Book Review: The Secret Thoughts of an Unlikely Convert by Rosaria Butterfield

The Secret Thoughts of an Unlikely Convert: An English Professor's Journey into Christian FaithThe Secret Thoughts of an Unlikely Convert: An English Professor’s Journey into Christian Faith by Rosaria Champagne Butterfield

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Own.

Bought it for Kindle.  What a read.  Wish I bought a paper copy because I want to lend it to other people to read!

This suddenly began being all over my little corner of the internet.  I was compelled to check it out for myself, and I am so glad.

Her story in the first couple of chapters is sensational; a practicing lesbian and professor of the same becomes a Christian? Her world is rocked and leveled? How can this be?

God is good and reaches people where they are through community to create new community.  He uses means.  The very Word of God is powerful and reaches in to change hearts.  He uses his church to love and support and encourage and surprise.  He uses prayer. 

The book then looks at what that conversion really meant, how it really plays out, how living a life for Christ with, as she puts it, an “R-rated conversion story” looks.  How being a pastors wife is.  How parenting is.  How homeschooling is. How our conversion story isn’t all that we are in Christ.  How the community of faith is important in the daily, constant struggle of being true to Christ.

And then a book is written to encourage the community. 

She brings a needed correction to the Christian community to open to the orphan (and foster child), widow, outcast, lesbian, gay, broken down, hurting people.

Never was the writing boring.  Never was it stilted.  In places, where appropriate, it was honest and raw.  In places, it was nuanced and gentle. 

I’ve read favorite books in January or February during the last couple of years, and this year is no different.  If I could give this six stars (despite some differing ideas on worship), I would. 

Read it.

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3 Comments

  1. A friend just lent this to a friend who then passed it on to me. She also said it was amazing! I won't let it languish on my shelf. 🙂

  2. My friend loaned me her kindle to read it. I LOVED her writing- so honest and beautiful. Great review, as always ; )!

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