The Unlikely Disciple

Admittedly, I had to read this for an English course in writing. Had I not been introduced to it in this manner, I never would have had the opportunity to experience such an world; one so different from mine. LU seems to be much like any other environment where people share a commonality. People are people, no matter where you are. Surely, there are differences, but when you find the similarities, great things happen. I’m passing this book along.

This is not the typical book I read, but because I took an online class through Liberty last year, I found Kevin Roose's story extremely intriguing. Kevin Roose transferred from the very liberal Brown University to the very conservative Liberty University three years ago and wrote about his one semester experience at Liberty. What is unique about this story is that Kevin is not a Christian, but he presented himself as a Christian in an attempt to truly learn what it is like to be a student in a conservative Christian environment. You can see from my reviews that most of the books I read are Christian and cover deep topics, many from a reformed perspective. The Unlikely Disciple was a nice little break from the weightier material that I usually digest. It was also good for me to read from an author who has a totally different outlook on life. I first noticed that The Unlikely Disciple is endorsed by a couple of guys that I strongly disagree with on a number of important theological matters, but despite that, I found this book to be interesting for the most part. I do want to emphasize that I find Kevin Roose's decision to lie about his identity to be morally wrong, but I am glad he was able to learn that the overwhelming majority of the people at Liberty are not the crazy fundamentalists he thought they would be. It should also be noted that Kevin and his friends are crude at times, much like the typical male who attends a secular college in America (which was me). It is obvious that Kevin, who started writing the book when he was 19 years old, is a talented writer with a great deal of support. This book will make some ultraconservatives upset, but I am more sad than anything. Yes, I smiled and laughed at times and felt great to see Kevin grow in many ways, but Kevin failed to see that life is more than just trying to be good and having fun. I'm sure there are some reading this review and rolling their eyes, but I cannot help but feel sad. I hope one day Kevin writes a book where he tells us how his time at Liberty was a time when a seed was planted that God grew.

This book has had a big impact on me. I am an evangelical Christian, and my son is going to liberty next fall. What stuck with me most about the author's experience was the deep impact that christian love and friendship had on his life. At one point he admits that his belief in christ and god is 70-30 in favor of belief. To me this statement alone shows how powerful god is one working in a loving christian environment. The book also challenged me on some long held personal beliefs about homosexuality. The book lays out how a thoughtful and loving approach should be taken, rather than a combative intolerant view.

I, my sister and my brother-in-law all attended LU. My oldest daughter will be attending there in just over two years. I love LU and everything it stands for and I say Roose did an excellent job portraying Liberty for exactly what it is. He was fair and openly asked questions that are reasonable. There are a few moments where Roose fails to truly grasp the culture of the school but the vast majority of the time he manages to discover and describe LU. This book is a great read for evangelicals who want to discover an outsiders look into Christian culture. It is also a great read for nonbelievers who want an inside look into Christian culture. Somehow Roose pulls off both perspectives beautifully.

I absolutely enjoyed this book for exactly what it is, insights from a non-evangelical attending a Christian college. He was honest, fair and transparent in his writing. I read the entire book in just over a day and found myself reliving my Christian college experience through the eyes of an "unbeliever." Some fellow evangelicals will probably bristle and become defensive but if we can get past there there are many illuminating insights that we need to wrestle with. As a believer in inerrancy and creation none of my views were shaken. I encourage Christians to read this with an open mind and a humble heart, not to change what you believe but to understand how you are perceived.

This topic could have easily been written as a textbook comparison of two seemingly polar world views, but instead Roose keeps things quick moving and entertaining while always being fair to both sides and injecting plenty of witty humor, sometimes at his own expense. One of the best reads I've had in a while.

Very interesting book to read...