This work is the culmination of a long journey beginning at the University of Virginia, reformulated at Georgetown University, and finally brought to completion at Fuller Theological Seminary. At each stage of the process, I have been indebted to the mentorship and challenges of my professors, friends, and family members. I took the first step on this journey in 2010 and would never have thought I would end up in a doctoral program working on a book that puts into words the struggles I have gone through in formulating my own religious identity. I would like to thank my colleagues at the Stony Brook School for their belief in me as a teacher and for challenging me to continue my education. I would especially like to thank Judy Oulund, Sean Riley, Tim Belk, and Eric Johnson for their long conversations about philosophy, religion, and history.
It was at the University of Virginia that I was drawn to the field of religious studies and Islamic studies in particular. I would like to thank my professors and mentors who gave me critical feedback on my work and took the time to mentor me through my novice struggles to dive into the Islamic tradition and comparative religious studies: Abdulaziz Sachedina, Ahmed al-Rahim, and Charles Matthews. I would also like to thank my professors at Georgetown University for teaching me the rigors of doctorate level work along with the critical skills necessary to become a scholar in religious studies. I want to thank Daniel Madigan, Paul Heck, Felicitas Opwis, and Jonathan A.C. Brown for their mentorship and their time dedicated to aid me in my studies. I would also like to thank my fellow graduate student colleagues with whom I had numerous stimulating and challenging discussions that have developed into this book.
This book would not have happened without my professors at Fuller Theological Seminary taking an interest in my research and providing me with mentorship and funding. I am grateful for their pastoral dedication to my success and would like to thank my advisor Richard Mouw and my committee members Amos Yong and Martin Accad. I also would like to thank David Scott for his interest in my success and the time he has taken to mentor me through the missiology program. I would also like to thank Cornelis van Der Kooi and George Harinck for their encouragement and advocacy on my behalf. I would also like to thank my editor Claire Renaud for walking with me through each step of writing and editing this document. Thank you also to my colleagues at Wheaton College for supporting this work and especially for Michael Graves for his input and comments.