Strobel does it again. If you are a person who has ever wondered about the reality and theology of miracles, this book is a must-read. Strobel offers a book that covers different perspectives, beginning with an interview of Michael Shermer, a sceptic who used to hold to Christian beliefs. The book covers the challenging topic of the absence of miracles in the chapter "When Miracles Don't Happen", which I found to be an important inclusion. I highly recommend this book to anyone who has questions about the topic of miracles and wants to learn more, whether you are a sceptic or believer, or somewhere in between.

Strobel has done it again! I'm a fan of the "Case For" series, from the kid additions to the ones for adults. This one doesn't disappoint. It's a readable book that holds your attention. It goes through a series of interviews and follows through with the truth that truly God is a God of miracles.

Any book by Lee Strobel is worth reading, and thus I lift this work up with high regard for the author and his other apologetic work. Where this one falls a bit short of the others is that there is so much thown at the reader at once. For instance, wherein his "Case for Christ" the reader enjoys a bit of the ride as a newshound uses his vocational detecting skills to slowly, piece by piece, unveil the reality surrounding Jesus and his miracles, this work does not fit that same pattern.

Instead the reader is slammed, like water coming from a fire-hose, with miracle story after miracle story. On the one hand, I love the fact that the author provides so many modern examples of miracles still happening around us. On the other hand, as I refer to above, the author's style, from previous books, is something I enjoy, and I found with that element gone, this work was poorer for it.

Still, as I say, any book by Strobel is worth reading, and this one is as well.

Really like Lee’s book. These can be read over and over. Can’t wait until the next one. They are great reference books.

Lee Strobel has a gift for presenting tough topics in an interesting and captivating format, as well as personalizing the people he interviews.

This is a great defense for Miracles, with the only exception being the part where Roger Olson is interviewed. The problem with that section is that it seems more like a gag than a serious interview, since Olson doesn't defend his position at all, but only negates his opponents' viewpoint without providing any reasoning. At some point Olson even strawmans the opposing viewpoint, which is just embarrassing. From my perspective, his part takes away from the strength of the rest of the book.

In the book The Case for Miracles, author Lee Strobel, takes us on a journey to discover if miracles are real. Strobel interviews unbelievers and believers about miracles. This is truly a wrestling book. Strobel does not shy away from the tough questions like: if God does work miracles why are so many not healed?
This is an excellent, well researched book as Strobel’s The Case series always are. This is a resource for Christians and those that are seeking answers! The interview with Douglas R. Groothuis, PhD, whose wife has a rare form of dementia, is worth buying the book. I would highly recommend this thought provoking book. I received a copy of this e-book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Is there such a thing as a miracle? If something cannot be proven by science, does that make it false? How do we make sense of miracles? Can we believe something that we cannot explain? After a successful foray into the publishing world with “The Case for Christ” where the author describes his journey from doubt to faith through investigative journalism, he has since written many books based on this investigative theme of “the case of.” Last year, his bestselling book was made into a movie which has been very well received. This book is important not only from a faith perspective but also from a skeptical outlook. While one could criticize the Christian faith for their beliefs in miracles and supernatural events, one needs to examine the reasons for rejecting any in the first place. More often than not, there are skeptics would would never believe regardless of the evidence presented. This book is thus written to Christians; to skeptics; and to everyone else in between.


Benjamin, who was utterly ill-prepared for his Chemistry exam, saw in his dreams the very chemistry problems the day before, which helped him aced the exam. He went on to become the first neurosurgeon to successfully operate on conjoint twins. Dr Roseveare, a visiting missionary in Africa, prayed for a water bottle in a life and death situation for a child and received an incredible answer to her prayer. Duane Miller lost his voice and resigned from his pastorate. As his life takes a turn for the worse, financially, physically, and emotionally, three years later, his “zero” chance of recovering his voice was abruptly overturned and his voice returned. Other stories include the miraculous survival from a brutal vehicle accident; healing in a British auditorium; conversion of a skeptic; a friend receiving an anonymous check; and many more. How can we explain all of these? Are they mere coincidences? These set the stage for Lee Strobel's project in investigative journalism on miracles. Written in five parts, the book is framed as follows:

Part 1 - The Case Against Miracles
Part 2 - The Case For Miracles
Part 3 - Science, Dreams, and Visions
Part 4 - The Most Spectacular Miracles
Part 5 - Difficulties with Miracles


In Part One, Strobel interviews Dr Michael Shermer, founder of the Skeptic magazine and a staunch atheist. The author selected him because he is a credible skeptic who does not mock religion or other views. Plus, he is able to present the best possible case against the possibility of miracles. Shermer has also gone from Christianity to atheism. His faith starts to unravel during his graduate studies in experimental psychology. Seeing faith a something more culturally bound than anything, he becomes disillusioned with religion. When his high school sweetheart was paralyzed due to a car accident, he lost his faith in the midst of difficult unanswered questions about life. For Shermer, the purpose must be self-driven. When studying miracles, one also needs to account for miracles that happened as well as those that didn’t. Shermer quotes David Hume’s philosophy often, insisting that miracles don’t exist because either there was a mistake somewhere or people made things up. How do we prevent “confirmation bias?” Stobel counters the skeptic with the question of faith. Surely, the definition of faith is a belief without insisting on evidence. The most interesting discussion is probably the one on Jesus where Strobel peppers Shermer with questions about the existence of Jesus and finally the resurrection of Jesus. Yet, it took a miraculous recovery of a radio that limited Shermer in his skepticism. Personal experiences cannot be fully explained with science. The good news is, hoping that God is right is still preferred.

Part Two is about the case FOR miracles. Here, Strobel interviews Craig Keener who tells of his conversion from skepticism to faith. Beginning with the miracles in Acts, he was forced to address whether they are false claims or true events. This led to a meticulous research project that involves multiple sources from many sides; travels to Africa to check up on supernatural healings; studies on Scripture and ancient documents; and an eventual admission that the facts support the miracles for Acts. They actually occurred. Just because one cannot explain a miracle does not give one the license to deny its existence when it happened. This led to the publishing of two-volumes of "Miracles" which scholars Ben Witherington III, Craig Evans, and others remarked that it is still the best book to be written about miracles. Strobel shares his questions and doubts he had from Shermer and asks for a second opinion. This he got from the wise and knowledgeable Keener, who notes that many believers who claim to be Christians live as if they are not. Keener is convinced that it is important to reply to skeptics, doubters, and those who had honest questions about the miracles of the Bible. We should also discern the category of people who would remain a permanent skeptic regardless of the evidence or facts before them. Gradually, Keener's thinking shifts away from the doubts of David Hume to faith in Jesus Christ. As I think about it, it is way too common for anyone to be taken in by David Hume's questions without adequately comparing it with the testimonies of Jesus and the early disciples. From the gospels' thirty over miracles to Q documents recognized by many top scholars of many faith persuasions, Keener asserts the need to take historical facts as they are and not adopt the skeptics' circular reasoning just to avoid them. For example, for one to reject miracles on the basis of non-explanation is not reasonable, because the skeptics presumption is already "Miracles don't happen." If that is the case, no amount of arguments will ever move their stance even an inch. Just because one never experienced a miracle does not mean there are no miracles in this world!

Part Three is about the scientific perspectives of dreams and visions. Challenged by Shermer's quip that "Things are not good on your side," Strobel interviews Dr Candy Gunther Brown, a researcher on alternative healing, to find out more about the impact of prayers, dreams and visions. Brown was selected because of her "nonsectarian approach to religious studies." She concludes that intercessory prayers are not forms of wishful thinking nor fraud. "Something is going on." Moreover, Tim Stafford makes an interesting observations about places where there are outbreaks of the supernatural. These places showcase God's power in high levels of illiteracy; where the spiritual is very real to the people; where there's limited medical care; and where people see miracle for what it is.

Part Four is about the miracle of creation where Strobel interviews Michael Strauss, a physicist who is passionate about the inter-relationship between Science, Creation, and Faith. On his explanation about the supernatural, he argues that just because we are used to seeing a "natural phenomena" does not mean there can't be exceptions. The discussions include a wide range of topics including creation, the big-bang theory, the theory of relativity, even Stephen Hawking's A Brief History of Time. Readers get to eavesdrop on the conversations and learn more about science and philosophy, and how they don't necessarily conflict with faith matters. Strobel also discusses the miracle of the resurrection with Detective J Warner Wallace.

Part Five examines some difficulties that Christians have with miracles. Here, Strobel writes to encourage believers that miracles are not things to shy away from but embraced unabashedly. Sometimes, what appeared real to us in our personal encounters in dreams or visions could be met by ridicule by others. We need not shy away from that. Moreover, just because there are frauds by some does not mean that all miracles are fraud! Roger Olsen also laments that many Christians have trickled down supernatural events. Even in prayer, they prefer to say: "Prayer doesn't change things; it changes me." Readers are re-assured that God does work through prayer, not just in us but outside too. Finally, there is an important section about cases where miracles that were expected to happen but did not. With Douglas Groothuis, Strobel discusses on how to make sense and give encouragement.

Three Thoughts
First, this book is addressed primarily to genuine seekers of truth. It is ok to be skeptical but be open to things that exceed our understanding. In our modern world, chances are, miracles tend to be dismissed as coincidences. The higher the education, the higher the income level, the greater the levels of scepticism. Even Christians themselves have a stark number who didn’t believe in miracles because they hadn’t experienced it in the first place. Concerned about the disconnect between one’s faith and one’s belief in miracles, Lee Strobel continues his quest to try to make sense of it all by asking a wide variety of people from different walks of life. He was open enough to even engage one of the top skeptics, Shermer, and is able to learn from him. Legitimate questions should not be avoided. There are good questions that Christians ought to learn humbly from.

Second, this book is useful for Christians who find it hard to reconcile miracles with their faith. I appreciate the discussions on science, dreams, and visions, which highlight some of the struggles believers face in the light of a hostile and skeptical climate of suspicion. Even believers would need to be re-assured about the tenets of faith. In an age where people tend to rationalize everything, it is increasingly likely that they would jettison things that do not come within the purview of their rationalizations. What would they do when they are stuck with some inexplicable phenomena? Do they ignore it? Do they pooh-pooh it away on the basis of some distant fraud they had seen or heard? What about times in which they had been disappointed? Reading through the ways Strobel and the interviewees engage these questions make this book a really profitable journey about the issue. For all we know, those of us who dismiss miracles outright may have unwittingly swallowed the pill of stubborn skepticism.

Finally, each of us need to come to terms at our personal level with regard to the existence of miracles. We may have different reasons for our stand, but it is important to deal with the authenticity of miracles. Faith deepens when we have personally experienced a miracle. It could be in the form of a testimony or a real life event. Perhaps, there are already miracles around us, but because of a lack of reflection or contemplation, we missed it. A busy lifestyle, a frantic hurry to get things done, and a stubborn refusal to acknowledge the supernatural could very well blind us to the wonders that are happening around us every moment. Perhaps, this book could also be a case for faith, to fire us in the direction of exponential spiritual growth.

Lee Strobel is an American Christian author and a former journalist with the Chicago Tribune. His life story of skepticism to faith has been published in the bestselling book, "The Case for Christ" and a movie made with the same title.

Rating: 5 stars of 5.

conrade
This book has been provided courtesy of Zondervan and NetGalley without requiring a positive review. All opinions offered above are mine unless otherwise stated or implied.

In this book, “The Case for Miracles” author Lee Strobel takes a look at miracles. Are they the work of God, the creator? Or are they merely coincidences, spontaneous remissions, fleeting moments of seeming recovery, or even worse, the work of charlatans.

Mr. Strobel’s investigation is what one would expect from a good and hard-hitting journalist. While he is now a Christian, he once was a committed atheist and skeptic. Because of that and his experience of years as a journalist, the tone and style of the book is uncommitted and leaves the reader to decide for themselves.

For me, the evidence was overwhelming. As I read through Mr. Stroble’s interview with noted skeptic, Dr. Michael Shermer, I noted that the Dr. Shermer’s viewpoint was favorably portrayed and explained well. If one were on the fence and stopped reading after that first chapter, you would walk away without a belief in miracles.


As I am a Christian, I read further and found that chapter and chapter, case after case presented a portrait of a loving God.

The miracles included reach beyond those that are physical healings. The most important miracle of all is covered in depth. That is the death and resurrection of Jesus. I was aware of some of the historical background surrounding this momentous event but was very happy to read of more supporting information.

In the end, do I believe in miracles? Yes, I do. Have I had a miracle in my life? Yes, I have. That I am alive today can be attributed to a number of miracles, not the least of which was having second and third degree burns over much of my body at age 2. Not only did I live, I don’t have a single scar.

However, God doesn’t always provide a miracle. I watched my son struggle with leukemia, thought we had a cure in a bone marrow transplant and then watched him die from a simple yeast infection. There is a chapter in this book which deals with when a miracle doesn’t happen.

So, undoubtedly, because of my own personal experiences,I was biased in one direction as I read through the book. Some, like me, will believe and others will not. Some will be seeking with an open mind. I think that the arguments in the book as well as the study guides at the end, will be a valuable resource for those individuals.

In addition to the hard copy version of this book that I purchased on Amazon, I was provided a digital advance reader copy of this book by the publisher via Netgalley.

Lee Strobel’s books are always well-researched. Being an investigative journalist, he knows how to look at a subject from all angles. He knows the right questions to ask. He’s respectful and never antagonist toward those he interview on both sides of a subject. He knows how to take a complex subject and share it with in a readable manner, yet never “dumbing it down” to achieve that readability.

This book is fascinating reading. I appreciated the fact that he addresses that there have been prayers that were answered and miracles occurred, but that there are also times when prayers were sent heavenward and miracles did not happen. This is a challenging, encouraging faith-building book. You’ll be glad you read it.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher. This is my honest opinion about the book. I was not required to give a positive review.

Lee Strobel has done it again! Every skeptic, whether Christian or not, needs to read this book. This book will answer many of your questions about miracles and increase your faith in an incredible God who is still doing the wondrous and the miraculous today. Strobel attacks the subject with such wisdom and clarity. He also does not hold back from asking the really tough questions about miracles. We also get to read from some of the best minds in the Christian community today on the subject. They include Dr. Michael G. Strauss, Dr. Roger E. Olson, Dr. Douglas R. Groothuis, and many others! I highly recommend this book!

Is there real, scientific, documented proof for miracles? There are many claims, but is there proof?
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Lee Strobel does it again with his new book Case for Miracles coming out next week. ​This book is different from his other “Case for…” books. It’s an interesting tale of how he went about getting the material for this book. Instead of presenting his Case as a journalist, he’s more of a story-teller, drawing the reader to go with him on his journey to prove the case for miracles. This makes the book longer, because he doesn’t quickly get
to his points, but his story-telling is actually enjoyable. You want to sit back and go for the ride.
I actually think he’s hoping this book will be adapted into a movie, because that’s how it’s written – a curious journalist traveling hundreds of miles to interview experts in their field to get at the truth. The “Case” he presents is in the content of those interviews.

Maybe after you read this next paragraph, you don’t have to read the book.

There are thousands of well documented cases of miracles, medically examined, peer reviewed, and scientifically confirmed. There are millions more that are not documented. But this is not proof that merely a supernatural plane exists beyond scientific explanations. It is specific proof that prayer to the Judeo-Christian God may elicit answer in the form of miracles. Thus, scientific tests using prayers of non-Christians or not-real Christians came up empty. This is not proof that God exists, because it’s possible that a super intelligent alien is actually answering these Christian prayers. However, they are real proof of miracles.

If I have any criticism, it’s this: chapter 10 isn’t really a case for miracles. He borrowed from his other book, and it’s really a case for a creator. Then it spills over into the next chapter, which then becomes a case for the resurrection. We know where he’s going with this. He’s trying to point out that miracles prove not just any deity, but it’s the Christian God who created the universe and rose from the dead. However, he doesn’t link these subjects together with logic.

I was hoping he would go back to Michael Shermer with these proofs of miracles, to get his response or rebuttal, because that’s how this story started out. But, in the end, he does deliver a strong case for miracles and the reason it matters. I recommend this book, and it’s also a book you could give to your skeptic friend.

Review that will appear on GoodReads Mar 21:

Lee Strobel starts off his investigation into whether or not miracles happen, and whether or not it is reasonable to even believe they happen, by addressing the case against the miraculous with an interview of the editor of <i>Skeptic</i> magazine, Dr. Michael Shermer. Strobel then goes on to explore the opposing view, that miracles do happen, with interviews of other experts from a variety of faiths, including scientists, theologians, missionaries, and detectives. Along the way Strobel seeks to establish how a miracle can be well-documented, why some people - even Christians - are reluctant to believe in the supernatural, and what to do with miracles that don't happen despite many prayers.

I can't say enough how much I appreciate the way Lee Strobel has laid out this book. There are other books on miracles out there, but I feel like this is the most honest, respectful, well-researched, and yet easily readable text on the topic. (Obviously, Dr. Craig Keener's monstrous two volume book on miracles is THE book on miracles out there, but I wouldn't exactly call something that required two volumes easily readable. Strobel interviews him in this book, so you can get the super abridged version here.) Most books on miracles just relate stories of miracles that the author has heard about and are largely limited to the author's acquaintances. Few if any will include comments on the reliability of the stories. Few will have the guts to talk to someone who genuinely doesn't believe in miracles and have a civil conversation about why. But Strobel does. He approaches this more from a research perspective, and the modern miraculous stories that are included are largely shared by the interviewees and all are well documented. He also gets deeper into the heart of the issue. Is it reasonable? Is there precedence? What about the miracles in the Bible? Is every "miracle" really a miracle? Probably the most powerful chapter in the entire book is the final one talking about why God wouldn't bring about a miracle in certain cases. (A box of tissues is advisable for this chapter.) And then Strobel closes by weighing the two sides, admitting his persuasion, but ultimately acknowledging that he cannot make up anyone's mind for them. The reader must decide what to believe. Highly recommended to anyone but especially the curious, the natural skeptics, Christians who want their faith built or to have answers when they get questions on this topic, and those struggling with why a prayer has gone unanswered. Definitely purchasing copies of this when it comes out.

I have had a love/ hate with 'The Case For' books. Before I came to faith, I was given one by a believer and it failed to impress me at all. Although I did eventually become a Christian, so who knows... And Ive read all them since then, but I wouldnt say Im a fan- they have always seemed a tad pat and folksy so my liking. That said, I really enjoyed this book and it certainly my favourite by Strobel. I found the skeptical viewpoints well presented and convincing, and the scenarios seemed less contrived than in the other books. I'd say this is definitely worth a read, for a well rounded summation of the topic that will absolutely make you think about your stance on miracles.