Written by S.T. Joshi. Joshi writes about the history and development of modern Atheism.

William C. Placher is a professor of philosophy and religion and LaFollette Distinguished Professor in the Humanities at Wabash College in Crawfordsville, Ind. His books include, as editor, Callings: Twenty Centuries of Christian Wisdom on Vocation (Eerdmans Publishing, 2005).

James R. Wood is a professor emeritus of sociology at Indiana University, Bloomington, and was part of a team of scholars working on a project called “Organizing Religious Work for the 21st Century.”

The Rev. Ken Davis is director of the Program for Formation of Hispanic Ministry at St. Meinrad School of Theology in Indiana and co-author of Emerging Voices, Urgent Choices: Essays on Latino/a Religious Leadership (Brill Academic Press, 2006).

Paula Nesbitt is a visiting associate professor of sociology at the University of California, Berkeley. She is the author of Feminization of the Clergy in America: Occupational and Organizational Perspectives (Oxford University Press, 1997).

Dean R. Hoge was a professor of sociology at Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. His books include, as co-author, Pastors in Transition: Why Clergy Leave Local Church Ministry (Eerdmans, 2005). Read a 2003 speech he co-authored, posted by Pulpit & Pew.

Dr. Sidney Wolfe is a senior adviser and co-founder of the Health Research Group, one of Public Citizen’s five policy groups. Public Citizen is a nonprofit public interest group in Washington, D.C. Contact Angela Bradbery, director of communications.

James E. Dittes is a professor emeritus of pastoral counseling at Yale University in New Haven, Conn., and has researched clergy calling. His books include, as author, Re-Calling Ministry (Chalice Press, 1999).

Kyle Roberts is executive director of the Congregational Library in Boston and the author of Evangelical Gotham: Religion and the Making of New York City, 1783-1860.