The Unlikely Disciple
A Sinner's Semester at America's Holiest University
Ratings10
Average rating3.7
15
A Sinner's Semester at America's Holiest University
Ratings10
Average rating3.7
No drinking.No smoking.No cursing.No dancing.No R-rated movies.Kevin Roose wasn't used to rules like these. As a sophomore at Brown University , he spent his days drinking fair-trade coffee, singing in an a cappella group, and fitting right in with Brown's free-spirited, ultra-liberal student body. But when Roose leaves his Ivy League confines to spend a semester at Liberty University, a conservative Baptist school in Lynchburg , Virginia , obedience is no longer optional.Liberty is the late Reverend Jerry Falwell's "Bible Boot Camp" for young evangelicals, his training ground for the next generation of America 's Religious Right. Liberty 's ten thousand undergraduates take courses like Evangelism 101, hear from guest speakers like Sean Hannity and Karl Rove, and follow a forty-six-page code of conduct that regulates every aspect of their social lives. Hoping to connect with his evangelical peers, Roose decides to enroll at Liberty as a new transfer student, leaping across the God Divide and chronicling his adventures in this daring report from the front lines of America 's culture war.His journey takes him from an evangelical hip-hop concert to choir practice at Falwell's legendary Thomas Road Baptist Church . He experiments with prayer, participates in a spring break mission trip to Daytona Beach (where he learns to preach the gospel to partying coeds), and pays a visit to Every Man's Battle , an on-campus support group for chronic masturbators. He meets pastors' kids, closet doubters, Christian rebels, and conducts what would be the last print interview of Rev. Falwell's life. Hilarious and heartwarming, respectful and thought-provoking, THE UNLIKELY DISCIPLE will inspire and entertain believers and nonbelievers alike. Ebook exclusive: Bonus quiz
Reviews with the most likes.
Short review: I was reluctant to read this. Lots of people told me I would like it. I was concerned that it would be another, “those dumb Christian” books. But this was one of the most compassionate and honest memoir/ethnography I have ever read. The basic premise is a liberal, marginally Quaker, Brown University student goes to a semester at the very conservative Liberty University. He hides his identity but tries to live as a Liberty student.
I went to Wheaton College, not anywhere close to as conservative as Liberty, but I understood much of the culture shock. I many of his issues with Christian culture I understand and agree with. In the end I think that this is a loving book by a non-Evangelical about Evangelicals that all Evangelicals should read. Especially if you grew up in the Evangelical culture.
My full review is at http://www.mrshields.com/the-unlikely-disciple-a-sinners-semester-at-americas-holiest-university-by-kevin-roose/
