Author of "The Unlikely Disciple" to speak at King College

Kevin Roose, author and Brown University student, will speak at King College on Monday, March 29, 2010.

A 22 year old Brown senior, Roose grew up in Ohio, the child of Quaker parents.  During Roose's sophomore year, he met several students from Liberty University.  The meeting led to his enrolling at Liberty as a transfer student, to, in his words, "learn about my Christian peers by living among them for a semester."

Roose chronicles his journey as an undercover student at Liberty University, which he refers to as the late Reverend Jerry Falwell's "Bible Boot Camp" for young evangelical Christians, in his book titled "The Unlikely Disciple: A Sinner's Semester at America's Holiest University." His book has created a distinct ripple through Christian higher education and brought about conversations about "the culture wars."

"Roose's book is a powerfully written analysis of many of the stereotypes that haunt both secular and religious education," said Dale Brown, director of the Buechner Institute at King College.  "We are pleased to be able to arrange this appearance by a young writer who is very perceptive about the attempt to integrate faith and learning."

The New York Times said of his book that "Roose went to Liberty as an undercover writer, not as a seeker, though much of his book's considerable charm comes from the fact that he liked a lot of what he found...[a] vivid, sunny and skeptical portrait of life among the saved."

Roose is once again attending Brown University, where he studies English Literature.  He is a staff writer for the "College Hill Independent", a regular columnist for the "Brown Daily Herald", and a Rose Writing Fellow.  His work has also been published in "Esquire," "mental_floss," and "Spin," among other publications.

Roose will present "The Unlikely Disciple" in King's Memorial Chapel at 7 p.m.  The event is open to the public and free to attend.