Introduction to the Spiritual Life

Louis Bouyer (1913–2004) was a member of the French Oratory and one of the most respected and versatile Catholic scholars and theologians of the twentieth century. A friend of Hans Urs von Balthasar, Joseph Ratzinger, and J.R.R. Tolkien, and a cofounder of the international review Communio, Bouyer was a former Lutheran minister who entered the Catholic Church in 1939. He became a leading figure in the Catholic biblical and liturgical movements of the twentieth century, was an influence on the Second Vatican Council, and became well known for his excellent books on history of Christian spirituality. In addition to his many writings, Bouyer lectured widely across Europe and America.

Msgr. Michael Heintz is a priest of the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend who teaches both undergraduate and graduate courses in Theology at the University of Notre Dame.

David Fagerberg is associate professor of theology at the University of Notre Dame. He also served as director of the Notre Dame Center for Liturgy and is the editor of the center's journal, Assembly. Professor Fagerberg’s area of study is liturgical theology: its definition and methodology.