In a brilliantly fascinating and deeply insightful manner, Francis Shaeffer uncovers the facades of the twentieth century man and upholds the Christian worldview as philosophically reasonable and morally compelling. In the end, the self-proclaimed reasoned arguments of unregenerate men fail to objectively explain the realities of life.

In the first chapters of Schaefffer's classic book, he attempts to show how man has progressed, or rather digressed, down a line of despair. The line of despair divides the upper story of irrational faith and the lower story of faithless reason. Beginning with Hegel, and on with Kierkegaard, the line of despair drew a wedge between purposeless logical deductions that man observes in life, and the contentless faith-experiences that man encounters. Its affects appear first in philosophy but then are found subsequently in art, music, general culture, and finally, theology. With highly perceptive observations, Shaeffer analyzes and highlights period-transcending trends which are rooted in this denial that reason and faith coexist.

The problem with this disjunction comes to a head when one realizes that on these erroneous presuppositions life remains meaningless, morals lie wholly subjective, and absolutes are chosen at random. It is with this that Francis Shaeffer takes the unbeliever to the point at which he can understand the gospel, the point of tension.

As we take the presuppositions of man to their logical conclusions, we not only demonstrate that their assumptions do not match actuality, but that their premises are skewed and tainted by sin. At this point, the gospel presents itself as the wonderful news that not only remedies our sin but revolutionizes our entire worldview.

The believer that attempts to combat the varying viewpoints should not cower behind his faith nor disregard it for reason. God has harmoniously wed the two together for they are both His designs for us to admire and His gifts for us to utilize.