Grading has always been a hallmark of education at all levels, and there are no signs that it will cease being important and necessary. It can be problematic, but that does not mean that dropping it is a better alternative than retaining it.
Grading has a very important place institutionally. It provides a standard rubric for assessment that can be understood across the curriculum and even across institutions. So it is useful for communication across disciplines, for standardization, and for the completion of the institutional task of education.
Dr. Michael Burer is Assistant Professor of New Testament Studies at Dallas Theological Seminary. He is the assistant project director for the NET Bible and has contributed various studies to the bible.org site. His first book - A New Reader's Lexicon of the Greek New Testament, co-authored with Jeff Miller - was published Fall of 2008.