Maurice Blondel (1861–1949) was a philosopher born in Dijon, France, and educated at the École Normale Supérieure. Blondel defended his thesis, L'action, in 1893 at the Sorbonne. Blondel at first was refused a university position on the grounds of having taken an improperly religious position in his philosophy but finally received a professorship in Aix in 1897. He was the author of a number of books, including Philosophical Exigencies of Christian Religion (University of Notre Dame Press, 2021).Oliva Blanchette (1929–2021) was professor emeritus of philosophy at Boston College. He was the author and translator of eleven books, including Maurice Blondel's Philosophical Exigencies of Christian Religion (University of Notre Dame Press, 2021).

Reviews for the 1984 edition of Action:"Blondel's masterwork, Action, remains a philosophical classic. It is a book that should be read by every mature philosopher and theologian." —International Philosophical Quarterly"This translation by Oliva Blanchette is very welcome and quite readable. . . . [His] introduction is excellent and provides a clear and thorough preparation for the uninitiated reader." —Philosophy of Religion"This translation of Blondel's critique of life, [his] guide to living, is the best introduction to the man and his important kind of thinking, with a special eloquence and moving force in the reading of the whole." —Religious Studies Review