Who is Condoleezza Rice?

Secretary of State, White House warrior princess, concert pianist, Alabama girl, once and future professor, football fan — and the most powerful woman on earth.

She is also, says author Leslie Montgomery, a woman of strong faith, a Presbyterian whose extraordinary life can be explained only by the special blessing of God.

Former Nashvillian Montgomery has written a deferential spiritual biography, The Faith of Condoleezza Rice, describing how Christianity shaped Rices world. (Montgomery interviewed loved ones but ultimately never talked to Rice, who nevertheless provided written statements and approved the text of this book.)

Her remarkable life proves you cannot pigeonhole people, as the author learned. Her accomplishments as an African-American Southerner do not fit the usual expectations of white churchgoers who give little thought to racism. Rice confounds some religious conservatives because she never speaks out on abortion or gay rights. She fiercely maintains boundaries: She is a scholar/ analyst, not a politician.

Her values were forged in Birmingham, Ala., in the 1950s and 60s, when the city was being bombed by terrorists — pious white racists who killed to keep minorities down.

In this climate, young Condoleezzas parents, both educators, gave their only child a sense of defiant purpose and self-worth. There was nothing she couldnt do — piano lessons by age 3, then passionate interest in ice skating, the Bible, World War II (and straight A s, needless to say).

During the hateful bad times, her father protected the neighborhood by joining an armed brigade. The ordeal gave his daughter an admiration for the right to bear arms.

Fast-track achievement followed her through high school and college. Eventually she joined the Stanford faculty. Military strategy — and football — fascinated her. Both focus on tactics of taking and defending territory.

She became Republican early on: "I found a party that puts family first. I found a party that has love of liberty at its core. And I found a party that believes that peace begins with strength."

She is called the premier tribune for a Bush wartime foreign policy that believes God wants freedom for the people of the world. Admirers want her to run for president. She says no. Dont be surprised, though, if someday she becomes commissioner of the NFL.

The religious faith of Condi Rice is fondly documented in Montgomerys book, but without debate.

It raises a perplexity. On the fourth anniversary of the Iraq war, the nation has grown disillusioned. A vast Christian citizenry is divided about these Christians in power. Which is the real Christianity? Military metaphors and solutions, or diplomacy and pacifism?

Believers cannot reach consensus, so a confused world stands by, anxious about what this religious nation will do next.