Wednesday, December 13, 2006

Wilmington, N.C. - Walter H. Conser, Jr., Professor of Philosophy and Religion at University of North Carolina Wilmington, has written A Coat of Many Colors, a comprehensive and compelling history of the Cape Fear region from the perspective of its religious communities.

From the first landfall by Giovanni Verrazzano in March 1524 to the arrival of the most recent baby boomers, Conser charts the course of newcomers to the Cape Fear through the religious communities they founded.

We may think of religious diversity as a modern phenomenon, but the city of Wilmington and its environs have experienced it from their origins, partly due to the nature of the region as a port and partly due to the economic, social and political opportunities that either attracted new populations or were created by them.

Conser locates the spiritual roots of the Cape Fear, including those of Native American Indians, and subsequently tracks the region's evolution in a work that navigates times of regional hope and crisis through the negotiations of communities of faith - not only with each other - but with political, economic and cultural change.

In describing his book, Conser notes, "While many areas of our nation are just now experiencing religious diversity, the Cape Fear region has had a remarkable degree of religious variety for a long time. Recognition of this diverse religious past is not only enlightening, it can also help present-day residents of the Cape Fear identify sources of strength and hope as they confront new and unanticipated issues in the 21st century."

There will be a book signing and opportunity to meet the author from 2 - 4 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 17 at the New Hanover County Public Library, North Carolina Room, 201 Chestnut Street, Wilmington, N.C. Parking is free.

Copies of Coat of Many Colors: Religion and Society along the Cape Fear River of North Carolina will be available at the signing but may also be ordered directly from the publisher at www.kentuckypress.com

Contact: Dr. Walter Conser

Professor, Department of Philosophy and Religion, UNCW

910.962.3412

conserw@uncw.edu

http://www.uncw.edu/par/faculty-conser.html