Purpose: This essay-conversation brings together two literacy scholars who have worked with religious literacies: Suresh Canagarajah and Anne Elrod Whitney. They discuss not only the importance of religious literacies research but also their own experiences conducting such research as people of faith themselves. Design/methodology/approach: The essay is derived from a live interview conversation between the authors, which was later edited along with short introductory and closing material. Findings: Their conversation addresses religious literacies in disciplinary contexts, in teaching and in the careers of scholars. Originality/value: This essay offers researchers and practitioners in literacy education a perspective from two scholars whose recent work has treated their own faith explicitly.