He was born in a Catholic family from south-western France on 5 March 1925. In 1970, he became a doctor of Letters, specialized in English literature. Under the influence of Henri Desroche he moved from literature to the Sociology of religion and spent the rest of his career as research director of the CNRS.[1][2] In 1973, his book Les Conflits du dialogue, on the ecumenical activities of the smaller Christian denominations, consecrated him as a skilled sociologist of religious minorities.[1] He died in Liancourt, Oise, aged 82.[1]