This book investigates whether a genuine theological consensus regarding the nature of Christ existed within the early Church by analyzing the divergent interpretations of grace. Donald Fairbairn, a scholar of patristic theology, utilizes historical texts and theological treatises to argue that the fifth-century Church possessed two distinct frameworks for understanding grace and Christology. He posits that while these views competed, the perspective held by Cyril of Alexandria and John Cassian eventually emerged as the dominant consensus, contrasting sharply with the views of Theodore and Nestorius.

Experts in patristics and historical theology identify this work as a significant contribution to the study of early Christological debates. Readers frequently note the academic density of the prose, which requires a foundational understanding of the theological terminology used in the fifth-century Church.