Can you have a ethical philosophy of life that is based in a metaphysical view that you reject as invalid? The obvious answer is no, but most of Western civilization has sought to live within this paradox for the past two centuries. It is Schaeffer's goal in this work to show how it is, at the end of the day, impossible to reject God yet still claim a moral standard that is based in Judeo-Christian roots.

Schaeffer shows how the absolutes of theism have been rejected in art, literature, music, and philosophy. He then goes on to demonstrate that once you knock out the moorings, the house will eventually fall.

Many of his examples are dated (Modern, not Postmodern), but his points still stand. Only Christianity is entirely self-consistent. The second-most consistent worldview is probably nihilism, but if you take nihilism to its extreme, you cannot inhabit it.