Our most fundamental fear is the fear of death. Best-selling author Stephen King appeared on a morning news show years ago, promoting one of the books for which he is known—a thick volume on some blood-curdling theme. At one point, the interviewer interrupted her stream of inquiries about his latest effort to ask a more fundamental question.

Discipleship characterizes one element in a relationship. Normally, it establishes the intellectual dependence of a student on a teacher. The primary objective of the disciple is to learn. The teacher may teach by passing out information, or by dispensing wisdom. In other words, what is transmitted from one to the other in the relationship may be information: facts, formulas, and so forth, or habits of mind that make possible discriminations, evaluations, judgments. Dispensing wisdom, the teacher serves as an exemplar in the use of knowledge, rather than as a depository of it.