Every book has a genealogy—a record of those who provided encouragement and support that helped usher the text into being. It largely began with this group of people: Janet Nobles, Anna Coffman, William A. Young, Christopher Hauer, Hal Oakley, Amy-Jill Levine, Jack Fitzmier, Claudia Shook, John Langton, David Collins, Ruppert Lovely, Marty Atherton, Shannon Smythe, Brittany Wilson, Anna Kate Shurely, Kara Lyons Pardue, Anthony Petro, Emily Mace, Ben Zeller, Ken Reynhout, Ryan Harper, Jason Bruner, Kaley Carpenter, Aaron Sizer, Josh Ziefel, Sloane Franklin, Travis McMaken, David Congden, Matt Bruce, and Carmen Maier.
Inspiration and guidance came from Leigh Eric Schmidt through his writing on consumerism and religion. Yolanda Pierce (who is wonderful and modeled good teaching and mentoring) and James Deming at Princeton Theological assisted me along the way. James Moorhead, my advisor, brought amazing insight to every conversation (and I liked to think he brought along the spirit of Sydney Ahlstrom). New colleagues appeared and offered friendship and feedback, including April Armstrong, Caleb Maskell, James Young, Vaughn Booker, Beth Stroud, and Leslie Ribovich. Conversations and shared laughter with Rachel Gross and Rachel Lindsey in the basement of 1879 Hall and beyond will always be cherished. They believed in me from the beginning.
I learned a lot about writing and scholarship from Elaine Pagels. For four years, I moonlighted as her research assistant and preceptor while she wrote her book Revelations. She demonstrated the importance of tenacity and dedication in writing and excellence in teaching.
DOPEsters Judith Weisenfeld, Kathryn Gin Lum, and Jessica Delgado have seen this project through all its stages—it works! Without them, I would not have finished this book. They each deserve a bottle of Pappy Van Winkle. Please note: Annie Blazer is an instigator—for which we are thankful. I am forever grateful for my editor at New York University Press, Jennifer Hammer, her encouragement, willingness to read messy chapter drafts, and her ability to pry pages out of my hands.
I have deep gratitude for AnneMarie Luijendijk (and her family) for her friendship and teaching. I carry with me appreciation for my “go to” man Lance Jenott, John Gager for his unwavering support, and the rest of the fabulous Princeton contingent: Jeff Guest, Lorraine Fuhrman, Mary Kay Bodner, Kerry Smith, and Pat Bogdziewicz.
The American Religion Workshop at Princeton University heard early drafts of each chapter; many of the participants are thanked above. I want to also sing the praises of Michael Robertson, Amy Kittelstrom, Marie Griffith, Wallace Best, Katie Lofton, Kathi Kern, Lauren Winner, Martha Finch, Kathleen Holecher, Lindsay Reckson, Bri Hopper, and Matt Hedstrom. Research trips are better when Jenny Wiley Legath and her family are involved.
Libraries and librarians were stalwart partners in writing this book, including Kate Skrebutenas, Steve Crocco, and Julie Dawson at Princeton Theological Seminary, and Kaitlyn Pettengill and the team at the Historical Society of Pennsylvania.
I am particularly grateful to the Panel on Theological Education of the Unitarian Universalist Association for their generous fellowship, which made early research and writing of this book possible, and for mentoring by John Buehrens.
The following individuals provided encouragement and inspiration in numerous ways: Sylvester Johnson and his Northwestern American Religion Workshop (especially Matthew Smith and Jennifer Callaghan). Over the years I presented papers on Wanamaker and his store at the American Academy of Religion, the American Society of Church History, the Columbia University Religion Graduate Students’ Conference, and the Unitarian Universalist Scholarship Conference—meetings where I received invaluable feedback and questions. Thanks to Karen Spielman for sharing letters John Wanamaker wrote to her grandfather. I want to thank eagle-eyed Jeremy Rehwaldt, David Morgan, Sally Promey, Paul Harvey (Sooner), Anthea Butler, Gary Dorrien, Kate Bowler, Elizabeth Jemison, Ed Blum, Richard Fenn, Claudia Espinel, Leslie Takahashi, Arvid Straube, John Tolley, Susan Stenovec (and family), Darrick Jackson, Larry Peers, Emily Clark, Cara Burnidge, John Corrigan, Christopher Cantwell, Isaac Weiner, Amy DeRogatis, Heather Rachelle White, Anthony Pinn, Kate Carté Engel, Elesha Coffman, Rachel Wheeler, Jessica Parr, Tisa Wenger, Steve Zuckerman, Galen Gingenrich, Bruce Mickey, Ted Lang, Daniel Budd, Earl and Marilyn Holt, Brent Smith, Burton Carley, Stephanie Mitchem, Chip Hardwick, the Reverend Yukitaka Yamamoto, the Tsubaki Grand Shrine in Japan, and the Reverend Tetsuji Ochiai, Kyohei Mikawa, Rissho Kosei-kai of Japan, and Amy, David, Zane, and Cullen Luper. Thanks to John Tolley and Leslie Takahashi.
Dorcy Erlandson and the Reverend Dr. Scott Herr deserve special thanks for arranging a visit to the Tiffany stained-glass windows that Rodman Wanamaker donated to the American Church in Paris.
The friendship and sound advice of Heather Nicholson has made the last eighteen months of the book and my life far brighter. David Lazar has been a dear companion through many Chicago seasons. Laurel Hallman has been a true friend and guide. Thanks to Connie Simon for answering the call for help and going to the archive when I needed it most. Thanks to Susan and Tom Stenovec for sharing Chautauqua. Monsieur Pouki slept through most of the writing of the book, but nevertheless provided support by sleeping on my notes. I treasure my French family’s interest in this project and their demand that I see les passages of Paris during my last visit: Jean-Yves and Agnès Chabrol, Matthieu Chabrol, Agnès Lahaye, and dear Alexandre Lahaye, who sees the world in color and movement. I am grateful for Frédéric Lahaye’s, love and support—and all those meals he cooked and those champagne corks he popped.
Special thanks to all of my colleagues at Meadville Lombard Theological School, from the staff to the board of trustees, and especially, above all, my students, who are making a difference in the world. My colleagues made the work endurable and possible: Mark Hicks, Mike Hogue, Sharon Welch, and Lee Barker.
In closing, I bow in gratitude to my parents, Phil and Linda, and especially my son Kirk, who steadfastly and faithfully saw me through this project. He grew up with the book; the book grew up with him.