Keck shows how the church is suffering from malaise brought on by oversecularization in aspects of church life including worship, theology, ethos, and communication.

This penetrating clarion call to renewal cuts through the conventional ideological labels of "liberal" and "conservative."

Keck argues with passion that mainline churches today must neither pretend to be culturally triumphant nor whimper in fear. Rather, the church has grounds to be confident about its proper nature and mission.

Keck envisions a renewed church that has recovered a sense of what is basic to its nature and purpose -restoring the praise of God to the center of worship.