After briefly presenting Eric Voegelin's general theoretical framework, this paper highlights the differences between Voegelin and Schutz in regard to three issues in their correspondence: 1) the place of epistemology in theory 2) the role of general theory with relation to values, and 3) the interpretation of Husserl's Crisis. The article concludes that a value-oriented theory, such as Voegelin's, and a value-neutral theory, such as Schutz 's, converge on certain ethical concerns about the role of theory.