Book Review: The Secret Thoughts of an Unlikely Convert: An English Professor’s Journey into Christian Faith
review by Carol Reid
Rosaria Champagne Butterfield, The Secret Thoughts of an Unlikely Convert: An English Professor’s Journey into Christian Faith (Pittsburgh, PA: Crown & Covenant Publications, 2012). 153 pages.
The first indication was the waiting list at the public library for this book. When you are sixth in line to read it, that’s a good sign that the book is worth reading. Another good sign is that it was written by a literature professor. Its five chapters read well; and it has insight and depth, written with remarkable syntax and style.
Review & Analysis
Talk about an unlikely convert! A universalist, feminist, lesbian English professor is about as unlikely as one can imagine. But Rosaria Butterfield’s memoir/testimony reflects not only on her salvation experience, but also the transformation of her life and lifestyle in the years following. When a local pastor writes to invite her to converse after the local newspaper publishes her critique of Promise Keepers, this Chairman of Undergraduate Studies/English professor/Gender Studies professor discovers a more reasonable, kinder approach to Christianity and apologetics. Her conversations and then friendship with this pastor and his wife turn her world upside down, eventually leading to her conversion, monumental lifestyle changes, and strong testimony to the university community.
The book includes two essays: Rosaria’s university lecture as a “fledgling follower of Jesus Christ” (pages 42-48) and the remarkable sermon from her wedding (pages 97-107). Rosaria’s story continues with her church family’s compassion through her broken engagement, her job change to teach in a Christian college, church planting efforts with a new husband, and their work with foster and adopted children. The final chapter, in the context of a family’s search for God’s direction, includes a convincing presentation of a classical approach to homeschooling.
Many times, though, the “asides” of her story were more meaningful to the reader than her intended topics. While not her main intent, Butterfield’s recounting of the compassionate, consistent evangelistic efforts of Pastor Ken Smith and his wife provide a model for effective witnessing. The hospitality themes show up again and again—in Rosaria’s conversion, in her work with university students (in both Christian and secular colleges), and in church planting.
Some specifics of the book include the following. Her perspective of “the sin of Sodom” points to “pride not sexual orientation as the root sin” (page 32) in Ezekiel 16:48-50 and Matthew 11:23-24. Also, her discussion of worldview (pages 87-88) is valuable. With her evaluation of the doctrine of the Reformed Presbyterian Church is an interesting description of the Regulative Principle of Worship (pages 89-91) and a cappella psalm singing (pages 92-93) of that denomination. In addition, her brief discussion of infertility (page 137-138) is insightful:
[T]oo many grieving women . . . interpret their infertility as a sign that they cannot fulfill their God-given duty as a life-giver. . . . God is not crushing the dreams of parenthood when he deals the card of infertility. God is asking you to crush the idolatry of pregnancy, to be sure. And he is saying: Dream My dreams, not yours! Currently there are 7,000 children in Virginia who are waiting for adoption. Give him your dreams!
One last point of interest is her paragraph on being a ministry wife from page 129:
[T]here is a little-known secret about the inner spiritual lives of pastor’s wives: the experience of really knowing the man behind the pulpit, counting the costs of his week, palpably knowing how deeply Satan wants the gospel to simply die from lack of interest, seeing the Holy Spirit triumph in his preaching even when just the hour before all looked grim, is a great shot in the arm for enduring faith. I wish that others knew this: Pastor’s wives get the cream of the ministry, even as we sacrifice certain aspects of our personal, private, and family lives to have this.
Conclusion
In addition, the bibliography and resources listed at the end of the book provide a strong, current reading list on a variety of topics from adoption to homeschooling to postmodernism to feminism. This book may be most valuable in helping to find insight into the mindset of homosexuals and establishing the right tone for initiating conversation with them.
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About the Author: Carol Reid is the Librarian at Welch College. She is a graduate of Welch College and received her Masters in Library Science from Vanderbilt University. Carol serves as the secretary for the Association of Christian Librarians. She and her husband Dr. Garnett Reid have two adult sons, Hugh and Seth, two lovely daughters-in-law, and three red-headed grandchildren. Her interests include quilting and bargain hunting. She often contributes to other FWB publications.
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