During his sophomore year at Brown University, Kevin Roose transferred to Liberty University in order to gain first-hand experience of Jerry Falwell's "Bible Boot Camp." In order to fully immerse himself in the experience, he freely chose to conform to the forty-six-page code of conduct called "The Liberty Way."

No drinking. No smoking. No cursing. No dancing. No kissing. No R-rated movies. These are just a handful of the rules - rules that clearly reveal the wide divide between Kevin's experience at Brown University and the world of Liberty University.

During his semester at Liberty, Kevin is surprised by the affectionate relationships he develops with students, teachers, and counselors. He writes, "I had this secular/liberal paranoia that when evangelical students were among themselves, they spent their time huddled in dark rooms, organizing anti-abortion protests and plotting theocentric takeovers. But that's not true at all" (38).

Kevin starts to enjoy the innocent camaraderie and honest concern of fellow students. He realizes there is a greater diversity among the students than he expected. He begins to look forward to times of prayer, finding comfort and peace in its practice. He sees the advantage in dating without the anxiety of physical entanglements. He is even able to secure the final print interview with Jerry Falwell a few days before Jerry's death. Even though he disagrees with many things Jerry believes, he finds him affectionate and charismatic.

Although Kevin recognizes many nuances among the students' beliefs and behaviors, the problem with Liberty is that faith is reduced to one narrow band of beliefs. People are reduced to one of two simple states: saved or unsaved. And the "saved" are defined as those who hold the narrow band of beliefs. Kevin summarizes this problem well:

In Liberty's eyes, the ultra-conservative interpretation of scripture carries the same inerrancy as scripture itself, and if you don't buy it all--if you're a liberal or moderate Christian--you're somehow less than faithful. That sort of prix fixe theology, where Christianity comes loaded with a slate of political views, is a big part of the reason I've been hesitant to accept Liberty's evangelicalism this semester. Somewhere down the road, I might be able to believe in Jesus as Lord, but I could never believe that homosexuality is a sinful lifestyle or tell my future wife to submit to me as her husband. (171)

At the end of the book, Kevin reflects on his time spent at Liberty:

There were moments this semester when I felt myself being pulled in that direction, sometimes quite strongly, but in the end, there's still a rather large gap between my beliefs and the beliefs of my Liberty friends. Am I glad that they hold those beliefs? Yes, for the most part. Do I find their faith compelling and beautiful? When it's not being used to offend or exclude people, sure. But I'm not where they are. (282)

I recommend this book if you've never experienced fundamentalism first-hand. I am familiar with this world, having spent many years in a fundamentalist church and Kevin's analysis, concerns, and critiques are spot on. I've seen the ugly side, but I've also seen how many good and decent people exist and even thrive in fundamentalist churches.

I also recommend this book as a model on how to interact with others who hold different beliefs. Kevin is kind and gracious in his evaluations. He seeks to understand rather than condemn. He refuses to mock and ridicule the beliefs of others, even if they are diametrically opposed to his own. He constantly holds a mirror to himself and honestly examines his own thoughts and opinions in light of the beliefs of others. In the end, Kevin is more well-rounded - more human - because of his willingness to thoughtfully and graciously interact with others who do not share his beliefs.

Those with more progressive and/or liberal leanings could learn much from Kevin's nuanced analysis and his gracious spirit. Those who claim to be "tolerant" can be just as intolerant of those who do not hold their views as the people they write off as intolerant. In this book, Kevin's lesbian aunt and partner come across as the most intolerant people in the book. Their hatred for Jerry Falwell and Liberty is palpable. They show the same absolute certainty in their cause that Jerry does in his, and it comes across just as excessive, intolerant, and mean-spirited. Clearly, intolerance is not the sole possession of the right; the left can be just as guilty.

Kevin concludes his book by thanking the students, faculty, and administrators of Liberty University: "by experiencing your warmth, your vigorous generosity of spirit, and your deep complexity, I was ultimately convinced--not that you were right, necessarily, but that I had been wrong" (319). Though most at Liberty would still resign Kevin to the category of "unsaved" and thus hell-bound, I find in Kevin a little slice of heaven-on-earth. If we could all reflect his manner of approaching others, the world would be a better place, and religion would probably have a better name. Far from being an unlikely disciple, Kevin is a model disciple - he listens, learns, loves, and changes for the better.

Quotes excerpted from The Unlikely Disciple: A Sinner's Semester at America's Holiest University by Kevin Roose

© Richard J. Vincent, 2009