S INCE THE rise of the feminist movement, much has been said and written about the problem of "sexist" language. Little, how- ever, has been said or written in defense of "sexist" language - and this is precisely what Vernard Eller offers in this intelligent, critical study.

Using as his starting point Wittgenstein's "language games," which are ways of dividing language into various levels of meaning, Eller attempts to examine the linguistic reasons for sexist language. While he deals primarily with lin- guistic considerations, Eller cannot help but apply his discussion to theological and biblical principle "the effort to move our God-language beyond gender has profound implications regarding theology and the authority of scripture." Eller be- lieves that the key for our use of language should be God's use - Christians are obligated to be- come competent in the "language of Canaan": "Unless we first go to the Bible for some language training," concludes Eller, "there is no chance of the gospel's being truly spoken or heard among us."