Acknowledgements
This book is a revision of my doctoral dissertation undertaken at McMaster Divinity College in Hamilton, ON, Canada. I successfully defended the dissertation in the spring of 2021. The time that culminated in completing this work was immensely fulfilling, and I am deeply grateful to my many supporters. I first wish to thank Stanley E. Porter, my primary doctoral supervisor, for his mentorship and the investment he made in me as his student. I am honored to have been able to study under such a superior scholar. I am also grateful to Christopher D. Land, my secondary doctoral supervisor, who repeatedly offered his insightful and often painfully accurate critiques of my work, which have helped me think and write with greater clarity. I also have a great appreciation for the other members of the MDC faculty from whose expertise and wisdom I have benefitted immensely, including Cynthia Long Westfall, Francis G. H. Pang, Mark J. Boda, and Michael P. Knowles. Of those among my peers at MDC, I particularly wish to recognize David J. Fuller and Ryder A. Wishart for their friendship and for continually pushing me to aim higher with my academic goals.
It is an honor to have followed in the footsteps of my former professor, James D. Dvorak, in earning a Ph.D. at MDC as well as publishing my dissertation in the same erudite monograph series. However, I am even more humbled to have had such a faithful friend as Jim, who has stood beside me and helped me develop into the scholar and the person I am today.
I wish to specially acknowledge my parents, John and Tamara Dawson, who have provided the encouragement I have needed to keep my focus on and finish this goal. I am forever grateful for their support. I am also grateful to my father- and mother-in-law, Daryl and Gail Nash, whose interest and investment in my academic pursuits have been a tremendous blessing.
One of the most life-changing experiences during the course of writing this dissertation-turned-monograph was becoming a father. My son, Eli, has changed my perspective on numerous aspects of life and gave me a renewed sense of urgency and purpose to complete this work. I believe I will also be a better scholar for having been blessed with my son, who is a continual reminder to me that God is good.
Last, I wish to thank my wife, Morgan. It is not easy to imagine what life would look like under different circumstances, but I can say with certainty that without the love, companionship, patience, and emotional support I have received from my wife, I would not be where I am or who I am today. It is with a heart filled with love and gratitude that I dedicate this book to her.