The Unlikely Disciple

19-year-old Kevin Roose was a sophomore at Brown University when he landed an intern gig with author AJ Jacobs while Jacobs was working on his book: The Year of Living Biblically. It was this experience that revealed to Roose he had little to no experience, knowledge or understanding concerning evangelical Christians. So he decided to take a semester off from Brown to study abroad. By "abroad" he meant Jerry Falwell's Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia - the largest evangelical University in the world.

During his semester, Roose struggles with the ethical implications of pretending to be an evangelical when he is not. He sings in Jerry Falwell's church choir, participates in prayer groups and makes friends - all with the intent of deciphering the inner workings of evangelical Christianity and eventually writing a book about his experience.

Things take a strange turn when Kevin requests and is granted the opportunity to interview Jerry Falwell for the school newspaper. The article is a success - so much so that when Jerry Falwell dies in his office shortly after Roose's article is published, it is his article that is reproduced in the tens of thousands and handed out at the funeral. Receiving calls from news outlets, Kevins Roose is faced with going from conflicted secular impostor to spokesperson for Liberty University.

I found the book fascinating and frustrating. I believe Roose gives fair treatment to Liberty University (the good and the bizarre) and I was glad to have read The Unlikely Disciple.

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