Avery Cardinal Dulles, S.J. (1918-2008), was a Jesuit priest who was appointed a cardinal by Pope John Paul II in 2001--the first American-born theologian who was not a bishop to receive the honor. At the time of his death, Dulles was the Laurence J. McGinley Professor of Religion and Society at Fordham University, where he served for twenty years.

Dulles was a veteran of the United States Navy. An internationally known author and lecturer, he served on the faculty of Woodstock College from 1960 to 1974 and at The Catholic University of America from 1974 to 1988. He had been a visiting professor at a number of colleges, universities, and seminaries throughout his career.

Dulles was the author of more than 750 articles and twenty-three books, including Models of the Church (1974), Models of Revelation (1983), The Splendor of Faith: The Theological Vision of Pope John Paul II (1999, revised in 2003), Newman (2002), and Magisterium (2007).

He served as president of the Catholic Theological Society of America and the American Theological Society. Dulles also served on the International Theological Commission and as a member of the United States Lutheran/Roman Catholic Dialogue.

James T. Keane is a senior editor at America magazine.

Rev. James Martin, S.J., is a Jesuit priest, author, and editor-at-large at America magazine.