The New Evidence That Demands A Verdict Fully Updated To Answer The Questions Challenging Christians Today (Hardcover)

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Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Bestselling author and Christian apologist Josh McDowell hopes The New Evidence That Demands a Verdict will further document historical evidence of the Christian faith. As such, it is a straightforward compilation of notes prepared for his lecture series, "Christianity: Hoax or History?" The entire book (over 750 pages) is laid out in outline form, which makes it easier for researchers, scholars, and students to access. As a result, this is not reflective fireside reading. Rather, it is a tool for locating supporting "evidence" whenever the need arises. Part I addresses the trustworthiness of the Bible; Part II offers historical evidence and supporting attestations for Jesus' claim to God; Part III addresses "radical Christian criticism" of the Bible; Part IV is devoted to quelling the voice of numerous skeptics, including "a defense for the existence of miracles" and "answers to divergent worldview." --This text refers to an alternate Hardcover edition.

Product Description

Evidence I & II--The classic defense of the faith: Now fully updated to answer the questions challenging evangelical faith today.

The New Evidence maintains its classic defense of the faith yet addresses new issues.

The New Evidence is destined to equip believers with a ready defense for the next decade and beyond

Product Details

• Hardcover: 800 pages
• Publisher: Thomas Nelson (October 22, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0785243631
• ISBN-13: 978-0785243632
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 6.3 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (106 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #68,789 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

122 of 142 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This book changed my life, February 7, 2005

By	J. Chang - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Allow me to start by addressing some of the negative reviews of this book.

First of all, Josh McDowell doesn't make any money off his books. For more than 35 years, the profits for all his books have gone directly to a Christian organization (i.e. Campus Crusade for Christ). He doesn't even know how much money his books make. (I heard this from his own mouth when he spoke at a church a few years back.) Second of all, Josh doesn't claim to be a great writer or theologian; he's just presenting the facts that he's discovered. You have to do the work yourself and decide. You may even have to read other books that offer opposing evidence. (Incidentally, Josh started doing all this research before he became a Christian.) And thirdly, the gospel of John was written by an apostle who lived and followed Jesus for three years. That's a first hand account. The book of James was also written by Jesus' brother (who did not initially believe Jesus, himself).

That said, I know this book doesn't end any debates about the Christian faith. For me, however, before I became a Christian, reading Josh's stuff opened my eyes to the fact that you can't easily dismiss the Christian faith the way some uninformed people do (the way I did at one point.)

So if you're the type of person to get caught up on debating grammatical mistakes and nitpicking over the difference between a few decades within the scope of 2000 years, don't read this book. But if you're open to having your perspective (and possibly your life changed), take a look. I guarantee that when your life is changed in a dramatic way, you can write about it 30 or 60 years later and remember it like it was yesterday.

184 of 221 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Packed Full of Solid Evidences for the Christian Faith, February 29, 2000

By	T. B. Vick "Learn 2 Discern" (The Lone Star State) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This review is from: The New Evidence That Demands A Verdict Fully Updated To Answer The Questions Challenging Christians Today (Hardcover)

I was fortunate and blessed to be one of the researchers and writers for this edition of Josh McDowell's "Evidence that Demands a Verdict." While the final editors made some significant changes in certain areas of the book (i.e. approach, format, and some content), overall the content is still quite thorough and the structure still fairly easy to use. This book is a battery of evidences for the claims of the Christian Faith. If evidence for Christianity is what you are wanting, then this is the book for you. The contents of this book range from the authenticity of biblical texts, the deity of Jesus, higher biblical criticism (i.e. the Jesus Seminar, documentary hypothesis, etc.), and historical skepticism, to the nature of truth, the knowability of truth, and the knowability of history. Other areas of special interest for the Christian apologists are postmodernism, skepticism, agnosticism, and mysticism and how to answer each of these worldviews in light of the truths of Christianity. Furthermore, there is a chapter on defending miracles and the historical reliability of the Bible. If you have been wanting a book that contains a storehouse of evidences and references to others in history who have defended the Christian faith, then this is one of the best single volume books available.

114 of 137 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great reference, July 5, 2001

By	Carl A. Redman (Austin, TX United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This is a great reference book "to answer questions challenging Christians in the 21st century." The book is divided into four parts. Part 1 deals with the historical reliability of the Bible and it is probably the best section of the book. McDowell does a great job establishing the reliability of the Bible. Part 2 and Part 3 are the case for Jesus, and the case for and against Christianity, respectively. Although these sections were good, the evidence was not as powerful as in part 1. Part 4 is a section entitled "Truth or Consequences" and explores other philosophies such as agnostism, atheism, mysticism, etc.

McDowell does a good job quoting other experts throughout his book, and the reader is sure to find other books that you will want to explore further. I would not recommend reading this book in one sitting; I read a chapter every night before bedtime, and even that was too much at times. Perhaps the best way to read this book would be using it as a reference tool.