Seeing the Supernatural: Investigating Angels, Demons, Mystical Dreams, Near-Death Encounters, and Other Mysteries of the Unseen World

Modern-day miracles, mystical visions, and unexplained healings stubbornly persist in an age obsessed with quantifiable facts, according to this earnest defense of the supernatural from bestseller Strobel (The Case for Christ). Drawing on interviews and other qualitative research, he discusses how physical brain activity is unable to account for human consciousness; how non-Christians—including many Muslims—routinely receive divine visions of Jesus despite having “have no incentive to experience such an encounter with the Jesus of Christianity, who might lure them into Islamic apostasy and possibly even a death sentence in certain countries”; and how “miraculous” medical healings frequently occur after prayers. Conceding that these phenomena require a great deal of discernment to identify, he concludes by cautioning readers to consider alternative explanations, pray to God for wisdom, and consider the information source’s beliefs and biases, while making clear how supernatural experiences can facilitate personal spiritual growth. Though the book’s parade of anecdotes can feel repetitive, Strobel’s interviews are diverse and wide-ranging, including his discussions with philosophers, pastors, and neuroscientists, several of whom offer creative ways of bridging the gap between the scientific and the divine. Curious Christians will appreciate this energetic, open-minded peek into the world beyond. (Mar.)