"The Case for Christ" by Lee Strobl

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For all atheists and agnostics: Give me your refutations for the arguments in this book. This is my challenge.

The book is The Case for Christ by Lee Strobl.

The very arguments in this book are the ones that converted me from an agnostic to a Christian, I could neither think of nor find a reasonable refutation to the arguments presented. Maybe you can help me.

I am also interested in what any Catholics who have read the book might point out. Have you noticed anything in the book that contradicts Church teaching? It was written by a Protestant, after all. If you can find it, can you refute it?
 
I am a Catholic and I have the book. A while since I read it. Interesting challenge, though I must say, off the top, I was quite impressed with the book as well. At the time I read it I wasn’t really looking for doctrinal divergence from the Catholic Church. I’ll go back and have a look and see if I can find something to respond to your challenge.😃
 
Lee has three books out now that begin with:
The Case for…

Ladies and Gents, any book will contain “anti-this or anti-that” if one is looking for anti-matter.
*

Please keep in mind that Lee Strobel wrote his “The Case for…” books to back up Christ, Faith and whatever else.

He didn’t write the books to slap either a Rite or Denomination upside the head.

Roland
AmbassadorMan*
 
I have “The Case for Faith.” Good book; I never knew there was a third one. The chapters about the Old Testament were particularly good, although there may be more legitimate diversity of historical conclusions about that time than Strobel reveals.

There needs to be more apologetics geared towards atheists and agnostics; the paucity of such material, and the superabundance of anti-Protestant apologetics, is unfortunate. Not that evangelizing Protestants is a bad thing.
 
ya, i read it awhile back, too. it struck me as being pretty much ‘mere’ in its approach to christianity - didn’t see anything antithetical to the roman position in it.
 
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heliumspark:
The very arguments in this book are the ones that converted me from an agnostic to a Christian, I could neither think of nor find a reasonable refutation to the arguments presented. Maybe you can help me.
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After I denied the existence of God for about five years, that was after a Christian upbringing, a friend gave me a copy of the book the day before he got transfered to Dubai. After reading it, I decided I had to start considering Christianity seriously again. I owe a debt of gratitued to both my friend and Lee Stroble.
 
I picked up that book at the evangelical chuch I went to a discussion of The Movie. Because it came from a Protestant source it wsn’t at the top of my reading list. I’m now persueded I need to carve out time to read it. Thanks.
 
Yes, I read The Case for Christ and was quite persuaded by it - at the time I was unsure that Christianity was the truth but this book clinched it for me. Hardcore atheists will always find something to criticize about with any topic in Christian apologetics so don’t be discouraged by their attacks - I’d be surprised if they didn’t have a rebuttal against the book. Strobel has a new book out that I saw in the bookstore entitled, The Case for God. Can anyone give feedback on this new book? Is it as persuasive as his others?
 
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Riley259:
Yes, I read The Case for Christ and was quite persuaded by it - at the time I was unsure that Christianity was the truth but this book clinched it for me. Hardcore atheists will always find something to criticize about with any topic in Christian apologetics so don’t be discouraged by their attacks - I’d be surprised if they didn’t have a rebuttal against the book. Strobel has a new book out that I saw in the bookstore entitled, The Case for God. Can anyone give feedback on this new book? Is it as persuasive as his others?
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Started with the junior editions of A Case for Faith, then the adult version A Case for Christ, but not yet at A Case for God.

The only thing my 16 year old son and I noticed about the junior edition of A Case for Faith was the chapter about salvation. It definitely took the Protestant tone about it being available only through Christ and it refuted God being part of other faiths out there, something the Catechism clearly says takes place. Other than that it was right on point.

Liked the junior edition so much we bought the adult editions of “Faith” and “Christ”. Son is working on Faith, I’m working on Christ. I really enjoy the layout - his approach - as if we are a jury and he is a lawyer. I haven’t asked my son about Faith yet.
 
I have read his first two books and I can’t remember anything 'anti-Catholic in them. He is definitely a Protestant though…

I do know Stroble endorsed The Passion of the Christ if that tells you anything.

dream wanderer
 
One of the first books I read when traveling out of my dark hole of atheism was “The Case for Christ”.

No “Warm and Fuzzy” with this book,(thank God) Lee Strobl asked tough, thought provoking questions, and received equally tough and thought provoking answers. :rolleyes:

the only confusing part of this book was though, with all of Mr. Strobl’s investigations, why did he not choose the WHOLE truth of the Catholic faith?
 
If you’re looking for a “counterpoint” to this book, as well as Strobel’s other book “Case for Faith”, I’d recommend checking out www.infidels.org.

I’m a cradle Catholic and don’t buy into the slant of that website, but I’m also underwhelmed by the “strength” of Strobel’s “case”.

My problem with Strobel, as well as Hank Hannegraaf (and has anyone heard the BAM shows where they just stroke each other, ugh!) is that they pretend Christianity, or Theism in general, can be deduced inexorably by pure logical. My fear is that when someone who’s been persuaded by this approach runs up against the types of challenges at infidels, their entire faith structure will crumble.

From my perspective, if the evidence for “faith” or “Christ” were as clear as Strobel would have us believe, Jesus would have never told Thomas “Blessed are those who do not see, and yet believe.”
 
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YinYangMom:
The only thing my 16 year old son and I noticed about the junior edition of A Case for Faith was the chapter about salvation. It definitely took the Protestant tone about it being available only through Christ and it refuted God being part of other faiths out there, something the Catechism clearly says takes place. Other than that it was right on point.

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This is a wonderful book. Salvation is only through Jesus Christ. This is Catholic teaching also.

The Church teaches that salvation is possible (still through Christ) for others who may be completely ignorant or improperly taught regarding Jesus, but not if they know the proper teachings regarding Jesus and then choose to reject Him and follow some other faith.
 
I am a Catholic and my fundamentalist dad recommended “Case for Christ”. At first, I did it just as a friendly, inter-faith laison sort of thing, but then I really got into the book. I think it has basic knowledge that anyone claiming to be Christian should know for apolegetics sake arranged in a somewhat simple, straight-forward manner. I have used specific evidence from the book at least once in convincing someone that the “telephone theory” about how the Bible was written is an inaccurate analogy, and I have used general knowledge from it in various other discussions. I am currently reading The Da Vinci Hoax by Carl E. Olson and Sandra Meisel, a book that makes no pretenses about being anything other than Catholic. Thus far, I have seen Stroble’s book referenced to twice in footnotes.
 
I suggest you try reading some authors who are true authorities in historical-critical biblical scholarship in addition to someone like Strobl who, though he frequently reminds you that he used to be a hard-nosed, skeptical journalist, leaves out comments and interviews and knowledge from everyone whose viewpoint he opposes. Pat
 
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patg:
I suggest you try reading some authors who are true authorities in historical-critical biblical scholarship in addition to someone like Strobl who, though he frequently reminds you that he used to be a hard-nosed, skeptical journalist, leaves out comments and interviews and knowledge from everyone whose viewpoint he opposes. Pat
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Like who? Please make some recommendations!😃
 
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Esquire:
If you’re looking for a “counterpoint” to this book, as well as Strobel’s other book “Case for Faith”, I’d recommend checking out www.infidels.org
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Outstanding! Just what I was looking for!

For the record, my original conversion to Christianity was facilitated by a similar book, More Than a Carpenter, by Josh MacDowell. My faith has not crumbled after reading the infidels.org rebuttal, for the record, although I have realized for some time that Christianity requires more than intellectual assent.

I also see how there must be far superior Christian apologetics available, and would love some recommendations. And if there are rebuttals to those as well, which there must be, I am also very interested in any recommendations.
 
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heliumspark:
I also see how there must be far superior Christian apologetics available, and would love some recommendations. And if there are rebuttals to those as well, which there must be, I am also very interested in any recommendations.
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I’d recommend The Handbook of Christian Apologetics by Kreeft and Tacelli. It is very comprehensive and non-sectarian.
 
It was first suggested that I read these books by people who believed (from TV and radio appearances), that the author was a Yale law grad, a status that was supposed to grant authority, I guess. :rolleyes: He isn’t, of course, and I had the, perhaps unfair, impression that some people were induced to buy books under false pretenses. Maybe I’m wrong, as I say.

As to the books: I surely agree with the poster who said he was “underwhelmed.” The conversations Stroble describes seem to have been “set ups.” (Disclosure!: I must confess I always found Socrates’ conversations to be “set ups” also, so make of this what you will.) I found all sorts of gaps, and “But, how abouts?” It was all just too easy. I say this as a cradle Catholic and total believer.

Conversely, although I enjoy reading some of Peter Kreeft’s things, I think he is much too heavy for the would-be Christian of Stroble’s usual audience. I have the Kreeft-Tacelli book, and it would not be fair to compare it with Stroble. So, maybe it’s Stroble for some who prefer a folksy, not-too-demanding dialogue and Kreeft for others.

Would I recommend Stroble to anyone I know? :hmmm: No.

God Bless,

Anna
 
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Fidelis:
I’d recommend The Handbook of Christian Apologetics by Kreeft and Tacelli. It is very comprehensive and non-sectarian.
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I’ve not read that one yet (my reading list is quite long). I would recommend Orthodoxy by G.K. Chesterton. I guess you would call it a religious autobiography/pilgrimmage of faith. It’s apologetics on a personal level (and Chesterton is such a delight to read). I’ve heard C.S. Lewis’ Mere Christianity is in the same vein and is highly recommended (yet another on my reading list).

As an aside, for those of you more familiar with Lewis, I’ve heard Chesterton was somewhat of a spiritual father to him. Is this meant in the manner of Lewis being influenced/inspired/enlightened by Chesterton’s work, or was there a personal connection?
 
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