This book gives the reader an appreciation for the faith and life of the church, examining such themes as revelation as received by mind and heart; the nature of theology; the role of culture; and the catholicity of Catholicism that come through in the writings of Avery Dulles.

One of the threads uniting the work of Cardinal Avery Dulles over five decades has been his desire to give a clear and authentic answer to the question: What is the Church supposed to be doing? Dulles received his doctorate in theology in 1960 from the Gregorian University and began teaching at Woodstock as the Second Vatican Council was about to take place—an exciting time to be starting out as a theologian! War and a lengthy Jesuit formation meant that he was already in his forties, but a long and fruitful career lay ahead. Looking back now, this book shows how powerfully the council shaped that career and his writing.