Acknowledgements
A book owes much to many. Credit is due first to John Rist, under whose direction I began this present study as a graduate student at the Pontifical Patristic Institute, “Augustinianum.” Professor Rist’s teaching, research, mentoring, and acute criticism of my writing taught me how to be a scholar. Anything I have done well in the book is due to his guidance. I claim the mistakes as my own.
I owe sincere thanks to Fr. John Behr, whose suggestion to study Ad Thalassium and continued scholarly encouragement since my first days in Rome proved an invaluable support.
Special thanks is due also to Lewis Ayres, who has been a keen supporter of the present publication while offering friendship and thoughtful advice throughout the revision process. I am grateful that Lewis suggested the volume for Brill’s series “The Bible in Ancient Christianity.” I would like to thank its editor D. Jeffrey Bingham and the other members of the editorial board for accepting the book for publication, as well as the anonymous reviewer, whose criticism made for a much stronger book. In the last days of preparation, Fr. Cyril Pinchak, SJ, provided me with bibliographical assistance at the Pontifical Oriental Institute in Rome, since the COVID-19 crisis kept me locked out of local libraries. Thank you, Cyril.
A special debt of gratitude is owed to many for their friendship, conversation, advice, and encouragement throughout the preparation of this volume. In particular, Archbishop Cyril Vasil, SJ, Bishop John Kudrick, Bishop Milan Lach, SJ, Abbot Joseph Lee, Fr. Bogdan Bucur, Fr. Joseph Carola, SJ, Fr. Jack Custer, Fr. Brian E. Daley, SJ, Fr. Robert Dodaro, OSA, Fr. Stephan Koster, Fr. Bryan Eyman, Fr. Austin Litke, OP, Fr. Andrew Louth, Fr. Thomas Loya, Fr. Carlo Dell’Osso, Fr. Peter and Olenka Galadza, Fr. John Gavin, SJ, Fr. Alexander and Olenka Laschuk, Fr. David Petras, Fr. Kevin Scalf, Deacon Daniel Galadza, Deacon Cyril Kennedy and Ana Larmour, Paul Blowers, Phil Booth, Brian Butcher, Ed Hannenberg, Paul Lauritzen, Thomas Levergood, Matthew Levering, Michael Le Chevallier, Philip Metres, Scott Moringiello, Paul V. Murphy, Sheila McGinn, Stefano Parenti and Elena Velkovska, Mark and Olena Therrien, and Austin Walker.
Last, I thank my wife, Laura. She scrupulously examined every word and generously listened to me lecture one too many times throughout the research, writing, and revision process. More importantly, our life together is the laboratory where we put to work what Maximus put to the page … ἀλλήλοις συγκραθέντες µίαν ἔχοµεν ψυχήν, κἂν δύο σώµατα φέρωµεν.