The Case for Christ by Lee Strobel

I am a Christian, but I haven't attended church in the last year or so. I am struggling with several aspects of Christianity, and I'm trying to find my way back to the kind of faith I had when I was younger. Though I've enjoyed listening to many of Dr. Timothy Keller's sermons, his book has left me feeling flat. So, I wasn't so sure about picking up this book, but it was only at $1 at the local library book sale. So, what do I have to lose? Right? 

To be honest, I have mixed feelings about this book. I think the outline of the book appeals to people such as me - scientific and data driven. However, I think Mr. Strobel has squandered an important opportunity by interviewing and sourcing those experts who were already Christians. To me, this book's credibility has been compromised because it seems to lack independent sources. 

I know. I might be confusing. Please, allow me to explain.

Mr. Strobel divides the book into different types of evidence. Here is the list of his evidences.

1. The Eyewitness Evidence
2. Testing the Eyewitness Evidence
3. The Documentary Evidence
4. The Corroborating Evidence
5. The Scientific Evidence
6. The Rebuttal Evidence
7. The Identity Evidence
8. The Psychologica Evidence
9. The Profile Evidence
10. The Fingerprint Evidence
11. The Medical Evidence
12. The Evidence of the Missing Body
13. The Evidence of Appearances
14. The Circumstantial Evidence

Of this list of evidences, I found the Corroborating Evidence the most convincing of them all precisely because it is drawn from sources outside of Christian origins. I also found the Eyewitness Evidence fairly strong as well. 

Of this list of evidences, I found the Scientific Evidence the weakest and most unreliable of them all precisely because he went to a Christian archaeologist who affirmed Mr. Strobel's Christian beliefs. As a Christian, I am actually angry that Mr. Strobel has taken the easy way out. Could he not find one archaeologist who wasn't a Christian who could have affirmed his findings? At least some possibilities of them? To me, this kind of evidence is tainted evidence. Therefore, a lot of Mr. Strobel's evidences (1 - 10, except for 1 and 4) seemed to have been tainted in the same way. I wish he could have found experts outside of Christianity to validate Christian possibilities.  It would have been enough for them to say - we can't rule out that possibility.

BUT this is not to say I wasn't convinced by them. I felt happy and heartened by these expert testimonies affirming what the Bible said happened, but had my faith been stronger, I wouldn't need a book such as this, right?

I fear I'm always going to be a struggling Christian precisely because it means so much to me. What value is my faith if I don't have to overcome any doubts or obstacles? The bottom line is, with its flaws and all, this book has strengthened my faith. So, I would recommend it to anyone who is struggling with Christianity and wants a more data-driven book about it. Or someone who is curious about Christianity. It might give you a good start.