Fernand Dumont (1927-1997) was a sociologist, philosopher, theologian, and poet. A prominent intellectual in Quebec, he is recognized for his research on the sociology of knowledge and the foundations of modern culture. Dumont's work conceives of culture in terms of both memory and distance, arguing that without culture, man would be immersed in the monotony of his present actions, never achieving the distance necessary to create a past or a future. In Fernand Dumont: A Sociologist Turns to Theology, Gregory Baum interprets Dumont's L’institution de la théologie, which studies the assumptions and commitments implicit in the rational reflection of Catholic thinkers on the meaning of their faith. Baum shows that while Dumont’s book is preoccupied with the theoretical, its methodology is informed by the cognitive presuppositions of the social sciences, and its contents - dealing with the spiritual, personal, and social struggles that constitute daily life - are concrete. For Dumont religious truth is insufficient, and may have no impact on everyday life. What counts is relevance, insights that reply to urgent questions and unresolved conflicts. He offers an innovative interpretation of Catholicism that is faithful to the Gospel and relevant to the problems of modern life and the serious questions Quebecers are asking themselves. In Fernand Dumont: A Sociologist Turns to Theology, Baum elucidates Dumont’s main ideas and connects the concerns of the Christian gospel with those of contemporary society.

GREGORY BAUM served as an expert for the Vatican Council II from 1960 to 1965. For 28 years, he taught theology at St. Michael's College in Toronto and, from 1986 on, was a professor of religious studies at McGill University in Montreal. He is the author of many books and articles on ecumenism, the theology of the Christian life, Catholic social teaching and the sociology of religion. Baum was the founding editor of The Ecumenist: A Journal of Theology, Culture and Society.

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“This book is a major contribution to theology, but it is also an original and personal account that should interest many readers outside of the field.” Simon Langlois, Université Laval