I would like to thank numerous people for their contributions to this project.
I was honoured to be an apprentice to Phil Ziegler, my doctoral supervisor, whose gentle criticisms, astute editorial suggestions, and example of theological valour guided my research. Valuable criticisms and encouragement also came from Sam Strauss, Simon Herrmann, Volker Gäckle, and Roland Deines. B.J. Whitaker invested precious hours in pointing me toward language corrections, and offered, along with his friendship, helpful comments. The responsibility for the final product is, of course, entirely mine.
Tom Wright is to be thanked first for his diligence in producing a theological corpus worthy of study, and second for his approachability and interest in my engagement with it. He generously took time to meet with me during his Gifford Lectures in Aberdeen in February 2018, and again at the SST Conference at the University of Warwick in April 2019, both of which were for me formative occasions.
I would also like to thank the Liebenzell Mission, in particular Martin Auch, Jürgen Schuster, and Mark Outerbridge, for supporting the doctoral research that led to this book, and for their farsighted estimation of theological reflection. Andreas Jägers’ friendship brightened many a dark day and reminded me of the significance of my ruminations. My parents, Eugen and Anneliese Kramer, and my parents-in-law, Georg and Erika Weißer, supported my work and our family both practically and spiritually in ways immeasurable.
Finally, thanks are due to Tine, my wife, for her love, wisdom, and unwavering commitment to our calling and our family. During this season of study, she and our daughters Elea, Fiona, and Junia were a continuous source of joy, an unspoken challenge to think relevantly, and a constant reminder of this project’s wider horizon: God desires life.
S. D. G.