The first half of this book takes a biographical approach to its subject, examining Carnell's early life and education, while the second half of the book looks topically at the issues that shaped Carnell's career and, as the author proposes, may have led to his psychological undoing. Through the lens of Carnell's personal struggle, this book offers a provocative view into the larger cultural tensions, unleashed by new modes of secular thought, that challenged the framework of American religious life during the middle years of the twentieth century.

"A fascinating biography and theological critique of Carnell, one of this century's most important leaders of American Protestant evangelicalism...Nelson's book is an excellent example of the way in which biography can provide an angle for historical, cultural, and theological commentary." Religious Studies Review