The church in America today is not what it is supposed to be.
There is widespread acknowledgement among Christians that something is not right with the church in America, though no agreement as to what the specific problem is. Christian Pharisees is an attempt to provide a specific diagnosis.
At its core, author James Butcher's argument is clear and compelling:

- During Jesus' ministry His main earthly enemy was the Pharisees;
- The Bible tells us quite a bit about the characteristics and priorities of the Pharisees;
- If modern American Christians share the same traits as the Pharisees, it is indisputable proof that Christians have gotten wildly off track from God’s will.
Christian Pharisees makes the provocative case that modern American Christians look frighteningly like the Pharisees.
Is the church in America full of Christian disciples or Christian Pharisees?