This study was begun in New Zealand, but I very quickly ran into difficulty because of the lack of source material. At this stage I was unexpectedly given the opportunity to spend two years in Cambridge, at Wesley House, where the bulk of the work was done. I shall always be immeasurably grateful to Professor E. G. Rupp for his initiative in getting me to Cambridge, to the Methodist Ministerial Training Department, and to the Governors of Wesley House. I also owe a debt to the Robert Gibson Methodist Trust Board which gave me a grant.

The substance of the book was read in manuscript by Dr Marcus Ward of Richmond College, Professor C. F. Evans of London University, Professor R. McL. Wilson of St Andrews, and Professor C. F. D. Moule of Cambridge. To all these I am grateful for comments and criticisms, though naturally whatever errors and omissions remain are my responsibility, not theirs. I am particularly indebted to Professor Moule, not only for his invaluable advice, criticism, and encouragement, but also for his characteristic kindness, and to my colleague Dr J. J. Lewis of Trinity College, Auckland, who first put the idea into my head that has developed into this book.

The literature on this subject is so vast that it is inevitable that I have done less than justice to many scholars, past and present, and I crave their pardon for apparently ignoring their work, or else giving it only a cursory mention. To do justice to them all, several large volumes would be necessary, or a book consisting of more footnotes than text.