Quantized fields in interaction with external fields. Pt. 1

We consider a massive, charged, scalar quantized field interacting with an external classical field. Guided by renormalized perturbation theory we show that whenever the integral equations defining the Feynman or retarded or advanced interaction kernel possess non perturbative solutions, there exists an S-operator which satisfies, up to a phase, the axioms of Bogoliubov, and is given for small external fields by a power series which converges on coherent states. Furthermore this construction is shown to be equivalent to the one based on the Yang-Kaellen-Feldman equation. This is a consequence of the relations between chronological and retarded Green's functions which are described in detail. (orig.)