Lee Strobel's "The Case for Christ"

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Anyone hear any reviews about this book? Looking for something to give to my Godchild who is 25 and really may be heading toward agnosticism.
 
I have read the book and would strongly reccommend you pass it along to your Godchild, especially if he/she is headed toward agnosticism. Strobel actually began his faith journey as an atheist. The book is an excellent choice for those who are ostensibly seeking “proof” of Christ’s divinity. “The Case for Christ” may actually start him/her on their way toward a life of faith. Worst case scenario it will at least provide you an avenue for discussion with your Godchild!👍
“To call God my Father and to know myself his child, that is heaven to me.” ~St. Therese of Lisieux*
 
I am almost finished reading “Mere Christianity” by CS Lewis and I think this would be an outstanding book for someone who does not, or may not have faith in Jesus Christ. It take s a very logical approach to our lives and why Christ must be who He is and offer what He does.
 
JP2phile said:
I have read the book and would strongly reccommend you pass it along to your Godchild, especially if he/she is headed toward agnosticism. Strobel actually began his faith journey as an atheist. The book is an excellent choice for those who are ostensibly seeking “proof” of Christ’s divinity. “The Case for Christ” may actually start him/her on their way toward a life of faith. Worst case scenario it will at least provide you an avenue for discussion with your Godchild!👍
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Second this. I read the book for a presentation for youth group, and have pulled it out OFTEN since.

Get it, read it, send it with a note that says how interesting you found the book - then follow it with “Mere Christianity” by CS Lewis.
 
**The Case for Christ **- I LOVE that book. I think it is an excellent book for your Godchild.

I do hope it turns him around. I will pray for him.
 
**I read the book too during my journey towards Catholicism. The only fault I could find with it is that the author doesn’t follow the trail ALL the way to Catholicism. It baffles me that someone could realize all of those points but not see that Catholicism is the one true faith.:confused: **
malia
 
my son’s godmother sent him the youth version when he was struggling about getting confirmed

he read it in one sitting, liked it so much that he went to the bookstore to by the adult version.

that one was a bit meatier to read, but by then he was wanting the more indepth answers so it helped a lot.

He did get confirmed and is very active in the Youth Group at our church.
 
awalt said:
I am almost finished reading “Mere Christianity” by CS Lewis and I think this would be an outstanding book for someone who does not, or may not have faith in Jesus Christ. It take s a very logical approach to our lives and why Christ must be who He is and offer what He does.
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I think Mere Christianity is a much better book for an agnostic. And personally, I thought The Case for Christ was rather poor.
 
I think it is a fantastic book- has anyone read his other books ‘The Case for Faith’ & ‘The Case for a Creator’? I’m just about to finish The Case for Christ and want to carry on. I will try and pick up Mere Christianity now too.
 
I have read “The Case For Christ” and I thought it was entertaining and pretty good, but…

Most of the experts that were interviewed were Protestant. Catholics were also interviewed, but they were sometimes not clearly identified as Catholics (or they were identified as Catholics in one chapter but not in another). So there is a tendency toward denominational indifference.

Also, I did see some Protestant bias slip in here and there (e.g., Metzger on the development of the Bible). It was enough to make me have second thoughts about giving it to my teen son. It would be okay as a discussion vehicle, but only if you were very knowledgeable about Protestant argumentation.
 
I think it’s a little too Protestant. If I remember correctly it often referred to James as being the brother of Jesus and I found that pretty annoying and probably really confusing for someone who’s already confused enough.
 
Appreciate all you insight, but is it a “Catholic” book? I really don’t think I want to lead him toward a protestant religion. I need something leading him toward a concrete Catholic faith with no doubts, so maybe I should check out Mere Christianity.
 
bjj said:
Appreciate all you insight, but is it a “Catholic” book? I really don’t think I want to lead him toward a protestant religion. I need something leading him toward a concrete Catholic faith with no doubts, so maybe I should check out Mere Christianity.
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Mere Christianity is not a Catholic book either. It was written by a Protestant.

A case for Christ is not Catholic, but it’s not anti-Catholic. It uses historical and natural law arguments to help along a faith that is doubtful.

Get Case for Christ and follow it up with any Peter Kreeft book.
 
bjj said:
Appreciate all you insight, but is it a “Catholic” book? I really don’t think I want to lead him toward a protestant religion. I need something leading him toward a concrete Catholic faith with no doubts, so maybe I should check out Mere Christianity.
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Mere Christianity was written by an Anglican, but he writes very well about faith overall and Catholicism. You can’t go wrong with his books.

The Case for Christ, because it wasn’t written by a Catholic author, was the right book for my son at the time since he already knew the Catholic way but was beginning to question whether or not it was the REAL way. Had I given him anything written by Catholics he would have rejected it outright as propaganda.

He was at that point where he was questioning why Catholic was THE faith and not buddism, or islam, or any other. To have the protestant state the case for Christ’s existence and thus belief in Him in a legalistic manner helped affim what we had already taught him.

That answered the “why not buddism, athiesm, agnosticism, etc.” plus it kindled a desire to learn more about Catholicism after sensing the author’s conviction and enthusiasm for Christ.

Yes, there are a few sections (perhaps 5 paragraphs throughout the entire book) which are obviously a Protestant view of Christ but I found in interesting how starkly obvious they appeared to me, and my son…and re-reading the passages we could see the weakness in thier position where they were missing the boat by taking that view. I think this is where the interest to get the ‘real’ story from a Catholic perspective came for my son. But he really appreciated the format of the book and the evidence presented.
 
Just a thought, but if they are considering agnosticism, then arguing Christianity might be putting the cart before the horse as it were. I think making the intellectual leap to Christianity is relatively easy once one has accepted the notion of a Creator upon whom we are existentially dependent. At least it is easier than it would be if you start from a position of not believing in God. Therefore, personally I would probably concentrate on works that try to show the necessity of a first cause. Personally I always found the First Argument to be persuasive, especially as long as Big Cosmology reigns supreme.

–
Bill
 
Titus said:
I think it is a fantastic book- has anyone read his other books ‘The Case for Faith’ & ‘The Case for a Creator’? I’m just about to finish The Case for Christ and want to carry on. I will try and pick up Mere Christianity now too.
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I have read Case for Faith, it really helped answer some hard questions, but again not from a Catholic point of view per se. I have Case for a Creator but haven’t read it yet, to busy with babies, work, school…But I enjoyed Case for Faith, it put hard things in a different perspective for me.

I did give CfC and CfF to my husband’s boss who is borderline agnostic…he and I have had a few really deep discussions and in order to reach him without having to constantly defend the Catholic Faith (in other words, he’d veer off topic and head towards the “man made” traditions of organized religion), I gave him books that directed the topic back to Jesus Christ and the sacrifice of the cross and the mercy and goodness of God.

I think what these books do is open a door of discussion for people who are struggling with belief in God. Perhaps more questions will be raised by those having a hard time with faith and you can answer them from the Catholic perspective. Where Case for Christ falls short, the Catholic Church fulfills. Familiarize yourself with what the Stroble books say and get The Catechism of the Catholic Church for $6.99 in paperback (if you don’t have one already) to prepare to answer more fully the questions that may be asked.

My protestant friend and I would go back and forth about “differences” in faiths and I’d show him how the Catholics go one step farther in explaining Christ more fully so we can have a closer relationship with him.
 
I have found that Lee Strobel’s books are easy reading and great for reaching people at any level. I don’t think his Protestant slant is predominant in his presentations and therefore are not “dangerous” to the Catholic who knows even the basics about their faith but are possibly being influenced into questioning the existance of God in general or in Christ as Son of God and Savior.

C.S. Lewis is a more challenging read, in that his style is written in mid-century English as opposed to late century American, a real difference, so giving this book to someone who is struggling with their faith may not be helpful depending upon the receiver’s reading habits.

If in question, definitely start with Strobel and then proceed to Lewis to close the deal! 😉
 
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