# Higher criticism and biblical criticism



## AV1611 (Apr 13, 2008)

Do you know of any good texts that introduce higher criticism (source, form and redaction) in a simple but thorough way? What about biblical criticism from a conservative evangelical position?


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## DMcFadden (Apr 13, 2008)

Ladd's *The New Testament and Criticism* is dated but grapples with the issues from a generally conservative perspective. Interestingly, after class once I asked him what he thought of redaction criticism. He expressed grave reservations about evangelicals using it.


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## Davidius (Apr 13, 2008)




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## Reformed Covenanter (Apr 13, 2008)

Gary North has a small book called _The Hoax of Higher Criticism_, but I have not read it yet.


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## RamistThomist (Apr 13, 2008)

Since many higher-critical texts are written from a very sub-Christian point of view, it would be hard for me to imagine any good conservative positively introducing the issue. Duane Garrett has a pretty thorough critique of the liberal methods
Amazon.com: Rethinking Genesis: Garrett, Duane: Books

Gleeson Archer has probably the most damning criticism
Amazon.com: A Survey of Old Testament Introduction: Gleason Archer,Dillon Burroughs: Books

But if you want to be fair and read the best succinct opening to higher criticism, see the introductory notes to The Oxford Study Bible (either NRSV or RSV).

Lower Criticism, textual, the best opening would be Bruce Metzger's books.

But many liberals today are abandoning the higher-criticism project as outdated and resting on Enlightenment presuppositions. This is actually where postmodernism helps us. Who cares about the possible form or editorial processes which we by definition cannot have certain knowledge of its transmission? The text itself is where the real action is. That is liberals talking, not just conservatives.


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## Jimmy the Greek (Apr 14, 2008)

There is an overview with some reference material found in the Theopedia article here: Biblical criticism - Theopedia


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## Sydnorphyn (Apr 14, 2008)

*Assistance with criticism*



AV1611 said:


> Do you know of any good texts that introduce higher criticism (source, form and redaction) in a simple but thorough way? What about biblical criticism from a conservative evangelical position?



You might want to read J. Blenkinsopp's "The Pentateuch" - he has a VERY good overview of the various positions.

I might suggest you "ad fontes" on this - go back and read the literature at the beginning of the 1900's to really get a fair treatment; most books on these topics from an evangelical position are terrible because of their/our presuppositions of how organic texts are...


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## AV1611 (Apr 14, 2008)

Someone has suggested _[ame="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0800634292/ref=s9sips_c2_at1-rfc_p-2814_g1?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=0AHW0E1HYN7PDYXQ2JXC&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=279530701&pf_rd_i=507846"]Textual Criticism of the Hebrew Bible[/ame]_ by Emanuel Tov.


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## py3ak (Apr 14, 2008)

If you go _ad fontes_ on this score you'll wind up reading some atomizers whose approach has fallen into disfavor. The presuppositions about the organic nature of the text came back in style, at least for a little while.


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## Backwoods Presbyterian (Apr 27, 2008)

To read an actual Higher Critic scholar's thoughts I would recommend Douglas Stuart's Old Testament Exegesis.


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