop up in real conversation, such as whether Jesus could have been an alien (don't laugh, I've heard that one) and how do we know that even if there was a resurrection that God had anything to do with it. Their response effectively focuses on the context of Jesus' ministry and claims about himself.
There are a few sections that appear out of place, such as the discussion of near death experiences and even the section about the existence of God. But the book closes with its strength, a helpful discussion of how to take the knowledge conveyed by the book and convince others about the resurrection of Jesus.
Christians wishing to share effectively the core of their faith with those they care about will find this book very helpful. And for that reason, I recommend it.
27 of 28 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Knowing why you believe what you believe is one of the hardest parts of being a Christian. Just as parents answer a child's endless supply of "why?" questions and usually run out of answers, The Case for the Resurrection of Jesus by Gary Habermas ensures that we Christians don't. It begins with "why" it is important for us to know the information provided in this book. The answer is found in God's Holy Word, I Peter 3:15, "Sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account of the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence."
This book takes several arguments disputing the resurrection of Christ and tears them to shreds. It demonstrates that the very sources used against the resurrection are biased and partial. The amount of information and biblical knowledge contained within is astounding. It includes a CD-ROM which is pure genius, educating the public about the resurrection.
Habermas dissects common questions that argue against Jesus' resurrection, making it an easy reference for the future. For example, say the person you are witnessing to says, "The disciples stole the body;" it is easy to find the information to refute that false belief. Every known argument for why the resurrection didn't happen is accounted for in this book, and proven wrong.
This book is an excellent learning tool for every Christian. I recommend it for pastors as a reference tool and a study guide, regardless of where they are in their walk with the Lord. All of life is a time to learn, and learning never stops. We can never know too much about God.
With the inclusion of a detailed outline of the arguments contained in this book, the notes taken to write the book ( listed by individual chapter),and the bibliography of other reference books used in this one, there is an limitless supply of Bible studies and/or sermons. What pastor could not use this book? This book is by far one of the most useful books on the Christian faith. -- Tammy Hornbeck, Christian Book Previews.com
This book takes several arguments disputing the resurrection of Christ and tears them to shreds. It demonstrates that the very sources used against the resurrection are biased and partial. The amount of information and biblical knowledge contained within is astounding. It includes a CD-ROM which is pure genius, educating the public about the resurrection.
Habermas dissects common questions that argue against Jesus' resurrection, making it an easy reference for the future. For example, say the person you are witnessing to says, "The disciples stole the body;" it is easy to find the information to refute that false belief. Every known argument for why the resurrection didn't happen is accounted for in this book, and proven wrong.
This book is an excellent learning tool for every Christian. I recommend it for pastors as a reference tool and a study guide, regardless of where they are in their walk with the Lord. All of life is a time to learn, and learning never stops. We can never know too much about God.
With the inclusion of a detailed outline of the arguments contained in this book, the notes taken to write the book ( listed by individual chapter),and the bibliography of other reference books used in this one, there is an limitless supply of Bible studies and/or sermons. What pastor could not use this book? This book is by far one of the most useful books on the Christian faith. -- Tammy Hornbeck, Christian Book Previews.com
22 of 24 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This is the best book I've seen for introducing people to the evidence for Jesus' resurrection and preparing them to answer objections. I've never seen a book address such a large variety of objections and alternate theories: the disciples were hallucinating, the disciples stole the body, Jesus survived the crucifixion, He should have had more of an influence on the ancient world if He did what the New Testament claims He did, miracles in other religions count against Christian miracle claims, Jesus was a space alien, the sightings of the risen Christ are comparable to Elvis sightings, etc. Some of these arguments aren't made by scholars, but this book is directed primarily to laymen, and laymen will come across such arguments on the Internet and in other places. I would think that at least the large majority of objections to the resurrection that most people will come across are addressed to some extent in this book.
The book is well-written and well-organized, with many charts and an interactive CD that tests the reader's knowledge of the material. Basic issues of the nature of historical evidence and evidence for the existence of God and the supernatural in general are addressed, so the reader will be knowledgeable of more than just the resurrection itself.
People who are already highly informed on these issues should still find the book helpful. It does contain some significant new material, such as the results of Gary Habermas' recent survey of modern scholarship on the resurrection and excerpts from the authors' personal correspondence with other scholars. Although the main body of the text is easy to follow and is aimed primarily at laymen, the notes go into more depth (more than 80 pages) and have a goldmine of information and sources.
The book is well-written and well-organized, with many charts and an interactive CD that tests the reader's knowledge of the material. Basic issues of the nature of historical evidence and evidence for the existence of God and the supernatural in general are addressed, so the reader will be knowledgeable of more than just the resurrection itself.
People who are already highly informed on these issues should still find the book helpful. It does contain some significant new material, such as the results of Gary Habermas' recent survey of modern scholarship on the resurrection and excerpts from the authors' personal correspondence with other scholars. Although the main body of the text is easy to follow and is aimed primarily at laymen, the notes go into more depth (more than 80 pages) and have a goldmine of information and sources.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
Book Review
People like Paul Doland reject this book because of the lack of contemporary writings or what othr defenses they may have to prove that God does not exist. Whatever. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Videogamer
An Amazing Book
This is an incredibly powerful and effective defense of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Authors Gary Habermas and Michael Licona have made a way for anyone to make a... Read more
Authors Gary Habermas and Michael Licona have made a way for anyone to make a... Read more
Published 1 month ago by S. Peek
Perfect! Encore!
Great book! Lots of great information regarding the historical account of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. I recommend this book to everybody. Read more
Published 4 months ago by Nathen A. Warden
Don't believe the anger....
For those of you who are thinking of buying (or not) this book based on REVIEWS, my advice to you is: Understand that the low ratings (usually in the 1 to 2 range)are most often... Read more
Published 5 months ago by R. Brown
A standard source for arguing the case for the resurrection
Drs. Habermas and Licona do a very good job of providing evidence and strong arguments for Jesus' resurrection in the face of multiple criticisms without reverting to a requirement... Read more
Published 16 months ago by David C. Leaumont
The Case for the Resurrection of Jesus
This book provided a thouightful review of the pertinent scriptural bases for the resurrection. It also explained alternate theories for what happened to Jesus. Read more
Published 18 months ago by Carroll S. Rankin Jr.
Reality or literature?
This book contains all the most powerful scholarly arguments, including consensus, to ascertain the reality of Jesus' resurrection, and deals with all the arguments that have been... Read more
Published 22 months ago by Chris Albert Wells
Great Apologetic Resource
This is a great introductory resource for Christians who want to defend the hope that is within them. Read more
Published 22 months ago by Ronald C. Payne
Structured introductory work on the Resurrection
The Case for The Resurrection of Jesus, by Habermas and Licona, is an accessible and structured introductory popular level apologetic work which presents a positive case for a... Read more
Published on August 5, 2009 by T. Eldridge
Don't recommend
The content of this book is good, but the font is very small, and the ink is too light. A larger font, and a darker ink would have made the book a lot easier to read. Read more
Published on June 2, 2008 by Jack T. Kellogg
Inside This Book
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First Sentence:
In July 2000, ABC network television news anchor Peter Jennings produced a program titled The Search for Jesus. Read the first page Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
minimal facts approach, nonhistorical genre, enemy attestation, various opposing theories, apparent death theory, disciples sincerely, sermon summaries, resurrection claims, cosmic constants, wrong tomb, theological evolution, hallucination theory, account for the empty tomb, eleven witnesses, specified complexity, alien theory, conversion disorder, miracle claims, original disciples, impressive majority, skeptical ones, skeptical friend, historical certainty, immaterial one, rising gods Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
New Testament, Son of Man, Big Bang, Holy Spirit, Book of Mormon, Jesus Christ, Northern Conservative Fundamentalist Baptist, Antony Flew, Joseph Smith, United States, God's Spirit, Julius Caesar, Christian God, Clement of Alexandria, Gerd Lüdemann, Holy Ghost, John Dominic Crossan, Justin Martyr, Mary Magdalene, Quintet of Facts New!
Books on Related Topics | Concordance | Text Stats Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
In July 2000, ABC network television news anchor Peter Jennings produced a program titled The Search for Jesus. Read the first page Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
minimal facts approach, nonhistorical genre, enemy attestation, various opposing theories, apparent death theory, disciples sincerely, sermon summaries, resurrection claims, cosmic constants, wrong tomb, theological evolution, hallucination theory, account for the empty tomb, eleven witnesses, specified complexity, alien theory, conversion disorder, miracle claims, original disciples, impressive majority, skeptical ones, skeptical friend, historical certainty, immaterial one, rising gods Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
New Testament, Son of Man, Big Bang, Holy Spirit, Book of Mormon, Jesus Christ, Northern Conservative Fundamentalist Baptist, Antony Flew, Joseph Smith, United States, God's Spirit, Julius Caesar, Christian God, Clement of Alexandria, Gerd Lüdemann, Holy Ghost, John Dominic Crossan, Justin Martyr, Mary Magdalene, Quintet of Facts New!
Books on Related Topics | Concordance | Text Stats Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
Citations (learn more)
This book cites 100
books:
See all 100 books this book cites
5
books
cite this book:
- The Twelve Caesars (Penguin Classics) by Suetonius on 6 pages
- Jesus: A Revolutionary Biography by John Dominic Crossan on 5 pages
- Book of Acts in the Setting of Hellenistic History by Colin J. Hemer on 5 pages
- Theological Dictionary of the New Testament: Abridged in One Volume by Gerhard Kittel on 5 pages
- The Case for Christ: A Journalist's Personal Investigation of the Evidence for Jesus (Pack of 6) by Lee Strobel on 4 pages
See all 100 books this book cites
- To Everyone an Answer: A Case for the Christian Worldview by Francis J. Beckwith on 4 pages
- I Don't Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist by Norman L. Geisler in Back Matter (1), Back Matter (2), and Back Matter (3)
- Building Belief: Constructing Faith from the Ground Up by Chad V. Meister in Back Matter (1), and Back Matter (2)
- Reinventing Jesus by J. Ed Komoszewski in Index
- The Big Argument: Twenty-Four Scholars Explore How Science, Archaelogy, and Philosophy Have Proven the Existence of God by John Ashton in Back Matter
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