In "Aquinas and His Role in Theology," Marie Dominique Chenu provides a lively and representative overview of the life and writings of the thirteenth-century theologian whom many consider to be the greatest master of Catholic religious thought.

A rich explanation of the prolific and versatile books of Aquinas follows the story of his life's journey through the heart of Europe in the high Middle Ages. Chenu also portrays the religious and spiritual personality of Aquinas, showing how his typically systematic theology is rooted in personal contemplative roots and a passion for pastoral...

Cardinal Yves Congar is universally known and respected as the great ecclesiologist of Vatican II whose seminal ideas helped to reconfigure the landscape of Catholic theology following the council. Less well known is his role in contributing far-reaching insights to the emerging liturgical movement in the church. This collection represents several of Congar's decisive contributions. Reading them makes possible a deeper and more cogent reception of the key ideas of the council documents. These texts are at once both erudite and exciting, both essential and pastorally incisive. There has...

Archbishop Angelo Roncali (later Pope John XXIII) read True and False Reform during his years as papal nuncio in France and asked, A reform of the church 'is such a thing really possible?- A decade later as pope, he opened the Second Vatican Council by describing its goals in terms that reflected Congar's description of authentic reform: reform that penetrates to the heart of doctrine as a message of salvation for the whole of humanity, that retrieves the meaning of prophecy in a living church, and that is deeply rooted in history rather than superficially related to the apostolic...