Let me begin by saying that I appreciate the opportunity to respond to Professor Williams's paper and that I appreciate his efforts at bolstering the cause of modern departments of religious studies. In an academic setting in which many religion programs find themselves struggling to stay afloat and all of us seem busy scrambling to prove our relevance within the consumer-oriented, university community, Williams offers a voice of support and encouragement. So, first and foremost, I thank him for his willingness to share his ideas with us.

What interests me most about Williams's paper is its rather high assessment of the role of teachers of religion within the enterprise of modern, public education. In transmitting and perpetuating “a fundamental human characteristic,” i.e., cultural creativity, teaching scholars are helping in the task of shaping our common future. In their work of transmitting the history of human cultural accomplishments to their students, scholars of religion, and educators in general, bear a tremendous weight and responsibility. Yet it is precisely his high assessment of the teaching about religion that concerns me. The focal point for discussion that Williams raises entails the role of the religion scholar within the religious studies classroom. He asks about the nature of our calling, our “profession” (used by Williams both in the sense of our professional responsibilities as well as our professions of faith), and our civic responsibility given the subject matter that we teach.