At church, Father Tim Farley delivers charming, witty and entertaining sermons. Then one Sunday, seminarian Mark Dolson interrupts Farley's sermon to challenge his stance on the ordination of women. The pastor is outraged and intrigued by the young man, and asks to have him assigned to work with him.

Dolson is a firebrand who is eager to change the Church. He enjoys attacking Farley's "song and dance theology". Dolson feels it's his job to shake parishioners out of their complacency.

Farley likes Dolson, but sees that he'll never succeed as a priest if all he does is irritate people and make enemies. Farley's tell-em-what-they want-to-hear-so-they'll-come-back-for-more method relies on more polls, surveys and audience reaction than most local television stations. Dolson's rantings against materialism don't sit well in Farley's well-pampered parish.

Each man has something to teach the other about how to perform their priestly duties.