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Oct 30, 2023

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1. What stood out to you from reading Case for Christ? What stood out to me the most from Case for Christ was the combination of using both experts’ opinions, yet also sometimes Bible verses: looking at the Bible from a historical perspective instead of a religious one. This is something that makes it even more apparent, that even with no faith in Christ, somebody could come to see the truth behind Jesus’ story. Another thing which stood out to me was the information which the book uncovers. I have always had faith in God, yet I was very unaware of how many eyewitnesses there were for the resurrection; how many manuscripts there are that all confirm each other; and how small the church was until the resurrection, after which the Christian church rapidly expanded throughout the Middle East and Europe. (Strobel, 1998) All of this info I feel would be great to support the idea of Christianity in the face of modern-day skepticism. I also found the use of other historians who mentioned Jesus very interesting. I had never heard of Josephus, Tacitus, or Pliny the Younger until I read Case for Christ. (Strobel, 1998) It’s interesting the way the rest of history, outside of the Bible, sees the story and development of Christianity throughout the New Testament period. Overall, the book was a very interesting read, and I would highly recommend it. 2. Did you read anything that is challenging you, or that isn't sitting comfortably with you? Explain. One thing doesn’t sit comfortably with me, not because I believe it is wrong or false, but because it makes it clear how absolutely horrible the death of Jesus was, is the way that The Case for Christ exposes the honest nature of Jesus’ death. Because of a want to shelter children, and ourselves, from the horrible reality of Jesus persecution we have “dumbed down” the death of Jesus and made it more palatable. In The Case for Christ, the horrible nature of His death is laid bare, and explained using science and specifics which I had never heard before. Whether it be the brutal nature of a Roman flogging which I won’t describe here, the excruciating pain which having spikes driven through your wrists and feet would cause, or the slow final

blow which asphyxiation would cause once He was finally left to die on the cross. (Strobel, 1998) This left me feeling both nauseous and ashamed. The level of pain which Jesus endured, which I never understood until now, was so brutal and horrible that it truly makes the sacrifice that Jesus made feel so much more real, and no longer like some sort of story that we recount every Easter. So, while this did make me uncomfortable, it was an eye- opener which I absolutely needed. 3. What pushback do you have for any of the arguments presented by Lee Strobel? I don’t really have any pushback for any of the arguments presented by Lee Strobel. I feel like between his great writing and ability to discern because of his career as a journalist and a lawyer; and the excellent experts which he chose to interview and discuss the Gospel with; Lee Strobel is far more qualified than I ever will be. (Strobel, 1998) Also, ignoring his qualifications, he also never makes any points which I disagree with. I confidently agree with “The Case for Christ.” So, Lee Strobel can sleep soundly knowing that Lane Miles approves of his writing. 4. What tensions exist within your own faith, what are you still working out? How do you sit in this tension and your faith at the same time? The only tension that I can think of that exists between me and my faith is my understanding of the idea of marriage. I understand the purpose of marriage, and the laws that God puts forth about relations between a man and a woman (I get it, no purpling). It is more so the idea of “How much of my fate when it comes to marriage is determined by my actions and who I choose to pursue, and how much of it is determined by God, and thus out of my control?” It’s hard to tell if a certain relationship is just meant to be a friendship, or to be developed into something more. The Bible talks a lot about the importance of marriage, and how one should follow the ideals of Christ when pursuing a wife. It is simply hard to implement these ideas, and to know if a relationship is meant for me to pursue or not. I’d rather God

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