Acknowledgments
I have had the great privilege of having wonderful people to guide and encourage me throughout the process of writing this book, meaning there are numerous people who deserve my hearty thanks.
I wish to especially acknowledge Olle Qvarnström and Anne-Christine Hornborg. You welcomed me with open arms to the Seminar in the History of Religions at Lund University. Without your support, easy-going manner, and confidence in my abilities my academic endeavors could have been much more grueling than they have been. Thank you both! To Hugo Lundhaug, thank you for your support during my dissertation work, and for laboring through and commenting on dense drafts of my text. Ismo Dunderberg and Lance Jenott deserve particular recognition. Thank you both for reading the entire manuscript prior to my PhD-defense and for supplying me with immensely valuable critique and comments.
I have had the great pleasure of taking part of many stimulating and competent research seminars at Lund University, in Comparative Religion, Church History, the Exegesis of the New Testament, and Patristics. Thanks are due to all of you who have allowed me to present my work, and who have commented and given me invaluable suggestions for improvements.
To my NHMS-editor, Dylan Burns, and to David Brakke and the two reviewers who remain anonymous, who read and commented upon the book draft: thank you very much for helping me improve my work.
To the many participants and organizers of the Nordic Coptic Meetings, and the Nag Hammadi and Gnosticism Network Conference: thank you for valuable feedback during the years and for wonderful collegiality.
I have been blessed with having a workplace such as Centre for Theology and Religious Studies at Lund University. My day-to-day activities of teaching, reading, and writing, have been brightened by my friends and colleagues at CTR, with whom I have shared many wonderful moments, over lunch, fika, and post-seminars. Thank you all!
My family and friends outside academia deserve special recognition. You have supported and encouraged me through. Thank you!