Christian America and the Kingdom of God

Acknowledgments

Acknowledgments This book could not have become a reality without the support and advice of numerous colleagues. I wish to thank first the editorial staff at the University of Illinois Press—especially Willis Regier, director, and Elizabeth Dulany, editor—for the invitation they extended to me to write this book, and Geof Garvey for the marvelous job he did in copyediting the manuscript. Several people contributed financially to free me from some of my teaching duties during the 2005–6 academic year at Pepperdine University, thereby allowing me to complete most of the research for this book during that time frame. I wish to thank in this regard William S. Banowsky, Dwain Evans, Terry Koonce, and Foster Stanback. Martin Marty was especially helpful with his incisive criticisms of an earlier version of this text. In addition, a variety of friends, colleagues, and family members read various drafts of this material and made helpful suggestions. I owe debts of gratitude especially to Randall Balmer, Gordon Brubacher, Raymond Carr, John Fea, Lareta Finger, Samuel S. Hill Jr., Douglas Jacobsen, Ken Johnson, Donald Kraybill, Bill Leonard, Stuart Love, Kelly Phipps, Brian Smith, James Thomas, John Yeatts, David Weaver-Zercher, and Cynthia Wells. I also wish to thank Melissa Lewis, a Messiah College student, who was extraordinarily helpful with her suggestions for how to improve the flow of the text. Finally, I am especially indebted to my wife, Jan, and our son, Andy, who offered extremely helpful insights as I wrote and rewrote various drafts of this book. Although many people helped me to shape its final version, I take full responsibility for whatever shortcomings it may possess. CHriStiAn AMeriCA and the Kingdom of God ...