According to Bird, the central issue in current discussions with regard to the doctrine of justification is the topic of the imputation of the righteousness of Christ. Bird wants to, in dialogue with the main protagonists, seek a solution that corresponds with the biblical evidence. He first offers a short history of the doctrine of imputed righteousness since the Reformation. He then directs his readers toward current debates within evangelicalism where the issues revolve around imputed righteousness. Bird argues that the matrix for understanding justification is union with Christ. He then looks at several passages to support his position: Romans 4:1-25, Romans 5:18-19, 1 Corinthians 1:30, 2 Corinthians 5:21, and Philippians 3:8-9.