Aknowledgements

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                I would like to express my gratitude for the many helpful comments and suggestions I have received over the last few years regarding the expository and critical aspects of my thesis, and especially for those comments which bear directly on my various arguments for the central thesis statement. I am indebted to several people in this regard: William Alston, Alvin Plantinga, Nicholas Wolterstorff, C. Stephen Evans, Robert Audi, and David Reiter.

 

                Most importantly, I would like to thank my supervisor Professor Richard Swinburne for his nearly four years of supervision, and especially for his commitment to guiding me through my doctoral research, as well as for the time he has spent reading the various drafts of this thesis. His critical commentary on my work has played a major role in both the content and presentation of my discussion and arguments.

 

                I also extend my appreciation to the several sources which provided various kinds of financial support for me during my period reading for the degree of D.Phil.: the Overseas Research Scheme Award, the St. Hugh’s College Graduate Scholarship in Theology, the Denyer and Johnson Theology Studentship, the University of Oxford bursary grant, and my father Jerry Sudduth. I was able to write up the final draft of my thesis while resident at the University of Notre Dame as a visiting scholar in the Centre for Philosophy of Religion. I am obviously very much indebted to the Selection Committee for awarding me this scholarship and for providing both valuable resources and an atmosphere conducive to the completion of the thesis.