Michael Scott addresses a range of central questions about the meaning of religious language and discourse. Should we treat religious discourse at face value or are there fundamental differences between religious discourse and other areas of descriptive discourse? Is 'God' a name and how does it refer? Are religious utterances metaphorical? Do religious utterances express feelings, intentions or stances as well as or instead of beliefs? The book draws on current research in the philosophy of language as well as work in theology and Continental Philosophy to provide an original theory of religious language. New work and original insights are also provide on the historical development of work in the field. This is first original, wide-ranging account of the meaning of religious language in over two decades.