The author argues that the prevailing worldview held by those in power in Western governments sets bounds for religious intolerance. He explores the degree to which a modern liberal state will allow a counter-cultural community the freedom to live according to its concept of a good life. Specifically, he takes one important group of religionists, ""conservative Christians"", (essentially theologically conservative, usually Protestant, Christians, who adhere to ""traditional"" moral values) and investigates how their worldview, attitudes and practices are treated by a state holding to an increasingly antithetical worldview. The book analyzes existing legal material in this new light, drawing together a number of disparate contemporary controversies and setting them within a coherent framework.
