overimpressed by data, statistics, and “facts.”24 None of us comes to the study of Christ’s preexistence neutral, and none of us can remain utterly objective during the course of this study. I write because I believe the doctrine of Christ’s personal preexistence is justified by the evidence, is theologically and philosophically coherent, and is essential to Christian faith and practice. Others have written on the subject because they have reached contrary conclusions. In later chapters I will enter