Religion and spirituality are gaining renewed appreciation as key elements of the cultural milieu. Yet there has been an inattention to the academic study of religion and spirituality in U.S. education due to several contributing causes. Central to remediating this deficiency is an understanding of these causes and how the reform of key factors in higher education may play a part. This article outlines several conditions contributing to this "failure to engage" the ideas of religion and spirituality in the academy and notes some encouraging trends that may provide opportunities for progress. (Contains 5 notes.)