​ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I wish to express my gratitude to the many seminaries, ministers’ conferences and workshops for giving me the opportunity to engage in dialogue concerning “things of the spirit.”

Special thanks is due my colleagues at Union Theological Seminary and Auburn Seminary for their gifts of friendship and loving criticality in service of “a more excellent way.”

For his many hours of personal and professional advice, Professor James M. Washington deserves more appreciation than can be expressed in this limited space.

Robin Lytle Turner, my editorial assistant, gave more than faithful service. Her prayers and encouragement helped to sustain the project.

I am especially grateful for the patience, persistence and editorial wisdom of Greg Michael, the Professional Books Editor at Abingdon Press, who shared in this project as a God given companion along the way.

Finally I must acknowledge that my wife, Bettye, and my son, James - through their support and longing to see the completion of this book - provided the motivation and companionship I needed to “bring forth.”