This work investigates how religious language functions through metaphor and addresses the disconnect between traditional theological expression and an empiricist intellectual framework. Janet Martin Soskice, a scholar of philosophical theology, examines the linguistic mechanisms that allow religious discourse to remain meaningful without resorting to literalism. By analyzing the intersection of theology, philosophy of science, and linguistics, she proposes a robust theory of metaphor that validates religious claims as cognitively significant rather than merely emotive or symbolic.

Scholars and theologians frequently cite this text as a foundational contribution to the philosophy of religion and the study of religious language. Readers often note the academic density of the prose, which requires a strong background in philosophical terminology to fully grasp the author's nuanced arguments.