For 140 years, Conservative Judaism has struggled to articulate a coherent philosophical identity, caught between Reform Judaism's embrace of individual autonomy and Orthodox Judaism's doctrine of divine revelation. Through historical analysis and personal testimony, Gordis traces how the movement's reactive origins and deep commitment to Jewish unity inhibited clear self-definition, from its emergence in 19th-century Germany under Zacharias Frankel through its American evolution under Solomon Schechter and beyond. Drawing on archival research and firsthand accounts, the investigation examines pivotal episodes in Conservative Judaism's development, including contentious efforts to establish prayer book standards, address halakhic issues like the agunah problem, and determine women's roles in religious life. Three critical factors emerge as barriers to self-definition: the movement's establishment primarily as a response to Reform Judaism, an unwavering dedication to maintaining Jewish unity, and the intellectual challenges of reconciling historical scholarship with contemporary religious practice. While multiple attempts at institutional self-definition fell short, the 1984 establishment of the Commission on the Philosophy of Conservative Judaism marked a significant turning point. Despite historical resistance to explicit ideological statements, the research demonstrates that developing clear Conservative principles remains crucial for the movement's continued distinctiveness and vitality within American Judaism.