Confessions of a Recovering Pharisee

I just finished reading The Case for the Real Jesus by Lee Strobel that Zondervan asked me to review. Strobel was a former atheist who studied law at Yale and was the Legal editor of the Chicago Tribune. Then his wife became a follower of Jesus while attending Willowcreek Church in Chicago. (I’m sure someone will take a pot shot at Willowcreek and Bill Hybels) Strobel began watching how his wife changed and through that he became a Christ-follower and went on staff at Willowcreek and later Saddleback in Orange County, CA. (I’m sure another attack will come for that too) Anyway Strobel has has made a name for himself with these excellent “Case for…” series. I’ve read most of the including The Case for Christ, The Case for Easter, Case for Christmas and others.

This book was written to refute those claims that the church suppressed ancient non-biblical documents that give a more accurate picture of Jesus than the Gospels that are revered by Christians.

• He asks did the church distort the truth about Jesus by tampering with the early New Testament texts?
• Do new discoveries like the Gospel of Judas and Thomas tell us more about the “real” Jesus?
• Do some of these documents disprove the resurrection?
• Have some new discoveries proved that Jesus wasn’t really the messiah?
• Did Christianity “steal” its theology and stories form ancient mythology?
• Is it OK to believe that Jesus is just one way to heaven?

Strobel writes this book like a lawyer would make a case in court. Stobel does give both sides. He states what those who are trying to discredit the Bible are saying and then gives the Christian scholars a chance to refute. He also uses his journalistic skills to interview some of the best minds in the world to discover what the “real” Jesus was like. This is a fantastic book. It took me longer to read than many because it was like a textbook. You can’t skim through this book and really get the meaning. I recommend my friends Ask an Atheist, Francoise, and Geekwad to read this because I think you will be challenged to rethink your beliefs or lack there of.

[I edited my post to add that Strobel does give both sides]

I highly recommend The Case for the Real Jesus and give it 4.75 hockey sticks out of 5.

[BTW] Zondervan—see how much response I’m getting. You need to publish my book that I sent to you in July!