This monograph offers a thorough account of Josef Zvěřina’s life between 1913-1967 and presents an extensive bibliography of his works, not only his published works, including those printed in the samizdat, but also his handwritten or typed texts, thus providing a diachronic analysis of his work. The first two aspects, although of relatively independent values, serve the third: this biographical and bibliographical text fulfils the introductory function in relation to understanding Zvěřina’s reflections. A history of this figure and his work thus becomes a history of learning, which was his life. This unique connection between Zvěřina’s life and its reflection is suggested by words "courage to be the church," which was a title he gave to one of his most famous essays and which became a title of the presented book. It suggests that Josef Zvěřina "was the church" in a quite extraordinary manner and that he also reflected this "being the church."

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