PATCHOGUE, NY – OCTOBER 9, 2007 – The Institute for the Study of Religion in Community Life at St. Joseph’s College is proud to welcome New York Times best-selling author, Dr. Stephen Prothero, to present a lecture on “Religious Literacy: What Every American Needs to Know and Doesn’t.” Dr. Prothero will speak on Monday, October 29, 2007 at 7:30 p.m. in the McGann Conference Center located in O’Connor Hall on the College’s Long Island Campus.

A historian of American religions, Dr. Stephen Prothero has written and published five books, including his most recent publication, Religious Literacy: What Every American Needs to Know and Doesn’t, which earned its place on the New York Times best seller list and was nominated for a 2007 Quill Book Award. During his lecture, which shares the same title as his provocative new book, Dr. Prothero will talk about why religious knowledge is rapidly declining in 21st century American societies and offer practical solutions to remedy this problem.

Dr. Prothero has published numerous articles for a variety of newspapers and magazines, including the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post and Boston Globe. A frequent guest on NPR, he has also appeared as a special guest commentator on several popular television programs, including The Today Show, The Oprah Winfrey Show, The Daily Show with Jon Stewart and The O’Reilly Factor. The recipient of numerous honors and awards for his scholarly work, Dr. Prothero is currently the Chair of the Department of Religion at Boston University. He earned his B.A. in American Studies and graduated summa cum laude from Yale College; he received his M.A. and Ph.D. in the Study of Religion from Harvard University. This event is open to the public with a registration fee of $15 in advance or $20 at the door. For additional information, please contact S. Suzanne Franck at (631) 447-3372 or email sfranck@sjcny.edu. Or, visit us online at www.sjcny.edu/religion.

About St. Joseph's College

St. Joseph’s College has been dedicated to providing a diverse population of students in the New York metropolitan area with an affordable education rooted in the liberal arts tradition since 1916. Independent and coeducational, the College provides a strong academic and value-oriented education at the undergraduate and graduate levels, aiming to prepare each student for a life characterized by integrity, intellectual and spiritual values, social responsibility, and service. With campuses located in the Clinton Hill area of Brooklyn and in Patchogue, Suffolk, Long Island, the College offers degrees in over 22 majors, special course offerings and certificates, affiliated and pre-professional programs through its School of Arts and Sciences and its School of Professional and Graduate Studies.