ESSE & EVANGEL argues for the necessity of traditional metaphysical understanding for the defense and communication of Christian Faith under postmodern cultural conditions. Following a Preface which summarizes its structure, the book first states its central argument in a brief summary, than considers two kinds of objections to its proposal: postmodern philosophical objections, and historical Lutheran theological ones. A traditional metaphysical perspective is then outlined, under the rubric of philosophia perennis, on the basis of which the modernist-postmodernist objections are rebutted, and the Lutheran ones adapted as limiting principles for evangelical metaphysical speculation. A view of 'evangelical metaphysics' is then developed, and its implications for Word, Sacrament, and theological method are investigated.