The Philosophy of Religious Language: Sign, Symbol and Story

This new text provides a lively introduction to the remarkable developments in philosophy of language in this century, and to the way these developments have impinged upon religious language, particularly Christian discourse. Most treatments of this subject focus on the relevance of analytical philosophy of language with its verificational and functional phases. These important movements are included, but this text also covers historical debates about religious language along with several other contemporary movements that have had increasing impact upon biblical studies and theology, such as hermeneutical philosophy, philosophy of metaphor, narrative, structuralism, and poststructuralism. The Philosophy of Religious Language focuses on exposition of the different approaches, with attention upon central thinkers and texts. In each case, however, the philosophy of language is also connected with its major appropriation in religious studies. Since one cannot exactly keep these approaches distinct, places of cross–fertilization and reaction are indicated, with the intent of providing an expanding conversation as the book progresses.

Preface. 1. Introduction. 2. Historical Approaches to Religious Language. 3. The Falsification Challenge. 4. Language Games. 5. Hermeneutical Philosophy. 6. Metaphor, Symbol, and Analogy. 7. Narrative Theology. 8. Structuralism and Poststructuralism. 9. Conclusion: A Changing Paradigm. Bibliography. Index.

Dan Stiver is Associate Professor of Religious Philosophy at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Louisville.

"This is an excellent critical survey of the modern philosophy of language in general, and of religious language in particular, deftly set against the background of its traditional forerunners. It is readable, colourful, and richly informative, without being simplistic or sweeping in its descriptions and judgements." Steven Kings, Reviews in Religion and Theology "Dan Stiver offers, for "tose coming to these topics for the first time", a useful map to an academic (sub)discipline called philosophy of religious language." Brian Davies, Anglican Theological Review