Nicholls argues that Christian teaching is directly responsible for antisemitism, and chronicles the link between the two. Ultimately, Nicholls presents a pessimistic reading: "The double crisis, created by the Holocaust and by historical discovery, sets before Christians the most revolutionary choice that has faced them since the Church first split off from Judaism. I fully expect that the reaction of most will be to ignore the pressing need for choice and go on as before" (p. 437).