Rating: 
Summary: Takes too naive a view of the Bible.
Review: One need not choose between lord, liar, or lunatic. McDowell fails to consider the most plausible hypothesis of all - that the biblical account of the resurrection is a legend. My recommendation: read a good book on biblical criticism - you will see that everything is not nearly as cut and dried as McDowell would have you believe.
Rating: 
Summary: not bad, however simplistic and outdated
Review: McDowell's book is obviously a personal account of his conversion to Christianity and must be read specifically in that manner - it is not a scholarly work, although he tries to present it as such (this is the injustice). Chapter four, "Are the Biblical Records Reliable" is especially disturbing because he oversimplifies such complex matters as the dating of scriptural texts. However, what I find most bothersome is the fact that this book is being used as a modern day evangelism tool when some of the information is inaccurate and outdated. It seems that those who have read the book and reviewed it, take Mcdowell's information as fact soley because he is writing about Jesus. I wonder at what point during their conversion they lost their ability to be critical of information. I, too, am a Christian and fully support efforts to help others gain an understanding of Jesus as the Christ, but I find the spreading of misinformation deplorable and unexcusable. Although I would not recommend this book (I think that it undermines one's intelligence), I do commend Mcdowell's initiative.
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Summary: My dad, an Engineer, and I, a History Major
Review: I became a believer in 1976 when I had been an agnostic for 25 yrs...my dad was a very analytical guy and quite intelligent. He was an agnostic all of his life, and in 1981, I gave him Josh's book for Christmas. When I asked him whether he had read the book, he replied "yes" and "now I am trying to memorize it"! He became a believer in 1982 and died in 1991...More Than a Carpenter is the analytical-type's answer for the many legitimate questions that Engineers, Doctors, Lawyers, and History majors may have about Jesus'claims of devinity, the Trinity, the Resurrection, and the Virgin Birth. My dad and many analytical friends have been Saved because of the Holy Spirit and Josh's work! My favorite chapter is: "Who would Die for a Lie?" It is a great little (ie. 128 pgs) book.
Rating:
Summary: Great for those who don't understand who Jesus really is.
Review: For anyone who doesn't know that Jesus is the son of God, and doesn't understand how this can be true, this book is great. Many do not think that Jesus can possibly be God's son, and believe Him to be a mere man. This will definetely provide them with information to show Jesus' deity.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent source of reference to the " seeker "
Review: As a follower of Jesus, I was introduced to this book by a fellow Christian who said that he uses it as an evangelistic tool. After reading it, I can say that I wholeheartedly agree with its use for this purpose. This book was not written to those whose minds are closed, but to those who are truly seeking to find out who Jesus of Nazareth really was. More than a Carpenter is a condensed version of this author's two other more in-depth works, Evidence that Demands a Verdict and A Ready Defense. I am currently reading the latter and give it the same high marks. I plan to always keep a few copies of this highly affordable tool in my suitcase to give to fellow seekers I encounter as I travel. I cannot imagine $4 better spent !
Rating:
Summary: Mindless tripe
Review: While I am an atheist, I try to be fair to pro-religious argumentation. Toward this end I will assert for the record that there are some very good defenders of Christianity out there. But Josh McDowell definitely isn't one of them; and any person of reasonable intelligence coming to this book can only conclude that Christianity is doomed if its defenders can do no better than this. This is completely mindless tripe, nothing more.
Rating:
Summary: An excellent book that simply looks at who Christ was.
Review: Josh in this book examines in a very simple but very potent way who Jesus Christ was and the credentials for Catholisism. Quite remarkable about this book is that as small and simple as it is, behind it was a massive amount of research that is now documented in two volumes. Published under the titles of "Evidence that demands a verdict volume I and II" I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to know why they believe.
Rating:
Summary: Great Book
Review: As a former atheist, I used to read a lot of the secular websites and their views, and this book was the first Christian apolegetic book I've read. I highly recommend this book to anyone, although it is not very "deep", it lights the fire in your heart and mind to truly seek the truth. It is an amazing book and it truly changed my life and view of Christianity. It provided evidence that Christianity is not a blind faith but it is a belief that can be supported thorugh evidence as well as personal experience.
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Summary: FOLLOW-UP REVIEW
Review: I recently wrote a brief review and have received a number of negative e-mail responses as a result. A complete rebuttal of the arguments in the book is not possible within the limited space provided. In response I would like to recommend two books for anyone with an open mind. They provide a rational analysis of the so called "evidence." The first is "The Case Against Christianity" by Michael Martin. He evaluates the historicity of Jesus and also discusses illogic Christian dogma like salvation. The second book is "The Unauthorized Version" by Robin Lane Fox (both are available from amazon.com). The latter book covers the entire Bible as well as discussing recent archaeological "discoveries." As Jesus said, "You will know the truth, and the truth shall set you free."
Rating: 
Summary: The "Mere Christianity" of apologetics
Review: Wonderful little book! I read the book as a Christian; therefore, I'm admittedly sympathetic to the arguments presented in it. I disagree with some of what the negative reviews say. This is not a particularly scholarly book in its presentation--I was especially surprised to see the number of quotes from the Encyclopedia Brittanica. However, Josh McDowell does make a fairly strong attempt to address counter-arguments. His overall appeal is, to my mind, logical. His book is clearly written for everyone--this is not a scholarly work by a scholarly theologian--it is intended for real people to read and enjoy. One thing to keep in mind--the Bible makes it clear that there were many who actually walked with Christ yet rejected his ministry. Therefore, how would anyone expect to achieve widespread consensus as to Christ's legitimacy through mere apologetics? It takes more than an argument--it takes a submissive spirit and a humble mind. But it doesn't take a blind leap of faith, and I think Josh McDowell has shown this beautifully. For me, this was a great faith builder. There were many things that McDowell brought up that I had never really considered before that very much helped me to love God with my mind. This is a tough thing for 20th century man to do. If you liked this book, I'd recommend "Mere Christianity" by C. S. Lewis. It's a common-sense approach to Christian theology written by and for the layman.
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