Product Description

In this systematic philosophical critique of the major tenets of Christianity, Michael Martin examines the semantic and epistemological bases of religious claims and beliefs. Beginning with a comparison and evaluation of the Apostles’ Creed, the Niceno-Chalcedonian Creed, and the Athanasian Creed, Martin discusses the principal theological, historical, and eschatological assumptions of Christianity. These include the historicity of Jesus, the Incarnation, the Second Coming, the Virgin Birth, the Resurrection, Salvation through faith in Jesus, and Jesus as a model of ethical behavior.

Until now, an adequately convincing criticism of Christianity did not exist. Martin’s use of historical evidence, textual analysis, and interpretations by philosophers and theologians provides the strongest case made to date against the rational justification of Christian doctrines.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #471077 in Books
• Published on: 1993-03-29
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 256 pages

From the Publisher
A rational critique of Christianity

From the Inside Flap
"Martin has said something fresh and fruitful that theologians and philosophers of religion simply cannot afford to ignore....Every serious student of Christian doctrine would do well to spend time on Martin's insightful chapters."
—Free Inquiry

"A thorough, logical examination of the major tenants of Christianity by a professional philosopher (not a theologian).... [This] is the best book for the intelligent reader that examines the case for and against Christianity.... The book is must reading for all who discuss (or defend) Christianity from a critical point of view."
—American Rationalist

"An insightful and provocative rational analysis of the major doctrinal claims of Christianity.... While a creative critique in its own right, this work is in the tradition of Friedrich Nietzsche, Bertrand Russell, Paul Kurtz, and Edmund Cohen among others...."
—Choice

"This book is a joy to read. It brings together not only Martin’s thoughts about Christianity, but important views, pro and con, from important writers in the field from Russell to Aquinas, Kaufmann to Augustine, Robertson to Kierkegaard, etc.... Martin ‘s presentation of points of view on a topic, in every case, are to the point, detailed, and insightful."
—Peter A. Angeles, Santa Barbara City College

"Martin is one of the very few first-rate philosophers who have had the fortitude and patience to carefully read much of the truly staggering amount of non-philosophical literature on Christian topics."
—Peter H. Hare, SUNY Buffalo

About the Author
Michael Martin, Professor of Philosophy at Boston University, is the author of The Legal Philosophy of H.L.A. Hart (Temple) and Atheism: A Philosophical Justification (Temple).

Customer Reviews

Well-Strucured, but Dry
The Case Against Christianity is a rather dry, but penetrating, assessment of the evidence for and against Christianity. Michael Martin not only focuses upon problems based upon lacking or conflicting historical evidence, but he also examines several doctrines that are taken as essential to Christianity, such as the virgin birth, the resurrection, the incarnation, and others, and argues that they are incoherent, improbable, and unsupporte by the evidence.

The book proceeds by relentlessly critiquing each aspect of Christian belief, offering one or two of the most plausible objections to the critique, and then defending the thesis from the objections. Even though such a style is quite effective in getting Martin's point across, it can make the book rather bland, technical reading. However, while it may not be a very entertaining book, it certainly rises to the occasion in order to establish its conclusions.

Martin starts the book with a discussion of epistemic justifications, and gives good reasons to reject pragmatic-based and "faith"-based justifications along the lines of Plantinga's religious foundationalism. He then argues that it is plausible to maintain that Jesus did not exist, essentially detailing the thesis of G. A. Wells. He argues that because the bulk of evidence is anonymous, driven by theological agendas, written years after Jesus's supposed existence, and there are no reliable outside sources, that there is thus reason to doubt Jesus's existence. However, Martin admits that his argument does not hinge upon this fact, and Jesus could be a legitimate historical person--it could just be that the facts about his life are not true.

From that point on, Martin argues against the Resurrection, the virgin birth, the second coming, the incarnation, the legitimacy of Biblical ethics, and the idea of salvation through faith. He critiques these issues by pointing to the lack of witnesses or the inconsistent and even contradictory accounts given in the Gospels. He also examines conceptual inconsistencies in regards to the incarnation (Jesus as a god who can be tempted?) and Jesus's ethics.

The Case Against Christianity is very thorough, but a bit bland. However, for anyone seriously interested in reading a compelling critique of all the essential tenets of Christianity would do well to read this book.

Waste of my time and money
It is clear that Michael Martin made up his mind that the Bible can't be trusted before even looking at the facts. I have read "The Case for Christ" and "The Case for Christiantiy" and those books are much more balanced and thought-provoking than this. It seems that Martin, like most critics of the Bible, are driven by a strange emotional desire to deny God. They are not driven by the pursuit of truth. The idea of God and Jesus BOTHERS them, to their very core. Why is that? Maybe they don't like the idea that we have someone bigger than us to answer to. Maybe they want to think we ourselves are the true gods of this world and our lives, and anything that threatens that position must be silenced. It is funny to me that these people tout themselves as being "open minded". Michael Martin is not. A more appropriate title for this book would be: "I have already made up my mind, so don't confuse me with the facts."

Well written, just doesn't have facts.
One star is all Martin deserves for this book. Instead of trying to discredit the Gospels, he attacks the creed's, which are held in high regard by the Christian churches, but are not essential to them. He can't disprove Jesus' Christ existence based on physical evidence because there is none against it. He therefore attacks it on philosophical/out-of-context grounds. He can try to come up with a new way to explain the empty tomb. I'll just say to have fun.