This work investigates the core question of whether theology can reclaim its status as the queen of the sciences by critiquing the secularization of modern thought. John Milbank, a prominent theologian and philosopher, argues that modern secular reason is inherently nihilistic and that a return to a specifically Christian ontology is necessary to overcome the fragmentation of contemporary knowledge. He utilizes a dense framework of historical analysis and critical theory to challenge the autonomy of secular social sciences and philosophy.

Experts and scholars frequently identify this text as a foundational, albeit highly dense, work for the Radical Orthodoxy movement. Readers often note the academic complexity of the prose, which requires a significant background in continental philosophy and historical theology to fully grasp the author's arguments.