by Kevin Roose
As soon as I heard about this book, I was excited to read it. A "secular" Brown University student wants to spend a semester "undercover" at a strictly conservative, Christian college? Just as I said when I reviewed Rapture Ready!, I enjoy hearing what "outsiders" think of the Christian bubble... especially (specifically) if they are willing to approach it with an open mind. And Kevin Roose does a fantastic job of approaching this subject with an open mind. Sure, he has his biases and his preconceived notions going in... but that was the whole purpose of this project... to get a firsthand look at things inside Liberty University and see if the Bible Boot Camp stereotype is fitting or not.
He's a brave man. Not many would go the lengths he went to, to actually enroll and spend a semester at Jerry Falwell's school and church, taking Bible classes, joining the Thomas Road Church Choir, having a face-to-face interview with the "Big Man on campus" himself... but Roose does, and does so successfully on all accounts. He makes friends, he learns the Bible and actually passes his classes with good grades, he scores a print interview with Falwell that goes on to be part of a special edition of the school's newspaper that is handed out at Falwell's funeral! He learns how to pray, though he still isn't sure if anyone is listening or if it makes a difference.
Roose uncovers the good and the bad of Liberty University, Jerry Falwell and Christian evangelicals in this book. He mulls over the differences between Christian students and secular students, discovers that the differences aren't always as vast as you'd think (which is good and bad), and finds himself actually, surprisingly enjoying his time at Bible Boot Camp. Roose even spends his Spring Break doing The Way of The Master style witnessing to other Spring Breakers at Daytona Beach... and survives to tell about it!
This is a fun, humorous read... Roose tells it like he sees it... and it's highly entertaining to see it through his eyes. He also points out things that I think a lot of Conservative/Evangelical/Bible-Thumpin' Christians oughta take a look at and take note of. I hope that the "opposite" side reads this book as well, though, and discovers what Roose learns during his experience, that we're not all "like that." Just as they're not all "like that" either.
He's a brave man. Not many would go the lengths he went to, to actually enroll and spend a semester at Jerry Falwell's school and church, taking Bible classes, joining the Thomas Road Church Choir, having a face-to-face interview with the "Big Man on campus" himself... but Roose does, and does so successfully on all accounts. He makes friends, he learns the Bible and actually passes his classes with good grades, he scores a print interview with Falwell that goes on to be part of a special edition of the school's newspaper that is handed out at Falwell's funeral! He learns how to pray, though he still isn't sure if anyone is listening or if it makes a difference.
Roose uncovers the good and the bad of Liberty University, Jerry Falwell and Christian evangelicals in this book. He mulls over the differences between Christian students and secular students, discovers that the differences aren't always as vast as you'd think (which is good and bad), and finds himself actually, surprisingly enjoying his time at Bible Boot Camp. Roose even spends his Spring Break doing The Way of The Master style witnessing to other Spring Breakers at Daytona Beach... and survives to tell about it!
This is a fun, humorous read... Roose tells it like he sees it... and it's highly entertaining to see it through his eyes. He also points out things that I think a lot of Conservative/Evangelical/Bible-Thumpin' Christians oughta take a look at and take note of. I hope that the "opposite" side reads this book as well, though, and discovers what Roose learns during his experience, that we're not all "like that." Just as they're not all "like that" either.
Keep rockin' for Christ!
Jade =)
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