Buy New
 

or
Sign in to turn on 1-Click ordering.
Buy Used
Used - Good See details
$4.07 & eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. Details
Fulfilled by Amazon

or
Sign in to turn on 1-Click ordering.
 
   
Express Checkout with PayPhrase
What's this? | Create PayPhrase
More Buying Choices
556 used & new from $0.08
Have one to sell? Sell yours here
or
Get a $1.30 Amazon.com Gift Card
The Case for Christ: A Journalist's Personal Investigation of the Evidence for Jesus
 
 
See all product images
See all 3 customer images
Share your own customer images
Search inside this book

The Case for Christ: A Journalist's Personal Investigation of the Evidence for Jesus [Paperback]

Lee Strobel (Author)
3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (714 customer reviews)
List Price: $14.99
Price: $10.19 & eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. Details
You Save: $4.80 (32%)
o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o
In Stock.
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com. Gift-wrap available.
Want it delivered Wednesday, September 8? Choose One-Day Shipping at checkout. Details
88 new from $5.48 466 used from $0.08 2 collectible from $28.76

Formats

 Amazon Price New from Used from
Kindle Edition $8.32   -- --
Hardcover $14.95   $11.89 $3.00
Paperback $10.19   $5.48 $0.08
Audio, CD, Audiobook, Unabridged $19.79   $19.78 $17.99

Best Value

Buy The Case for Faith: A Journalist Investigates the Toughest Objections to Christianity and get The Case for Christ: A Journalist's Personal Investigation of the Evidence for Jesus at an additional 5% off Amazon.com's everyday low price.

The Case for Faith: A Journalist Investigates the Toughest Objections to Christianity + The Case for Christ: A Journalist's Personal Investigation of the Evidence for Jesus
Buy Together Today: $19.87

Show availability and shipping details

Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought

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

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

by Lee Strobel
3.6 out of 5 stars (243)  $10.19
The Case for a Creator: A Journalist Investigates Scientific Evidence That Points Toward God (Strobel, Lee)

The Case for a Creator: A Journalist Investigates Scientific Evidence That Points Toward God (Strobel, Lee)

by Lee Strobel
3.6 out of 5 stars (250) 
The Case for the Real Jesus: A Journalist Investigates Current Attacks on the Identity of Christ

The Case for the Real Jesus: A Journalist Investigates Current Attacks on the Identity of Christ

by Lee Strobel
4.2 out of 5 stars (90)  $8.80
The Case for the Resurrection: A First-Century Investigative Reporter Probes History's Pivotal Event

The Case for the Resurrection: A First-Century Investigative Reporter Probes History's Pivotal Event

by Lee Strobel
5.0 out of 5 stars (3)  $2.99
The Case for Christ Participant's Guide: A Six-Session Investigation of the Evidence for Jesus (Groupware Small Group Edition)

The Case for Christ Participant's Guide: A Six-Session Investigation of the Evidence for Jesus (Groupware Small Group Edition)

by Lee Strobel
4.0 out of 5 stars (2)  $9.99
› Explore similar items

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

The Case for Christ records Lee Strobel's attempt to "determine if there's credible evidence that Jesus of Nazareth really is the Son of God." The book consists primarily of interviews between Strobel (a former legal editor at the Chicago Tribune) and biblical scholars such as Bruce Metzger. Each interview is based on a simple question, concerning historical evidence (for example, "Can the Biographies of Jesus Be Trusted?"), scientific evidence, ("Does Archaeology Confirm or Contradict Jesus' Biographies?"), and "psychiatric evidence" ("Was Jesus Crazy When He Claimed to Be the Son of God?"). Together, these interviews compose a case brief defending Jesus' divinity, and urging readers to reach a verdict of their own.

Review

A Seasoned Journalist Chases Down the Biggest Story in History The Project: Determine if there’s credible evidence that Jesus of Nazareth really is the Son of God. The Reporter: Lee Strobel, educated at Yale Law School, award-winning former legal editor of the Chicago Tribune—with a background of atheism. The Experts: A dozen scholars, with doctorates from Cambridge, Princeton, Brandeis, and other top-flight institutions, who are recognized authorities on Jesus. The Story: Retracing his own spiritual journey, Strobel cross-examines the experts with tough, point-blank questions: How reliable is the New Testament? Does evidence exist for Jesus outside the Bible? Is there any reason to believe the resurrection was an actual historical event? . . .

This remarkable book reads like a captivating, fast-paced novel. But it’s not fiction. It’s a riveting quest for the truth about history’s most compelling figure. What will your verdict be in The Case for Christ -- Publisher

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

More About the Author

Lee Strobel
Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

› Visit Amazon's Lee Strobel Page
Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
Search Inside This Book:
Inside This Book (learn more)
First Sentence:
When I first met shy and soft-spoken Leo Carter, he was a seven-year-old veteran of Chicago's grittiest neighborhood. Read the first page
Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
swoon theory, empty tomb story, rebuttal evidence, eyewitness evidence, guard story, fingerprint evidence
Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
New Testament, Old Testament, Jesus Seminar, Grand Rapids, Son of God, Jesus Christ, Group Study, Gospel of Thomas, The Eyewitness Evidence, The Evidence of the Missing Body, The Scientific Evidence, The Evidence of Appearances, The Documentary Evidence, The Corroborating Evidence, Downers Grove, The Fingerprint Evidence, The Circumstantial Evidence, The Profile Evidence, Pontius Pilate, Book of Mormon, The Rebuttal Evidence, Joseph of Arimathea, The Medical Evidence, William Lane Craig, John the Baptist
New!
Books on Related Topics | Concordance | Text Stats
Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
Search Inside This Book:
Citations (learn more)
This book cites 100 books:
See all 100 books this book cites
 
90 books cite this book:
See all 90 books citing this book

Books on Related Topics (learn more)
 
 

What Do Customers Ultimately Buy After Viewing This Item?

The Case for Christ: A Journalist's Personal Investigation of the Evidence for Jesus
91% buy the item featured on this page:
The Case for Christ: A Journalist's Personal Investigation of the Evidence for Jesus by Lee Strobel Paperback 3.7 out of 5 stars (714)
$10.19
The Case for Christ: A Journalist's Personal Investigation of the Evidence for Jesus (Student Edition)
2% buy
The Case for Christ: A Journalist's Personal Investigation of the Evidence for Jesus (Student Edition) by Lee Strobel Paperback 3.9 out of 5 stars (21)
$9.99
The Case for Christ: A Journalist's Personal Investigation of the Evidence for Jesus (6 Pack)
2% buy
The Case for Christ: A Journalist's Personal Investigation of the Evidence for Jesus (6 Pack) by Lee Strobel Mass Market Paperback 4.2 out of 5 stars (32)
$23.72
The Case for Faith: A Journalist Investigates the Toughest Objections to Christianity
2% buy
The Case for Faith: A Journalist Investigates the Toughest Objections to Christianity by Lee Strobel Paperback 3.6 out of 5 stars (243)
$10.19
› Explore similar items

Tags Customers Associate with This Product

 (What's this?)
Click on a tag to find related items, discussions, and people.
 
(151)
(75)
(53)
(46)
(40)
(38)
(22)
(17)
(8)
(6)
Agree with these tags?
See all 91 tags...

Your tags: Add your first tag
 
See most popular tags
 

Customer Reviews

714 Reviews
5 star:
 (348)
4 star:
 (112)
3 star:
 (71)
2 star:
 (74)
1 star:
 (109)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
3.7 out of 5 stars (714 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
Share your thoughts with other customers:
Most Helpful Customer Reviews

 
184 of 198 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars One piece of the God puzzle, March 20, 2006
This review is from: The Case for Christ: A Journalist's Personal Investigation of the Evidence for Jesus (Paperback)
This book offers a "Cliff Notes" like approach in that it condenses the work of many leading Christian scholars into an easy to read format. It is a case FOR Christ, not a true courtroom "hear both sides of the issue" book.

Some other reviewers disliked the lack of 2-sided arguments (there are no interviews w/leading atheists and/or Jesus Seminar thinkers). Being that the title is the case FOR Christ, I did not hold this expectation and was not bothered by this. However, as a staunch skeptic who was not raised with a Christian background, I supplied much of the case AGAINST Christ in my own head.

WHAT I LIKED: The book presents a good introduction of Christian scholarship and answers to common objections regarding the historicity of the Gospels--objections which already existed in my own mind. Suggestions for further reading (primary sources by the interview subjects) are included for those who desire a more thorough scholarly approach.

WHAT I DID NOT LIKE: I felt the "re-creation" of Strobel's own search was un-necessary and a bit contrived, as were the comments he interjected when he was interviewing his subjects. Perhaps that is a carry over from his journalism days. I would have prefered a more straightforward interview, but this matter of taste is small and overall I found the book worthwhile despite these stylistic objections.

HOW IT AFFECTED ME: I came to this book as a very skeptical, non-practicing agnostic Jew (who was raised w/a religious education), fresh from my reading CS Lewis' Mere Christianity (which I highly recommend). Book 1 of Lewis, with his logic/philosophy helped me see that the existence of God logically made sense, but I did not yet know *which* version of a monotheistic God was correct--the rest of his book didn't resonate for me on the first reading as it dealt specifically w/Christianity. Strobel's book answered my questions regarding history/fact as it related to the New Testament.

Was The Case for Christ "made" for me in this book? Partially, yes. And partially by Lewis too, which I reread after reading Strobel.

My ultimate conversion came through study of these and other sources, which led me to literally ask God to show himself to me in a way that I would be sure that it was indeed God. I mention this because I believe that for a stubborn skeptic like me, no single source (with the possible exception of the Bible, LOL) would have been able to convince me on its own. Rather, it was a combination of sources/experiences that did so. These included reading the above mentioned books, attending a few church services even while I was still very skeptical, opening myself to the possibility that I had been mistaken in my belief that God didn't matter (if there was even a God to begin with) and literally asking God to let me know him if He was indeed real.

Ultimately, the proof came in a manner that goes beyond scientific verifcation or re-creation. Critics of Christianity and of this and other apologetic works make a good point when they claim God cannot be proved scientifically. I agree. God is beyond science. Scientific or logical methods such as textural criticism, formal logic, archaeology, and so on, can help close the gap in accepting the possibility of God's realness, but ultimately, the gap, at least for me, was completely and finally bridged not by book or proof, but by an experience that cannot be tested scientifically nor recreated in a lab. Skeptics, atheists or agnostics who deep down are married to their viewpoints--no matter what--will likely not budge, and may label the non-testability of my "proof experience" as suspect. I don't begrudge that and would have said the same thing. It had to have it happen to me first-hand before I would believe, and I was able to keep God at bay for years due to my own certainty that this God-stuff was for dummies. I was smart and logical and would have none of that God nonsense. So, this experience came as a big surprise--one that in retrospect was very welcome.

Your mileage in reading this book will vary. If you want to learn something, you can. If you are dead set against learning anything new that might be different from what you already know that you know, it is almost guaranteed that this book will have nothing to offer you. I realize that God's allowing us to come to Him only through our own free will sounds like a cop out and is criticized by non-believers as an all too convenient excuse, but as a former non-believer myself (who was proud of it and who ridiculed that free will stuff too), I say, so be it.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews  
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No


 
71 of 79 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars OK book, but won't convince skeptics., July 21, 2006
By James M. Williams "jancer1" (Indianapolis, IN United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
This review is from: The Case for Christ: A Journalist's Personal Investigation of the Evidence for Jesus (Paperback)
I read this book a couple of years ago, when I considered myself a skeptic. Now, I consider myself a Christian. This book is not what convinced me.

If you read the reviews, they are very telling. All the Christians love the book, all the skeptics (whether they be atheist, agnostic, secular humanist, or whatever) hate the book. Everyone is biased; it is impossible not to be. People come into a situation with preconceived notions, and will believe what they want to believe, even when presented with facts that seemingly contradict their views.

Thus, Christians can read this book and come away from it with the view that it reaffirms their faith; skeptics come away from it with the view that it reaffirms their skepticism.

Trying to make the case for faith based on historical and scientific evidence is flawed in and of itself. That's why they call it FAITH. Believing in the divinity of Christ is a leap of faith that one has to take to become a Christian - if it could be proven by scientific and historical evidence, then it wouldn't be faith at all. That's the whole point of it.

I think examining evidence for the existence of the historical Jesus is fine, but when you throw in the key issue of divinity and the resurrection, that's where faith comes in.

The reason I believe in the divinity of Christ has to do with what I feel in my heart, and the major changes that came about in my life due to the change in spiritual perspective that occurred when I went from "skeptic" to "believer". It really is about a personal relationship with God. It has absolutely nothing to do with the church, which is a severely flawed creation organized by man, who has the innate ability to pervert and corrupt everything he is involved with. Likewise, personal faith has very little to do with historical and scientific evidence.

It's very similar to being in love - no one can prove that they're in love - likewise, you can't disprove it. You can't even prove or disprove the existence of love. But you feel it in your heart - you know when you're in love. That's what faith is to me, and to millions of other Christians the world over.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews  
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No


 
25 of 26 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars Exactly what the title says, and nothing more, February 26, 2010
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: The Case for Christ: A Journalist's Personal Investigation of the Evidence for Jesus (Paperback)
Strobel begins this book by asking the reader to be "as a jury member," open to possibility and free of predispositions. He then proceeds to present his arguments just as an attorney would; 1, he only presents information that supports his case, and 2, he never asks a question that he doesn't already know the answer to.

While this may appear to be a solid way of presenting an argument, it will only appeal to those who have already accepted Strobel's conclusions, or those who have never asked serious questions about their beliefs and explored what other sources have to say about the basis of faith.

The book follows a basic structure. In Part 1, Strobel attempts to establish a foundation for the story of Jesus by establishing the authenticity and reliability of the synoptic gospels. The is necessary because Parts 2 and 3 rely entirely on the story of Jesus as told in the synoptic gospels. Unfortunately, Strobel does not adequately secure his arguments in Part 1. This is because of two critical flaws in his methods. First, he introduces questions from skeptics, gets simple answers from his interviewees, but never seeks counter arguments from someone with an opposing viewpoint. Secondly, he automatically accepts any answer he gets, regardless of the amount of subjective interpretation or presupposition it requires.

Here is the simple example of Strobel's "investigate reporting" skills that appear frequently in the book.
Strobel: "I understand what you're saying, but what about 1, 2, and 3?"
Interviewee: "Oh well that's not really an issue when you consider 1, 2, and 3 in the context of A, B, and C."
Strobel: "Ok, well that makes sense."

No counterargument. No challenge. Just a string of simple strawmen that won't impress anyone who has seen that actual counterarguments to these positions.

The book is exactly what the title says it is, "The Case for Christ"... emphasis on the word "for." The only reader that will enjoy this book is probably a christian who has mild questions about their own faith and is seeking some kind of affirmation or reinforcement of their own beliefs.

If you have serious questions and want objective answers, believer or not, look elsewhere.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews  
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No

Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
 
 
 
Most Recent Customer Reviews

1.0 out of 5 stars Watered down formula = recipe for malnutrition
I am a believer in Christ, his resurrection and his atonement for the sins of all. This book is aimed at babes and doubters but it takes Paul's milk versus meat admonition too... Read more
Published 14 hours ago by C. Slack

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent
This book is excellent. It puts a lot of evidence into perspective about the case for Jesus. He is Risen!
Published 12 days ago by Amy Jacobson

5.0 out of 5 stars Strong Influence on my faith
I have always been a believer of God but this book put a solid foundation under my feet. I originally read it in order to have an "answer" for my son's questions and was... Read more
Published 12 days ago by Nancy M. Mccarthy

5.0 out of 5 stars Love this book!
The evidence presented is compelling. Excellent book for those who just want the facts.
Published 24 days ago by S. Catfish

1.0 out of 5 stars Case for what?
History and science never provided proof that Christ even existed and I see people arguing here whether he resurrected!? Read more
Published 1 month ago by Filip

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent!
No book susbstitutes for the Bible itself in making the ultimate "Case for Christ," but still, Lee Strobel's book is excellent in every way. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Richard Harris

2.0 out of 5 stars The Case for Christ gets thrown out of court due to lack of evidence
Contrary to what some reviewers have said, I actually don't mind the fact that the author only presents a one-sided argument to defend his views. Read more
Published 1 month ago by J. Cournoyer

4.0 out of 5 stars For Chrsitians and Non-Christians, A Good Read, BUT.......
In writing my own book about Jesus, I asked from the very beginning, `Who is this man who claims he talked with God directly? Am I wasting my time following a madman? Read more
Published 1 month ago by Suzanne Olsson

5.0 out of 5 stars A Must Read!
This book, A Case for Christ, is a must read for anyone interested in apologetics! Order now!
Published 2 months ago by Everette Anderson

1.0 out of 5 stars not as advertised
I ordered 2 copies of this used book from different vendors, as neither had 2 in stock. Both were rated as above average. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Sandra

Only search this product's reviews


Customer Discussions

This product's forum
Discussion Replies Latest Post
Strobels' book is weak apologetics 6 2 months ago
Case for a Creator 1 February 2010
Another Great Small Book On Amazon is V'da Mah Shetashiv! 0 November 2006
› See all 3 discussions...  
Start a new discussion
Topic:
First post:
Prompts for sign-in
 


Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
   


Look for Similar Items by Category

Look for Similar Items by Subject

Search Books by subject:





















i.e., each book must be in subject 1 AND subject 2 AND ...
 

Feedback

If you need help or have a question for Customer Service, contact us.
 Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
Is there any other feedback you would like to provide?

Your comments can help make our site better for everyone.


Your Recent History

 (What's this?)

After viewing product detail pages or search results, look here to find an easy way to navigate back to pages you are interested in.