Defining spirituality as 'the dynamic unity between the content of a faith and the way in which it is lived by historically determined human beings', Vauchez steps outside the clerical world usually studied to trace the religious mentality of the laity, the ordinary and often illiterate majority of Christians.
Formerly professor of medieval studies at the French School at Rome and visiting fellow of the Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton, André Vauchez was professor of medieval studies at the University of Paris.