The Unlikely Disciple: A Sinner's Semester at America's Holiest University

by Kevin Roose

Members	Reviews	Popularity	Average rating	Mentions
1,172	82	16,978	(4.06)	93
The hilarious and heartwarming, respectful and thought-provoking memoir of a college student's semester at Liberty University, the "Bible Boot Camp" for young evangelicals, that will inspire believers and nonbelievers alike. 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 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 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, 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 a spring break mission trip to Daytona Beach (where he learns to preach the gospel to partying coeds). He meets pastors' kids, closet doubters, Christian rebels, and conducts what would be the last print interview of Rev. Falwell's life.… (more)

all members

▾Members

Recently added by

emmag3, pleigh20, laurenhaag, Anthony_Nunez, CynthiaBelgum, BBCMDLibrary, lafstaff, RevRanger, judico51, sgitomer

▾Tags

▾LibraryThing Recommendations

▾Member recommendations

20
In the Land of Believers: An Outsider's Extraordinary Journey into the Heart of the Evangelical Church by Gina Welch (ToTheWest)
ToTheWest: The two authors were coincidentally in the same place, with similar goals, using similar "undercover" methods, but studying different populations of evangelicals. These books complement each other nicely.
31
The Year of Living Biblically: One Man's Humble Quest to Follow the Bible as Literally as Possible by A. J. Jacobs (schatzi)
schatzi: Kevin is introduced in "The Year of Living Biblically" (and serves as the author's "intern/slave")
20
Them: Adventures with Extremists by Jon Ronson (meggyweg)

▾Lists

Recommend the 20 best books you've read in the last five years (194)

Non-Fiction Worth Reading (68)

Christianity Books You've Read (59)

» 4 more

Books to Recommend to My Niece/Nephew (The late teenage years) (1)

To Read - Non Fiction (27)

My Year Spent Doing Something Stupid so I Could Write This Book (3)

Hachette Book Group (39)

▾Will you like it?

▾Conversations (About links)

No current Talk conversations about this book.

» See also 93 mentions

▾Member reviews

date ▼ | votes

Showing 1-5 of 82 (next | show all)

A fascinating little book about an undergrad who enrolled for a semester at infamous Liberty University.

The author did a good job acknowledging the flaws in his undercover experiment (he's a straight white cis dude, so it was easy for him to feel comfortable in that environment). His description of becoming emotionally invested in evangelical culture makes for an interesting read. There's also the voyeuristic appeal of finding out what extreme evangelical college students are "really" like (the answer: well-meaning if deluded). (

)

raschneid | Dec 19, 2023 |

My main issue with Roose's mission is that he makes a common mistake of modern journalism - in an effort to be fair-minded and to not offend anyone, he does not take a stand on anything. He comes across as someone who lacks strong beliefs - for example, being able to sit through classes on pseudoscience and listening to hate-filled rants are mitigated by the openness and friendliness of the student body. There is a reason that people are so open and friendly - they drank the Kool Aid and now they have no reason (in fact they are discouraged from) questioning or developing an intellectual life. Which I thought was the purpose of a college education.

It would be like attending a radical muslim school that preached death to infidels and encouraged suicide bombing, and ended with the conclusion that "it wasn't so bad, the people were nice, I made some good friends". Roose tries to address this conflict, but in the end he seems to be more concerned with selling books than taking a stand.

That being said, The Unlikely Disciple is an engaging read and does a good job of showing what life is like at Liberty U. (

)

jonbrammer | Jul 1, 2023 |

It was a pretty well done story especially considering he was still in undergrad at the time. It's not exactly view changing for me with regards to liberty, but it does shed some interesting light on the people who choose to attend there and how the metaphorical evangelical sausage is made there (

)

martialalex92 | Dec 10, 2022 |

A fascinating and compassionate take on a world that is (mostly) unknown to me (as a Catholic I don't usually experience much of this). The book is careful in its nuance and endearingly honest. (

)

karimagon | Jun 23, 2022 |

Surprisingly interesting. I can see myself having spent time with him and his friends, had I gone to this school. Worth the read! (

)

ShanLand | Feb 28, 2022 |

date ▼ | votes

Showing 1-5 of 82 (next | show all)

▾Published reviews

15 reviews

add a review

thingScore 73

This book not only helps to better understand our nation’s next generation of evangelicals, it helps us to better understand— and enjoy— ourselves.

added by Katya0133 | editChristian Higher Education, Cynthia Toms Smedley (Sep 1, 2010)

I found this book to be all kinds of things: enjoyable though annoying, frustrating as well as refreshing, informative yet leaving me with questions. What I personally liked most about the book is the author’s search for spiritual truth.

added by stephmo | editExaminer, Vicki Priest Stiegemeyer (Oct 4, 2009)

His account of the experience is nuanced, respectful and personal.

added by Katya0133 | editChristian Century (Aug 25, 2009)

Roose’s “amateur ethnography” is most useful not for its quick glosses of political and doctrinal issues, but for its vivid, sunny and skeptical portrait of life among the saved.

added by Aerrin99 | editNew York Times, Blake Wilson (Apr 17, 2009)

Nevertheless, when Roose’s off-campus friends and family send him messages that betray their fear and loathing for the people sharing his education, it’s clear that Liberty doesn’t have a monopoly on intolerance. The Unlikely Disciple serves as a refreshing cease-fire in the wearying culture wars, likely holding surprises for anyone—theist, atheist, or somewhere in between—who gives it a chance.

added by stephmo | editA.V. Club, Donna Bowman (Apr 9, 2009)

I found this story interesting; it was as if I, as a Reform Jew, were to be transplanted into a Lubovitch sect on campus. My observations would have been:it's not for me, but Mazel Tov if you believe that it's for you.

added by stephmo | editAmerican Chronicle, Stuart Nachbar (Apr 7, 2009)

While Christian fundamentalists in America are often mocked – think “Saved” or “Religulous” – a burgeoning evangelical movement makes understanding students from schools like Liberty crucial. If a kid from Brown can begin to bridge the divide in just one semester, then there’s hope for the rest of us struggling to better understand people we know only by the labels like “fundamentalist” or “Religious Right.”

added by stephmo | editChristian Science Monitor, Sarah More McCann (Mar 31, 2009)

A sometimes startling view of contemporary evangelicalism through an outsider's eyes is reason enough to read this book. But there's also Roose's humor, often at his own expense, to keep readers turning the pages.

added by stephmo | editChristianity Today, Karen Swallow Prior (Mar 23, 2009)

Roose's open-mindedness about believers makes room for common ground, building a sorely needed footbridge across the God Divide.

added by Katya0133 | editPsychology Today (Mar 1, 2009)

Humorous anecdotes are interspersed with thoughtful analysis.

added by Katya0133 | editLibrary Journal, Brian Greene (Feb 15, 2009)

His stint at Liberty hardly changed the world but did alter his way at looking at it. That’s a start.

added by Katya0133 | editBooklist, June Sawyers (Feb 1, 2009)

Problematic but engaging participant observation.

added by Katya0133 | editKirkus Reviews (Feb 1, 2009)

"Complicated" is how Roose describes Falwell, which is a good descriptor for his undercover student experience.

added by Katya0133 | editPublishers Weekly (Jan 12, 2009)

This is a great post that I valued much. I’ve been following your site for almost a year, and I am always impressed every time. Not easy to explain it, I think you should join some course for understanding more.

added by dannytrinh1996 | editThe Daily Show

added by dannytrinh1996 | editThe New York Times

show all

▾Other authors

» Add other authors

▾Series and work relationships

Was inspired by

The Year of Living Biblically: One Man's Humble Quest to Follow the Bible as Literally as Possible by A. J. Jacobs

▾Awards and Honors

Notable Lists

ALA Outstanding Books for the College Bound (Arts and Humanities)

view history

▾Common Knowledge

You must log in to edit Common Knowledge data.

For more help see the Common Knowledge help page.

Canonical title

The Unlikely Disciple: A Sinner's Semester at America's Holiest University

Original title

Alternative titles

Original publication date

People/Characters

Jesus, of Nazareth "Christ"

(show all 9 items)

Important places

Liberty University, Lynchburg, Virginia, USA

Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA

Important events

Related movies

Epigraph

Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it.
HEBREWS 13:2

Dedication

To Mom and Dad,
who would kill the fatted calf for me any day.

First words

It's midnight at Liberty University, and I'm kneeling on the floor of my dorm room, praying.

Quotations

"Prayer may not always be entirely about God," he said. Here, Pastor Seth quoted the famous Christian author Oswald Chambers, who wrote: "It is not so true that prayer changes things as that prayer changes me and I change things."

"When you pray for other people, your own heart will be transformed," Pastor Seth said. "You'll find yourself living for others, making decisions with others in mind, putting the concerns of others ahead of your own. It's a way to connect to other believers in the way God wants you to connect."

Last words

(Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)

Disambiguation notice

Publisher's editors

Blurbers

Original language

Canonical DDC/MDS

Canonical LCC

▾References

References to this work on external resources.

Wikipedia in English

None

▾Book descriptions

The hilarious and heartwarming, respectful and thought-provoking memoir of a college student's semester at Liberty University, the "Bible Boot Camp" for young evangelicals, that will inspire believers and nonbelievers alike. 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 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 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, 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 a spring break mission trip to Daytona Beach (where he learns to preach the gospel to partying coeds). He meets pastors' kids, closet doubters, Christian rebels, and conducts what would be the last print interview of Rev. Falwell's life.

▾Library descriptions

No library descriptions found.

▾LibraryThing members' description

Book description

As a sophomore at Brown University, Kevin Roose spent his days drinking fair-trade coffee, singing in an a cappella group, and generally fitting right in with Brown's free-spirited, ultra-liberal student body. But Roose leaves his Ivy League confines to spend a semester at Liberty University, a conservation Baptist school in Lynchburg, Virginia.

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 Introduction to Youth Ministry and Evangelism 101, hear from guest speakers like Sean Hannity and Karl Rove, and follow a forty-six-page code of conduct--called "The Liberty Way"--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.

Roose's journey takes him to an evangelical hip-hop concert, a Friday night Bible study group, and choir practice at Rev. 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, and Christian rebels, and in a twist of fate, conducts what would turn out to be the last print interview of Rev. Falwell's life. [adapted from jacket]

Haiku summary