THOUGHT & ACTION SUMMER 2016 37 The 4th R: Encountering Conservative Christianity in the Classroom By Rebecca Barrett-Fox I walk into class on the first day, scanning my roster and my classroom for visible signs of difference—or lack thereof—that are likely to affect how my students relate to each other and to me, and that may shape how they approach, engage, and use the material presented in the college classroom. I think deeply about the kinds of differences that are not visible yet are present—in sexual orientation, in family status, in invisible disabilities, and in other categories—and adopt a universal design for learning that seeks to meet the needs of all students, respectfully engaging them and supporting them in their studies. I teach explicitly about the community of the Rebecca Barrett-Fox is an assistant professor of sociology at Arkansas State University, where she directs Women and Gender Studies. She is the author of God Hates: Westboro Baptist Church, American Nationalism, and the Religious Right (University Press of Kansas, 2016) as well as numerous articles and chapters focusing on religion, hate and extremism, and sexuality and gender. Jesus is my friend…I don’t want to disappoint Him. To me, He’s not dead; He’s alive. I don’t want anyone to get talked out of believing in him just because some professor thinks he should. —Josh Wheaton, God’s Not Dead