Asian American Apostate

Losing Religion and Finding Myself at an Evangelical University

By: R. Scott Okamoto

Narrated by: R. Scott Okamoto

“Asian American Apostate is a stunning contribution to the topic of deconstruction and leaving high-demand religion that for too long has been almost exclusively occupied by White voices.” (Bradley Onishi, host of Straight White American Jesus and author of Preparing for War: The Extremist History of White Christian Nationalism—and What Comes Next)

R. Scott Okamoto had no idea that his job as an English teacher at an evangelical Christian college meant facing bigotry as an Asian American and faux intellectualism as a teacher—and what it would mean for his own journey.

Asian American Apostate is a wry an ironic story of leaving religion while teaching at an evangelical university. Okamoto's often chilling accounts reveal that these schools, where prayer and trite theological debate erupts in any lecture, are anything but higher education. Stories range from a classroom declaration against interracial marriage because it causes painful pregnancies, to grading a paper entitled, “Why Obama Is a Nazi,” and to the times Okamoto, a popular teacher, was disciplined by school officials for keeping standards for writing. Okamoto's personal reporting gives you the inside story of how America’s evangelical schools encourage not a life of the mind but White cultural power. But more than that, you’ll see how Okamoto, despite personal and professional challenges, found clarity about who he was not, and who he was coming to be.

Listen along as Scott recounts his difficult, unlikely, and ultimately encouraging spiritual journey that will immerse you the search for a deeper and more expansive life.

©2023 R. Scott Okamoto (P)2023 R. Scott Okamoto

One of the BEST books on religious deconstruction!

I related to this book on SO many levels: as an Asian American, as a former evangelical active in my college days with InterVarsity, as someone who has thoroughly - but is still actively - deconstructing his faith, and as an ally to the LGBTQ+ community. Okamoto nails all of it so well.

With humor and keen analysis, Okamoto's experiences at "EVU" shine a damning light on the myriad ways in which American Evangelical Christianity is structured as a straight, white, cis, middle-class, capitalist, conservative institution at the expense of all other groups that dare to challenge that culture and hierarchy. It is shocking yet not at all surprising to hear about how much outright hypocrisy and bigotry he faced at EVU as liberal, Asian-American professor from both the faculty and students. Okamoto is an unsung hero for challenging the racist and homophobic status quo in evangelicalism.

This book is revealing, hilarious, and infuriating all at the same time. It is a must read for anyone who is deconstructing their faith or seeking to understand those who are deconstructing.

The Secret Life of an Evangelical College

I heard Mr. Okamoto on a podcast and the stories he told about his time as a professor at an Evangelical College were both amusing and shocking. This book lived up to my expectations and surpassed them. The world of Evangelical Christians is stranger than us outsiders can ever imagine. Professor Okamoto does his best to educate his students previously unchallenged in their worldviews by homeschooling or Christian high schools. He is a compassionate soul who does his best to mentor the BiPOC & LGBTQ students in a college that disdains their very existence. This is a rich, humorous, thoughtful memoir and I strongly recommend it to anyone interested in learning more about Evangelical Christians.

Upbeat book about sad subject

Written in more upbeat tone than other writings about th8s group. Ctainly confirms the author's claim that, for 15 years, he delivered spellbinding lectures to his college English students. My life, irreparably scarred by the author's inquisitors.  Mercifully,  I've been out of country x 20 years, so missed the details of the evangelicals' machinations in since year 2000.  I'm very old, first birth into evangelical home  (but NOT born again.)  Of course, all that hecsays is 100% compatible with my own "all too many" years with that group.  I've been on the WRONG side of every single issue  ever promukgated by this group, even personally attending a breakfast meeting with famed C, Everett Koop at an anti-antiabortion rally!  Yes, similar shenanigans drove me "kicking and screaming" OUT of Christianity. 

great read/listen

loved this author's podcast, and loving his book now too!! will give a more thorough review when I'm further in.