The Great Schism saw hierarchical and doctrinal differences between Rome and Constantinople tear Christendom asunder, and the Reformation , for all of Martin Luther's good intentions, resulted in both Protestant and Roman Catholic atrocities. It is the year 2051. The political and demographic center of Christendom has long since shifted southward. Once again the United States is threatened with terrorism. Though doctrines and grievances have changed, the cost remains the same. An evangelical minister has united the Sudan, built a mega-church and made a garden of the encroaching Sahara. His message to America is this: the church of the North has strayed, making idols of genetic science and computer technology; a new redemption is at hand. A retired Episcopal bishop and a United States Army special operator have been charged with discovering the minister's plans and averting disaster.