Kathleen Norris to speak at ACU as part of Centennial Speaker Series

For immediate release

Feb. 1, 2006

Abilene Christian University's Centennial Speaker Series will continue Monday, Feb. 27, at 7:30 p.m. in Hart Auditorium featuring Kathleen Norris, award-winning poet, writer and author.

Norris will be giving a lecture titled, "To say 'God is love' is the same as saying 'Eat Wheaties.'" The presentation is free and open to the public.

Norris has published seven books of poetry. In 1971, she was the winner of the Big Table Younger Poets Award for her first book of poems, Falling Off. In addition, four of her books have been named New York Times bestsellers: The Cloister Walk; Dakota: A Spiritual Geography; Amazing Grace: A Vocabulary of Faith; and The Virgin of Bennington. Other books by Norris include: Journey: New and Selected Poems and The Holy Twins, a children's book written in collaboration with author/illustrator Tomie de Paola. She is also the recipient of grants from the Bush and Guggenheim Foundations.

With her writings, Norris intends to tell stories about theological concepts such as grace, repentance, dogma and faith by grounding them in everyday life.

Her first non-fiction book, Dakota: A Spiritual Geography, was inspired by her move to her grandparent's home in Lemmon, S.D., which now has been her home for more than 30 years. This book was a New York Times "Notable Book of the Year" and was selected as one of the best books of the year by Library Journal.

Upcoming speakers in ACU's Centennial Speaker Series include:

Dr. Stephen Carter – March 30 • 11:45 a.m. luncheon, Teague Special Events Center
Robin Roberts – April 8 • 6:30 p.m. dinner, Teague Special Events Center
Dr. Jean Bethke Elshtain – April 20 • 7:30 p.m. lecture, Teague Special Events Center
Dr. John Maxwell – April 25 • noon luncheon, Teague Special Events Center

ACU, a national leader in Christian higher education with 4,700 students from around the world, was founded Sept. 11, 1906. The university is celebrating its Centennial year from Aug. 22, 2005 to Sept. 11, 2006 with the theme "Called to Faith and Excellence."

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