Thomas Williams
As a philosophy professor since 1994, I have considerable experience in developing tests, evaluating answers, and assessing the success of an exam in measuring what it is intended to measure. Having taken the GOE myself (in 2008), served as a reader (in 2009, 2010, and 2012), and carefully watched the development of the GOE in the years since, I am keenly aware of the high stakes of the exam, the crucial importance of pastoral sensitivity in evaluating responses, and what makes for good questions. My academic training and publication record show my expertise in church history, theology, and ethics; I also have considerable practical experience and continuing education in church music and liturgy. Having now had one foot in both academic life and priestly ministry (as both a professor and a cathedral canon), I am well-positioned to offer what I think would be a useful perspective on the General Board of Examining Chaplains.