A Journalist Investigates Cuttent Attacks on the Identity of Christ

Paperback: 311 pages
Publisher: Zondervan (2007)
Language: English
ISBN: 978-0-310-24061-7
Product Dimensions: 8.0 x 5.25 x 0.75 inches

Lee Strobel, with a journalism degree from the University of Missouri and a Master of Studies in Law degree from Yale Law School, was the award-winning legal editor of the Chicago Tribune and a spiritual skeptic until 1981. His wife became a Christian and Lee was antagonistic to her beliefs.

But deciding to be fair and objective, as much as he could from his bias towards atheism, he decided to sift through and weigh up the evidence for the Christian claims about Jesus. After all, a fair trial of the available evidence was a sound legal move and one by which he, as a legal journalist, should surely grant the claims made concerning the one called Christ. Setting out to interview the most highly regarded scholars of Christianity, he was staggered by what he discovered.

As a result, given the veracity of the evidence, he too became a Christian. Lee has since published the results of those interviews so that others may also consider the evidence, and in their role as jurors of one, decide the outcome of the “Case” he presents.

This latest “Case” book considers further the truth about Jesus. From the back cover of this book comes the following summary:

Today, the traditional picture of Jesus is under intellectual onslaught from critical scholare, popular historians, TV documentaries, Hollywood movies, bestselling authors, Internet bloggers, Muslim debaters, and aetheist think tanks. They’re capturing the public’s imagination with a radical new portrait of Jesus that bears scant resemblance to the picture historically embraced by the church.

How persuasive is this new image of jesus? Is it based on well-supported facts and arguments - or does it fade away when exposed to the hot light of scrutiny?

In this dramatic investigation, award-winning writer and former legal editor Lee Strobel explores such controversial questions as:

* Did Christianity suppress “alternative gospels” that portray Jesus more accurately than the New Testament?
* Did the church distort the truth about Jesus by tampering with the early Biblical texts?
* Have fresh insights and explanations finally disproved the resurrection?
* Were the essential beliefs about Jesus stolen from earlier mythology?
* Have new objections disqualified Jesus from being the Messiah?

Evaluate the evidence for yourself as leading experts grapple with the latest objections from today’s foremost critics. Then reach your own verdict in The Case for the Real Jesus.

This book is very timely. Even in Christian circles there is a movement away from the traditional understandings of God, how Scripture should be regarded, and the nature of Jesus. This movement is fuelled by philosophies since the Enlightenment, the liberal theologies derived from them, and heat-set by elements of today’s post-modernism. Liberalism in the mainstream Christian churches is tearing into the Christian faith, modernizing doctrine towards more fashionable cultural trends in the effort to attract more adherents but actually achieving the opposite instead. Unbelief is what this is about. Doubts are raised, and the truth is watered down to make it more acceptable to the modern thinker - except doing so also makes it no longer truth at all.

So… just who exactly is Jesus? Could He really be “God Incarnate”, or is that just a myth disproven by today’s more sophisticated knowledge and sensibilities? If you are to be fair and objective, then give Him a fair trial by examining the evidence for yourself. Lee Strobel brings it to you in all his “Case” books (several of which you will find reviewed right here) and you, the lone juror, must decide one way or the other for yourself.

The Dawning of a New Dark Age: a collection of essays on Islam ~ by Mark Alexander

Mark’s format, a collection of essays, makes this an extremely readable text that can be picked up and put down as opportunity allows, giving ‘thinking time’ between reads in order to fully process the knowledge and insights imparted here.

Still too much is misunderstood about this aggressively invasive ideology which threatens to overwhelm and subvert our Western civilization. Since Islam seeks to progress an agenda of world-wide domination and universal submission of all to Allah, by the sword if necessary, we most certainly need to understand far more about it.

Mark knows Islam intimately, and his writing is both perceptive and authoritative. He clearly outlines the dangers posed by Islam, describing the process of ‘Islamicization’ that is already happening, supporting his concerns with references (in context) to the Qur’an and to history, identifying the factors in our own civilzation that fosters erosion of our Judeo-Christian heritage and invites the incursion of Islam, and suggesting means by which this could be stopped and reversed. There is a great deal of information packed between the covers of this book and much food for serious thought. To some it will be a horror story, but as frightening as the subject may be, we are wise to have our eyes opened in order to recognize what is happening hopefully in time to help stop the situation from worsening. It may already be too late unless radical measures are put in place, but we all need to know and properly understand the real threat in order that something effective can be done about it.

This is an absolute ‘must read’ for anyone who wishes to know the truth rather than be lulled into complacency by the ‘taqiyya’ (holy hypocrisy) of the Islamic clerics and apologists. If you have never read anything on this subject before, this is a good place to start. Likewise, it is also an essential read for those who do know the subject, the author becoming increasingly well known for his contributions to major websites devoted to the education of the web-savvy general population interested in knowing more about Islam.

I have become well-read on this subject myself, and can testify that the author writes in accord with all else that I have read by other authors with impeccable and relevant credentials. I can recommend Mark’s book to all who wish to be properly informed on this subject and, as the author puts it so well, the ‘dawning of a new dark age’ under Islam.

Alexander, Mark. The Dawning of a New Dark Age: a collection of essays on Islam.
Bloomington, Indiana, USA. 2003

ISBN: 1-4107-9038-X (e-book)
ISBN: 1-4017-9037-1 (Paperback)
ISBN: 1-4140-3021-5 (Dust Jacket)
Library of Congress Control Number: 2003297102

Mark Alexander is a graduate of London University. He has an honors degree in economics. Further, he has a Post-Graduate Certificate in Education with Distinction. As well as his native language, English, he speaks German fluently, reads French, and has a sound knowledge of Arabic. Over the years, articles of his have appeared on education, languages, and economics in British newspapers such as The Independent, The Times, and The Sunday Times. His international travel has widely influenced his world perspective.

While living and working in the Middle East for many years, Mark's uncommonly perceptive observations and keen insights led him to predict the Islamic quest for domination which is only now being played out on the world stage.

Mark Alexander is a Western author deeply concerned about the future of Western civilization. In The Dawning of a New Dark Age, Mark has written powerfully about the rise of Islam in the West, and the dangers that lie ahead as a result.

Mark is uncommonly articulate, insightful, and perspicacious. These qualities are particularly evident in his understanding of the Islamic worldview and the intentions of Muslims vis-à-vis the West. You will surely find his message both riveting and shocking!

Visit Mark’s blog for up-to-date comment on these issues: A New Dark Age is Dawning

A journalist investigates scientific evidence that points toward God.

Softcover: 427 pages
Publisher: Zondervan Publishing Company (March, 2005)
Language: English
ISBN: 0310252946
Product Dimensions: 6.75 x 4.25 inches

From the back cover:

“My road to atheism was paved by science . . . But, ironically, so was my later journey to God.” - Lee Strobel.

During his academic years, Lee Strobel became convinced that God was outmoded, a belief that colored his ensuing career as an award-winning journalist at the Chicago Tribune. Science had made the idea of a Creator irrelevant - or so Strobel thought.
But today science is pointing in a different direction. In recent years, a diverse and impressive body of research has increasingly supported the conclusion that the universe was intelligently designed. At the same time, Darwinism has faltered in the face of concrete facts and hard reason.

Has science discovered God? At the very least, it’s giving faith an immense boost as new findings emerge about the incredible complexity of our universe. Join Strobel as he reexamines the theories that once led him away from God. Through his compelling and highly readable account, you’ll encounter the mind-stretching discoveries from cosmology, cellular biology, DNA research, astronomy, physics, and human consciousness that present astonishing evidence in The Case for a Creator.

Mass market edition available in packs of six.

Lee Strobel interviews some wellknown devout Christian Biblical scholars for the answers to questions that he puts to them. The contents of the book are divided into chapters with the following titles, the name of the interviewee in parenthesis:

1. Doubts about Darwinism (Jonathan Wells)
2. Where science meets faith (Stephen C. Meyer
3. The evidence of cosmology: beginning with a bang (William Lane Craig)
4. The evidence of physics: the cosmos on a razor’s edge (Robin Collins)
5. The evidence of astronomy: the privileged planet (Guillermo Gonzales & Jay Wesley Richards)
6. The evidence of biochemistry: the complexity of molecular machines (Michael J. Behe)
7. The evidence of biological information: the challenge of DNA and the origin of life (Stephen C. Meyer)
8. The evidence of consciousness: the enigma of the mind (J.P. Moreland)

Lee Strobel concludes with a chapter entitled The Cumulative Case for a Creator, and provides excellent notes and references for further exploration.

Again, another great book from Lee Strobel, one I have enjoyed reading and can recommend to provide answers to challenges aimed at the Christian faith.

A journalist investigates the toughest objections to Christianity.

Softcover: 409 pages
Publisher: Zondervan, Grand Rapids, Michigan (2000)
Language: English
ISBN: 0-310-23528-6
Product Dimensions: 6.75 x 4.25 inches

One reviewer who posted to Amazon.com had the following to say:

“If you have questions about your faith, then this is a good starting point for your investigation. There are other books that go into more detail on all the issues raised here, and you may want to purchase these as well for further study. But this is a very good starting point for answering those nagging doubts about your faith in Christianity and one’s faith in the person of Jesus.”

Lee Strobel, a former atheist and now devout Christian, has a Master of Studies in Law degree from Yale Law School and was the award winning legal editor of the Chicago Tribune. He brings his skills as a legal investigative journalist to the examination of evidence in support of the Christian faith, asking wellknown Christian Biblical scholars for their answers to some of the toughest questions asked of Christianity.

The following are the objections (questions) raised to which the book gives a rational and intelligent response:
1. Since evil and suffering exist, a loving God cannot.
2. Since miracles contradict science, they cannot be true.
3. Evolution explains life, so God isn’t needed.
4. God isn’t worthy of worship if He kills innocent children.
5. It’s offensive to claim Jesus is the only way to God.
6. A loving God would never torture people in hell.
7. Church history is littered with oppression and violence.
8. I still have doubts, so I can’t be a Christian.

Lee Strobel concludes with a chapter called The Power of Faith, and provides excellent notes and references for further study.

I wholeheartedly recommend this book as a worthwhile introduction to some of the most difficult questions that are raised to challenge the faith and beliefs of Christians. Also, the responses herein may well bring a seeker to faith in Christ.

An investigative legal affairs journalist probes the evidence for the divinity of Jesus.

Paperback: 304 pages
Publisher: Zondervan (September 1, 1998)
Language: English
ISBN: 0310209307
Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 5.6 x 0.8 inches

Lee Strobel, former legal editor at the Chicago Tribune and a former non-Christian skeptic, sets out in his book to “determine if there’s credible evidence that Jesus of Nazareth really is the Son of God.” He interviews 13 devout Christian Biblical scholars and puts to each of them basic questions concerning credible evidence that supports the divinity of Jesus. He continues to probe their answers to produce a compact and interesting summary of the apologia that exists to support the case for Christ.

One major criticism of his work is that no critics of Christianity are interviewed, and so no counter-arguments are explored except very briefly in the form of questions to develop the answer of his interviewee. The result therefore is hardly balanced reporting although he does produce a good case for one side of the debate, a case that cannot be dismissed without serious consideration.

All the same, as the publisher comments on the back page: “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?”

The questions asked (and the scholars who respond) are as follows:
1. Can the biographies of Jesus be trusted? (Dr Craig Blomberg)
2. Do the biographies of Jesus stand up to scrutiny? (Dr Craig Blomberg)
3. Were Jesus’ biographies reliably preserved for us? (Dr Bruce Metzger)
4. Is there credible evidence for Jesus outside His biographies? (Dr Edwin Yamauchi)
5. Does archaeology confirm or contradict Jesus’ biographies? (Dr John McRay)
6. Is the Jesus of history the same as the Jesus of faith? (Dr Gregory Boyd)
7. Was Jesus really convinced that He was the Son of God? (Dr Ben Witherington III)
8. Was Jesus crazy when He claimed to be the Son of God? (Dr Gary Collins)
9. Did Jesus fulfill the attributes of God? (Dr D. A. Carson)
10. Did Jesus - and Jesus alone - match the identity of the Messiah? (Louis Lapides, M.Div., Th.M.)
11. Was Jesus’ death a sham and His resurrection a hoax? (Dr Alexander Metherell)
12. Was Jesus’ body really absent from His tomb? (Dr William Craig Lane)
13. Was Jesus seen alive after His death on the cross? (Dr Gary Habermas)
14. Are there any supporting facts that point to the resurrection? ((Dr J. P. Moreland)

There is a summary conclusion that addreses the question: What does the evidence establish, and what does it mean today?
Strobel’s bibliographical recommendations at the end of each chapter seem to be generally excellent.

This is a worthwhile book for those seeking intelligent rational answers in support of Christian beliefs about Jesus.

I'm a bit of a C.S. Lewis fan and have read quite a few of his books.
One of them, which he said was very hard to write because he had to think from an awkward perspective, was his very popular "Screwtape Letters" .
In this book he had a senior devil, Screwtape, tutoring and encouraging his nephew, Wormwood, in the ways of guiding humans through a life of self-seeking misery to eternal damnation.

Another author has since followed the same idea but given it an interesting extra dimension.
Randy Alcorn, also a C.S. Lewis fan, has written "Lord Foulgrin's Letters" where he likewise has a senior devil, Lord Foulgrin, teaching and supervising an apprentice in the techniques for misguiding humans towards their own destruction.
Alcorn's other dimension is the inclusion (in alternate chapters) of a typical middle-class "family man" with ho-hum marriage, impending affair, miserable wayward kids, corporate job pressures, materialism and consumerism, and all the usual ordinary stuff of daily life.

Foulgrin has his work cut out for him when the man is befriended by a Christian who challenges some of the man's thinking and poses a different perspective. The battle for the soul ensues and the tricks and strategies expounded in Foulgrin's letters makes excellent teaching on spiritual matters.
Alcorn is as orthodox as Lewis, and I have now read many of his critics (both Christian and non-Christian) who will argue this way and that, but agree in unison that he is Scripturally accurate in everything that he writes.
Having already read Screwtape, I appreciated Foulgrin as well.

Why I mentioned this book was that the man in the story, having become a Christian despite all the efforts of Foulgrin and his apprentice, decides he must share the Gospel message with his dying father, a cynical and rather unpleasant person.
Just as he begins to do so, in walks the hospital chaplain who is of the type that has a watered-down faith such that he is completely insipid and useless, indeed dangerously worse. He says supposedly reassuring things about everyone going to heaven regardless, that "there is a little bit of Jesus in everyone" and other such weird euphemistic non-Christian notions.
Of course the father latches on to all this and uses it to stop hearing the truth, while the namby-pamby lukewarm minister smiles benignly and reassures everyone that God is love and that is all that matters. He makes Jesus into a complete non-issue, Foulgrin having the minister well under his thumb.

Since beginning to read the Bible more critically for myself in the last couple of years, I have discovered so much of that which I was taught was not always Scripturally accurate, and much that did have a significant bearing on things was simply left out.

A classic example is the standard "God is love" without the all important "God is righteous and holy" and what ramifications that has in combination, each one on the other.
I had decided it was completely unfair that God should hold us all responsible for what Adam and Eve once did – after all, we had not even been born! - and if he was also a just God, as is so often claimed, then that simply couldn't be so. He would naturally love us too much not to welcome us all into heaven, no matter what, let alone condemn us for something someone else did long before we were born.
It was C.S. Lewis and his exposition of moral guilt in another book "Mere Christianity" (together with some help from my friends) that suddenly made sense of it for me.
It should have been made to make sense way back in the very beginning, except that the unqualified "God is love" and "therefore everything will be fine regardless" message (which makes Jesus, his crucifixion and resurrection, largely irrelevant) was the one that I had been given instead.
That was certainly not the message of the Jesus in the Bible.
And as one of my friends pointed out, if you don't regard the message of that particular Jesus, then you can have any Jesus you care to imagine - but he just won't be the same one that this whole thing is about.

Oh, and wouldn't Screwtape and Foulgrin both be so pleased!

Read more:
Lord Foulgrin’s Letters
The Screwtape Letters