This volume investigates the metaphysical nature of persons by bridging the gap between secular philosophical debates and theological inquiries. Editors Dean Zimmerman and Peter van Inwagen compile fifteen original essays that examine the ontological status of human beings alongside traditional religious doctrines. The contributors utilize analytic philosophy to evaluate competing theories of personhood, including idealism, dualism, and materialism, while applying these frameworks to complex theological problems.

Experts recognize this collection as a significant contribution to the intersection of analytic metaphysics and philosophical theology. Readers frequently note the high level of academic rigor and the density of the arguments presented throughout the essays.