My first debt is to the staff of the Marion E. Wade Center at Wheaton College in Wheaton, Illinois. They were extraordinarily helpful in aiding me in this work. I am especially grateful to the late director, Christopher P. Mitchell, to whom this book is dedicated. Marjorie Lamp Mead was similarly gracious and insightful during early discussion of the project. I also benefited from the extremely knowledgeable and gracious aid of Laura Schmidt, the Center’s archivist. Shawn Mrakovich provided valuable assistance as well. The Wade Center was also helpful in making inquiries, including on their Web site, regarding the use of Mere Christianity around the world. I am especially grateful and honored to have been the 2013 recipient of the Clyde S. Kilby Research Grant from the Wade Center. I highly value the esteem of those who work at this fine center, and it has been a pleasure to work with them.
A number of scholars and others have been particularly helpful in making suggestions or furnishing me with materials prior to formal publication. These include Stephanie Derrick, Alan Jacobs, Bruce L. Johnson, Alister McGrath, Robert Millett, Bill Reimer, and Michael Ward. Mickey Maudlin, religion editor at HarperOne, has been helpful in sharing his own reflections on Lewis as well as other information.
Maggie Noll provided invaluable research materials that greatly enriched this work concerning early Lewis reception. Mark Noll offered insights on that material, as well as on much else about Lewis.
I am grateful to all those who contributed to the project of trying to discover where Mere Christianity is used throughout the world. I have thanked these contributors in the long note near the end of chapter 6. I want, however, to express my gratitude again for those who especially facilitated that effort or provided extensive comments. These include Daniel Denk, Philip George, Philip Holtrop, John McIntosh, Majorie Lamp Mead, Steven Van Zanen, and Yongmei Wang.
I am deeply grateful to my editor, Fred Appel, who invited me to contribute to this series and has been unwaveringly helpful in seeing the project to its end. I also thank my copy editor, Marilyn Martin, for her excellent and sympathetic work. Debbie Tegarden and Juliana K. Fidler of Princeton University Press were always most helpful and efficient. I am also grateful for Julie Shawvan’s good work on the index.
As always, my greatest debt is to my wife, Lucie. We have each weathered some storms healthwise since this project began and I think value each other’s love and support even more as a result.