Jesus Skeptic
A Journalist Explores the Credibility and Impact of Christianity
by John S. Dickerson

Baker Books

Christian

Pub Date 15 Oct 2019


I am reviewing a copy of Jesus Skeptic through Baker Books and Netgalley:



Jesus Skeptic is not your typical book in the sense that it delves into the artifacts, and facts that show the reality of Jesus living as well as the impact that it has on our lives today.


It is different too in that it shows the positive impact of Jesus’s story and the positive social impact it has today.


This is a journalist personal journey to realizing the impact that Jesus’s story has on us today. At the beginning of this investigation John S Dickerson set out to answer these questions:


Did Jesus actually exist?
Can Jesus’s teachings actually provide peace, identity, and fulfillment today?


Do Jesus’s teachings block social justice and human progress—or do Jesus’s teachings further those causes?


Using some of the methods he uses in his reporting John S Dickerson begins a journey into Jesus’s life, not as a believer but as an Investigation Journalist, and one who admittedly was a skeptic. This investigation into Christianity began with a man who was admittedly a skeptic.


In this book Dickerson takes nothing for granted as he explores whether Jesus lived and the impact whether Jesus lived and how his story changed the world.


Jesus Skeptic uncovers convincing physical evidence that will enlighten those who are seeking, skeptics as well as long time believers. John S Dickerson has written a powerful and enlightening book for this generation.


I give Jesus Skeptic five out of five stars!


Happy Reading!

This book is a unique addition to this space. John S. Dickerson is an investigative reporter who engages with the story of Christianity through a well researched lens. He studies pre-Christian to post modern ages, specifically how Christianity has impacted culture and been impacted by the world. I think it is worth a read if this is an area of interest.

Something is different about Christians. They show joy when it is unanticipated, exhibit compassion when it is inconvenient, and remain committed when it is politically incorrect. Those distinguishing marks are noted by unbelievers and can incite intrigue. It did just that for reporter John S. Dickerson.

As a reporter, Dickerson’s contact with a wide variety of people affirmed the universal search of life, meaning he found that most everyone is searching for personal identity, personal value, personal belonging, and personal purpose. Consistently, he found that it was the Christians that he came in contact with who embodied the answers to those questions. He now serves as the lead pastor of Connection Pointe Christian Church in Indianapolis, IN. His experience and transformation have led to the book, Jesus Skeptic, recently published by Baker Books.

Jesus Skeptic is a unique book. Dickerson seeks ‘to conclude whether the teachings of Jesus have anything meaningful to offer to you, me, and modern progressive society,” There are similar books out there, but Dickerson’s perspective is different. While at times he brings in evidence from the early church, most of the book focuses on bringing out the impact of believers in our society. Therefore, while his premise is a bit suspect because it appeals to man’s selfish desire (what is in this for me?) he does present evidence that is interesting.

The focus on Christian impact only represents part two of the book, but it is the bulk of the material. Dickerson analyzes areas such as healthcare, education, and technology, concluding that the top institutions were the result of Christian activity. He goes as far as researching and connecting movements, like the industrial and scientific revolutions, to Christian motives. Part one simply discusses public skepticism of Christianity and part three addresses evidence that supports the existence and influence of Christ. In one sense, none of this addresses the miraculous claims of Christianity. What it does show is both the existence of Christ and the motivation of believers to positively impact society based on their belief. Likely, this book would not convince an unbeliever.

Unfortunately, the book is not well-written. The reading level is at a good level for many to understand, but the author has sacrificed quality to reach this effect (the readability of the book is important, but it does not function independently of quality). Impacting this quality are two aspects. The first is the seeming lack of humility with which the author writes. The second aspect is the author’s examples. While they are sometimes interesting, Dickerson squanders much of readers’ time and attention before connecting the illustration to the topic (he preaches in a similar manner as well).

Not knowing the author, I was compelled to do some research. That research raised some theological concerns. The nature of the book does not assert those same concerns because of the methodology and focus is different, with the exception of one area. Dickerson uses the term ‘Christian’ very broadly and that comes out in the book.

The research that the author has put together is insightful and useful. It likely would not convince unbelievers of Christ’s existence beyond accepting the possibility a man named Jesus Christ may have existed. However, Christians may find the information interesting and helpful because it demonstrates a connection between Christianity and the social progress of society. The book, therefore, may be useful for equipping Christians with conversational points with unbelievers.

To learn more about this book, click here. Other books that you might find interesting in the same genre, include the following:

The Evidence for Jesus by R.T. France (this is a personal favorite of mine)
The Case for Christ by Lee Strobel
Evidence that Demands a Verdict by Josh McDowell & Sean McDowell

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher at no cost to me for the purposes of review. However, my review was not influenced by the author, publisher, or anyone else associated with this book and is the result of my reading of it.

An impactful, educational, and interesting investigation into the credibility of Christianity.

Successful journalist (Author) John S. Dickerson used his investigative journalistic approach to explore fundamental human questions. Who am I? What am I worth? Where will I belong and be safe? Why do I exist?

When he found Jesus at the center of the most centered people he interviewed, he decided to use his journalism skills to put Jesus to the test. Jesus Skeptic - A Journalist Explores the Credibility and Impact of Christianity defines his quest to analyze the impact of Jesus using hard evidence instead of hope or opinion.

From our educational system to medical care and science, Dickerson explores and explains the fascinating impact of Jesus and His followers on our current society. The facts that Dickerson lays out debunk a common myth that Christians are weak and stupid. Dickerson’s cases are concise and comprehensive, serving those who already believe as well as the skeptics.

Dickerson conveys his study and conclusions using clear, understandable language, as expected of a journalist. Because Jesus Skeptic covers various topics and isn’t a narrative, some of the points are repeated, but I felt it was helpful to have underscored those findings. Dickerson cites an impressive list of references at the end.

Dickerson’s research ultimately led to his own conversion to Christianity. His conversion might make some skeptics distrust his conclusions because belief requires some leap of faith no matter how certain the physical evidence seems.

How this book affected me:
My favorite books are memoirs where non-Christians set out to disprove Christianity and their quest ultimately ends with their conversion. So I loved the premise of this book. I was personally fascinated to learn the impact Jesus has had on our current society. This book was interesting, entertaining and educational. It’s a report of findings, rather than a memoir, and it’s unlike any book I’ve read before. Highly recommended.

Who would enjoy this book:
A major audience for Jesus Skeptic is Christians whose faith is wavering, those who say they believe but who struggle to actually believe. Also, Christians who enjoy ‘quest and conversion’ stories would enjoy this book. Christians who are interested to understand the history and the ways in which Jesus impacted life as we know it today would love this book. And non-Christians who’re interested in historical facts about Jesus would be served well by this book. This book may not convince the staunchest agnostics or atheists, but I suggest recommending it to every hopeful agnostic you know!

Our Christian Book Reviews:
The book reviews at Finding God Among Us focus on Christian books - adult and children, fiction and nonfiction. We're proud to be included in the Top 50 Christian Book Review Bloggers. I chose to read an ARC from Baker Books, a division of Baker Publishing Group. This review is my honest opinion.

If you have questions about the credibility of Christianity, or if you are just curious to learn more (like me), then this is a great book to pick up!

I was immediately drawn to the description of this book because it promoted answers from artifacts written by philosophers, scientists, activists and more. I learned that the majority of the big stars in these various professions were devout Christians - something I feel that society often ignores or hides. Their relationship with Jesus even prompted some of their most amazing findings and movements.

This book was very carefully written over a long period of time, and the amount of evidence collected proves this. This is perfect for the non-believer (or skeptic) that has many unanswered questions about Jesus and the group of people that follow Him who are known as Christians.