| Title | : | More Than a Carpenter |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 0842345523 |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9780842345521 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 128 |
| Publication | : | First published January 1, 1977 |
More Than a Carpenter Reviews
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Someday, in heaven, I am going to thank the kind stranger who handed me this book one day. I was at the height of skepticism, embittered with religion and disillusioned with humanity in general. Christianity was the religion of optimistic but ignorant fools, in my opinion. I didn't even want to talk to the guy, but he asked me to take the book. Hesitantly, I did.
Over the coming weeks I found myself drawn to this book. Through it I realized the skewed, one-demensional Christianity I had always seen presented in the media and elsewhere was far from the actual truth. It was a faith that could be explored with the mind and stand up as robust to skeptical scrutiny. This book presents evidence in a clear straightforward and intellectually honest way, albeit confrontationally. Great read that I'd recommend to anyone with questions of the heart and mind about Christ. I appreciated the author's journey, and followed him along with bated breath. It was not a disappointing journey, and ended up being one among many that was integral to my coming to believe that Jesus Christjust might be who he said he was. -
This is one of those books I read with a highlighter handy. And I ended up highlighting about half the book...
Here are a few things that caught my attention:
"Christianity is not a religion. Religion is humans trying to work their way to God through good works. Christianity is God coming to men and women through Jesus Christ" (p. 5).
"It amazes me to hear so many people say that Jesus was simply a good moral teacher. Let's be realistic. How could he be a great moral teacher and knowingly mislead people at the most important point of his teaching - his own identity?" (p. 30).
"If you've read any of the New Atheists, it's important to keep the words of King Solomon in mind: 'The first to speak in court sounds right - until the cross-examination begins' (Proverbs 18:17)" (p. 48-9).
"If one discards the Bible as unreliable historically, then he or she must discard all the literature of antiquity. No other document has as much evidence to confirm its reliability" (p. 87).
"Wherever there is forgiveness, there is payment" (p. 156). -
Some disclaimers off the bat:
-I am a practicing Christian
-this review is about the text as a book, not as a piece of proselytization
-there is an updated and revised edition of this text. I did not read that edition
“More Than a Carpenter” is a dated book. There is no way around it. (see above note) However, for what it is, and its intended audience, I think it is fine for what it seems meant to do. I am not a person who is in doubt about the divinity of Christ, but I am a person who is very intellectual in my approach to many aspects of religion, and I can see why some folks on intellectual grounds disregard it.
Here are my thoughts on this text, which seems to be written with the goal of giving a person intellectual/logical reasons to believe in Christ.
1. Chapter 2 (Lord, Liar, or Lunatic) presents some interesting thoughts about Christ that I had
never considered.
2. I see some flaws and weaknesses in some of Josh McDowell’s arguments. But find me a
philosophy or argument that does not have weak points. I will not discard the text for that
reason.
3. I found especially intriguing the section called “Bibliographical Test” which makes a potent
argument for the historical truth of the New Testament manuscripts that I had never really
given much thought to. I looked elsewhere to find if McDowell was alone in presenting this
information. He is not. Religious and secular scholars back his points up.
4. Ironically, for a text that makes an intellectual argument for Christ, I found chapter 5 (Who Would Die for a Lie?) and chapter 11 (He Changed My Life) to be the most persuasive aspects of the book. Chapter 5 is a very simple ethical rhetorical appeal that is so simplistic I was stunned momentarily by its power. Chapter 11 is a plain old emotional appeal that is the author’s personal testimony about finding Christ.
Overall, I am not sure if “More Than a Carpenter” is a successful text or not. I do not feel that I am its intended audience, yet I did find aspects of it that reinforced my faith.
If the topic interests you, take a look. Josh McDowell is polite and practical in his approach, and I would think one would be hard put to be offended by this text if they end up disagreeing with him. -
Originally posted on Reveries Reviews.
Jesus is all He claimed – and that’s all there is.
This book is the most inspiring thing I’ve read in decades. I’d recommend it to any Christian – because I believe that although faith is the only principle you can base your relationship with God on, it’s super nice to be able to say, “Hey, this is real. I’ve looked into it,” if someone ever asks you. This book is an absolute treasure! -
As a former hardened cynic, this book changed my life. It didn't change my life single-handedly but as part of a series of influences really. Nonetheless I've never been able to look at Jesus the same since I read it -- for the better I think.
In my experience, most who suggest that McDowell's arguments are drivel offer no support for their claim(s), as if they're self-evident. My suggestion? Ask them to detail their counterargument(s). Then read the book and ask yourself the same question throughout. -
This book takes a rather slapdash approach to apologetics, and commits some grievous errors in argumentation. For instance, the author falls into the silly modern contrivance of insisting that Christianity isn't a religion, in order to dump any negativity onto his customized definition of religion and preserve the 'pure' character of his supposed personal relationship with god.
When arguing against counter-apologetics, McDowell provides an underwhelming and often inaccurate summary of the non-christian argument, and then proceeds to simply assert that god is a better explanation...just because. He points out what the god of the gaps fallacy is, and then proceeds to directly commit it multiple times.
He presents the flawed false trilemma (liar, lunatic, lord) of C.S. Lewis, and simply assumes far too often that everything recorded in the bible concerning what Jesus supposedly said and did is undisputed truth, in spite of the fact that the majority of the books contained in the bible are anonymously written. And while some of the events are historically accurate and verifiable via other sources, many, including the various miracle claims, are not. There is no requirement (beyond religious dogma) to take the bible as either completely factual or completely fictional.
Above and beyond everything, the author ignores one simple thing - extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence. McDowell wants to lump all historical claims together and treat them equally, regardless as to what is being described.
I suppose if one is unfamiliar with the common Christian apologetics and was already a believer, this book offers a brief, yet inadequate introduction on the topic. Someone passingly familiar with the counter arguments, however, can quickly spot the glaring holes in McDowell's case for Christianity. This book will convince the already-convinced, and perhaps sway some fence-sitters who don't care to do more than scratch the surface of the topic. Anyone else who actually cares about the issues this book attempts (and fails) to cover in any depth will find little of any use here. -
I loved More Than a Carpenter, I think everyone should read this book. If you have any doubt about Jesus Christ being the son of God and that he died on a cross for our sins and God raised him from the dead. This is the book to read it gives you tons of evidence that you can't dispute about Jesus. This book is very powerful and it speaks the truth and I believe it has changed many readers to where they have given there lives to Jesus. The book also reconfirmed my commitment as a follower of Jesus Christ and it has strengthened my walk with Him as a Christian. This is a must read for everyone, you don't have to be a believer to read it.
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The heart of this book is that either Jesus was who He said he was (Son of God, single path to God) or he was crazy or lying. For some to call Him a "good teacher" without being the Savior is a flawed argument. And to try to fit Him into a view that there are many roads to God doesn't hold up either. Either accept Him as the sole way to God, or leave Him out of the argument altogether because it just doesn't fit with His very own teachings.
Classic book that deserves to be read more than once. -
One of the first books (aside from the bible) that I read that helped lead me to a clearer understanding of who Christ is, and into a saving relationship with Him. Elementary, clear and poignant. I haven't picked it up recently but I'd imagine it's still very much worth a read for the same reasons.
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This book profoundly impacted me as a college freshman, and for that reason I re-read (by listening to audiobook) this tiny and encouraging gem. Jesus Christ has risen and is changing lives today!
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Figured after giving certain chapters good skims in the past, it was finally time to read through the whole book well! This was a great, quick read on the reliability of the life and person of Jesus Christ. I would recommend this to believers wanting to grow in worship of God through their mind, those wanting to hone their apologetics on the person of Jesus, and most importantly, for those seeking truth and life purpose. Great read and will continue to be recommending this to many.
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"More Than a Carpenter" is a book that defends the Christian faith. The authors pack a lot of information into this slim book, but it's written with a conversational tone and is easy to read and understand.
The authors use common questions they've been asked during talks on this topic to start most of the sections, then they answer them using information they've discovered themselves or by quoting other experts. In this revised edition, they added updated material and a new section on science to answer newer objections that have been raised.
They convincingly answer the most common objections or doubts about the Bible and Jesus. I wish they had put chapter six directly after chapter one since a reader can validly criticize the "Lord, Liar, or Lunatic" argument if you haven't already proven that the Bible does accurately record the words and actions of Jesus.
The main questions answered were: Did Jesus really claim to be God? Can't he just be a good, moral teacher? Doesn't science prove that the Bible is wrong? Atheists can be moral and religion has caused the worst suffering in the world, so shouldn't we get rid of it? Wasn't the New Testament written long after Jesus lived, so how can we believe it's a reliable account of what happened?
It also brought up how the disciples changed from thinking they were wrong about Jesus and hiding in fear to proclaiming a risen Messiah; the missing body of Jesus that no one ever brought out to prove the disciples wrong; and the change of Saul/Paul from hunting down those who believed in Jesus as the Messiah to preaching that Jesus was the Messiah. Also, evidence that Jesus really did die and really did come back from the dead; that Jesus really was the Messiah (using Old Testament prophesy); and why Jesus is the only way "to heaven."
I'd highly recommend this book to all Christians and to those who have honest questions. -
I read this back in college when I was a christian, and I just read it again as an atheist. I remember thinking it was well-written and scientific. Boy, was I wrong. SO much sloppy logic, littered with straw men arguments.
And what the heck is this "Aristotle's Dictum"? I can't find any references to it on the web outside of Christian apologetics. Basically, McDowell says the benefit of the doubt should be given to any historical document - we should assume its writer is telling the truth until proven otherwise. Um ... if he did say that, Aristotle's an idiot. -
Christianity is not a myth and Jesus Christ is real, all the evidence you need are presented concisely in this book. I found this book at Booksale, and knew without a doubt that I should take it home with me. True enough, this book proved to be a blessing. I liked best that the approach was not argumentative nor persuasive, like Yancey's style, the facts of Jesus and his life are presented here in an unbiased and objective manner. You journey together with McDowell as his thoughts become transformed from an atheist into a Christ-believer and then a Christian.
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He makes some strong arguments. He also makes some extremely weak arguments that take away from the core of faith for BEING faith, IMHO.
And yes, I do think this is playing logic games and twists of real fact for the choir. It's not only for the people in the choir stalls themselves, though. Some outside just roaming around might become interested as some of his better chapters.
3.5 stars but I cannot round it up. Christianity IS a religion, regardless how you dice it. For more than a millennia it also had political power that was quite considerable. But to say it is not? Dogma exists and that the disciples died and suffered is a very poor argument. So did and do all types of people "convinced" in cults. Jihadists do. Manson followers to Jones' koolaid poisoned group. I could name dozens throughout the centuries that went into the millions counts for "members". Who do you think the kamikaze pilots were in their "belief"?
There is a challenge in the new atheism and with the up is down to all moral relativity. And other chapters are excellent. Science doesn't refute either the way I've read arguments insisting that it does. That was a chapter of considerable substance. Not so much with the chapter about Bible reliability, IMHO.
Worth the read. The updated version is still somewhat dated. The truth of peace, happiness, joy despite the troubles and failures and suffering in living coming from self-identity core strengthened by a GOOD loving source is valid for humans. And its being missing in non-believers is observable to far worse outcomes. Measurable too.
Still, this is not a book that I would think could begin to convince hedonistic "life is the pits and then you die" multitudes that reign presently in a relative morality which in many ways is no morality at all other than self pleasing. -
If you have any familiarity with The Case for Christ and the story behind it, Josh McDowell, the author of More Than a Carpenter, was Lee Strobel long before Lee himself was. A proclaimed atheist, McDowell set out to disprove the viability of Christianity while still a college student. What he found on his journey accomplished the very opposite; instead of proving Christianity false to the world, the evidence supporting proved the faith the be unquestionably true to his own mind. Hearing him tell this story at a conference was incredible, and it made me eager to pick of the book that outlined his findings.
More Than a Carpenter is a profoundly educational read that I found both enlightening and uplifting. Here lies the evidence McDowell found that so supported Christianity in his mind that it led to his conversion experience. Said information was presented in what I think was a suitably easy way to understand for those who have no experience with the faith, but which is still very interesting for those who have spent their entire lives attending Sunday School. My only complaint is that I was hoping for more of McDowell’s own faith story. There were pieces of it scattered throughout the book, but I would have loved a bit more.
I think this would be a wonderful book to press into the hands of anyone from teens to senior citizens who have deep questions about the Christian faith, and I hope to do that very thing with it. Some truly amazing conversations could come from exposure to this book. While sometimes a bit dry and verbose, it was never too much to easily follow. So, if you find yourself on a spiritual quest for answers, I highly recommend giving More Than a Carpenter some time on your journey. -
This is one of the silliest books I've ever read. Anyone planning to use any of the information in this book to "logically" support their religious claims should reconsider what logic is. Stuff like the "lord, liar, lunatic" argument and "why would the disciples die for a lie?" are laughable. Don't read this book for any rational purpose. It should only be used to add a touch of humor to your day.
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Not only is this book amazing, it is definitely a must-read.
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“ ‘Oh for God’s sake, don’t give me that garbage. I’m fed up with religion; I’m fed up with the church; I’m fed up with the Bible. Don’t give me that garbage about religion.” She shot back, “Mister, I didn’t say religion, I said Jesus Christ.’ “
“Christianity is not a religion. Religion is humans trying to work their way to God through good works. Christianity is God coming to men and women through Jesus Christ offering them a relationship with himself.”
“My mind told me all this was true but my will was pulling me in another direction. I discovered that becoming a Christian was rather ego-shattering.... ‘Look! I have been standing at the door and I am constantly knocking. If anyone hears me calling and opens the door, I will come in.’
... Every time I was around those enthusiastic Christians, the conflict would begin. If you’ve ever been around happy people when you’re miserable, you understand how they can bug you.”
“Freedom to me is not going out and doing what you want to do. Anyone can do that, and lots of people are doing it. Freedom is ‘to have the power to do what you know you ought to do.’ “
“You can laugh at Christianity, you can mock and ridicule it. But it works. It changes lives.”
“But Christianity is not something you shove down somebody’s throat or force on someone. You’ve got your life and I’ve got mine. All I can do is tell you what I’ve learned. After that, it’s your decision.”
I can’t deny that I’m always inclined to the first reaction. I’m always initially inclined to unbelief and to call it a load of crap. My inner skepticism and cynicism is constant, always at odds with the knocking, and what I really believe in my heart of hearts. In the same way that some people believe they can never fully turn toward Christianity, I believe I could never turn fully away from it. Part of me will never allow me to turn away no matter how strong my skepticism or cynicism becomes, because I know the truth, even if I’m too embarrassed or insecure to admit it and talk about it. It’s called a “leap” of faith for a good reason, and I’m glad that I choose to take that leap daily. To me, there is nothing more real. -
A small volume that communicated well why Jesus Christ is more then a prophet or simply a good man. I found this book to be a pleasant refresher on why makes Jesus and Christianity unique. The author uses quotes and supporting data from a varied group of individuals, and clearly shows, that you cannot partly believe in Christ, for you either believe he was the son of God, or alternatively, you believe he was a lunatic or a fraud. McDowell shows his communication ability in the fact that he is able to display how and why Jesus is unique while also making it possible for the common man to understand and process what he is saying. A good, quick read that is spiritually strengthening, but also, a excellent defense of the faith.
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Great short walk-through of a basic Christian apologetic, focused on the historicity of Christ's resurrection. Good to give to unsaved friends, but also a good resource to help Christians learn how to answer most common questions and objections from unbelievers. Not recommended for children due to graphic medical analysis of crucifixion; also elements of McDowell's personal testimony near the end.
And let's keep in mind: the work of apologetics, in itself, doesn't save anyone. That's the job of the Holy Spirit. One thing I appreciate about McDowell is that he never seems to lose sight of that fact. -
This is an outstanding book for the skeptic examining with an open mind the claims that Jesus Christ and His early followers made about Him. It is factual, rational, clear, and easy to read. I highly recommend this book for religious and non-religious alike looking to see their preconceptions about Jesus Christ and Christianity challenged and addressed.
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"Christianity is not a religion. Religion is humans trying to work their way to God through good works. Christianity is God coming to men and women through Jesus Christ offering them a relationship with himself."
Absolutely loved this book! ❤️ -
Originally from 1977, this is sort of the proto-
The Case for Christ. Makes a lot of the same observations. Also see
Cold-Case Christianity: A Homicide Detective Investigates the Claims of the Gospels.
I still want to read
The New Evidence That Demands a Verdict. -
MUST READ!
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I rate this book a 4, despite some problems, because it is intended for the uninitiated and is a great tool for that purpose.
I read this book about a year after becoming a Christian. I was facing the claims of Jehovah's Witnesses (denying the Deity of Jesus Christ) and was troubled by my own questions on the matter of Who Jesus is. This book provided the "meat" that I needed to find assurance of the reality of the person and work of Jesus Christ. If Jesus is not God, we are all doomed. This book demonstrates the case to prove for those with eyes to see that Jesus is God, eternal and infinite, and came as a Man to pay for the sins of the world.
My problems with the book are not many and my biggest objection would be to the references to Codex Vaticanus and/or Sinaiticus as the "oldest and best manuscripts". To be sure, the manuscript evidence supporting our Bible (King James Version) is overwhelming. But the view espoused by McDowell (also found to be pervasive through his, "Evidence That Demands A Verdict" volumes) is the majority and faulty view that is producing the horrible new bible versions, which in turn are producing apostasy.
It's a sad irony found in this book meant to build up the faith of the reader in the "orthodox" view of Jesus Christ.
But the new believer (as I was whenever I read this) will not really understand these short references and the overall message of the Book is an important one: Jesus is God who came to die for your sins and will one day be your Judge.
I would hope the non-Christian readers would read this and turn to Jesus for salvation, making Him your Saviour instead of your Judge. And I have heard plenty of testimonies confirming that many have done just that. For that, we praise God! -
Really great book! Short and powerful. I enjoyed reading josh McDowell’s book “more than a carpenter”. Josh studied for fifteen years about Christ and the resurrection of Jesus. He gives great points on how history proves Jesus life as truth. This is a great apologetic.
One thing that I really enjoyed was when josh spoke about how Christ could either be a liar, a lunatic, or lord. He said this:
“ if Jesus was a lunatic then why did he speak righteously and with a good conscience, inspiring and teaching people.”
“If Jesus was a liar why did he not tell the truth after he had been tortured. And why haven’t we found his teachings to be false. rather than teach contradictions to the Bible, Jesus spoke the opposite. If Jesus was a liar then he also was a hypocrite because he told others to be honest. More than that he was a demon because he told others to trust him for their eternal destiny. If he couldn’t back up his claims and knew it, then he was unspeakably evil”.
“This conclusion leaves Jesus as lord. It is the only logical reason for who he truly was.”
At the end of this book josh tells us his story about how God impacted his life. I enjoyed his story and think many people can relate to him.
I learned a lot from this book and would definitely recommend. -
Historic analysis and logic combine in this short book to present a thoughtful explanation of who Jesus was and why He matters to you today. It's a somewhat academic work from an attorney, but approachable through the use of common language.
When I first read "More than a Carpenter" as a young person, it had a huge impact on me and I thought about it for weeks and even years. I would like to read it again, but I think I will be saying that about every 10 years for the rest of my life.
After reading this summary work, I spent months exploring McDowell's documentation presented in "Evidence that Demands a Verdict." Both these books are classics worthy of your reading time.
The New Evidence that Demands a Verdict, McDowell, 1999
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
For another apologetic, written by a journalist who converted to Christianity from atheism after research similar to McDowells, see
The Case for Christ, Strobel, 1998
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... -
I was extremely impressed by this book. It doesn't matter if you are looking for answers, agnostic, strong Christian, Muslim, I don't really care it is a very factual non-biased book. It really lets you see things from a new perspective and along with whatever else you have learned in your life you can formulate your own judgement and beliefs from there. It is a very quick read and if nothing else is thought provoking and informational. Don't shy away from it from the simple fact that is is going to be a religious book that is pushing Jesus down your throat. It is very much just a factual account of Jesus's life and historical evidence to support any claims. Very interesting read.
