Theological Term of the Week

textual criticism
“The careful study of ancient texts in an effort to establish what the original manuscripts of the Bible said.”1

• From The Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy:

  Since God has nowhere promised an inerrant transmission of Scripture, it is necessary to affirm that only the autographic text of the original documents was inspired and to maintain the need of textual criticism as a means of detecting any slips that may have crept into the text in the course of its transmission. The verdict of this science, however, is that the Hebrew and Greek text appear to be amazingly well preserved, so that we are amply justified in affirming, with the Westminster Confession, a singular providence of God in this matter and in declaring that the authority of Scripture is in no way jeopardized by the fact that the copies we possess are not entirely error-free.

• From Systematic Theology by Wayne Grudem:

  [T]he study of textual variants has not left us in confusion about what the original manuscripts said. Is has rather brought us extremely close to the content of those original manuscripts. For most practical purposes, then, the current published scholarly texts of the Hebrew Old Testament and Greek New Testament are the same as the original manuscripts. Thus, when we say that the original manuscripts were inerrant, we are also implying that over 99 percent of the words in our present manuscripts are inerrant, for they are exact copies of the originals. Furthermore, we know where the uncertain readings are (for where there are no textual variants we have no reason to expect faulty copying of the originals). Thus, our present manuscripts are for most purposes the same as the originals manuscripts….

Learn more:

1. Theopedia: Textual Criticism
2. John Stevenson: Has the Bible Been Changed? and In Search of Ancient Manuscripts
   
3. Frederic G. Kenyon: The Story of the Bible
4. Jeff Spry: Textual Criticism 101 - A General Introduction (mp3), Textual Criticism 201 - The Textual Apparatus (mp3) (Sample pages of NA27 & UBS4 (pdf) (referenced in previous lecture)) and Textual Criticism 301 - An Examination of Passages (mp3).

Related terms:

• autographs
• inerrancy of scripture
• manuscripts

1From 40 Questions About Interpreting the Bible by Robert L. Plummer.

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I’m also interested in any suggestions you have for tweaking my definitions or for additional (or better) articles or sermons/lectures for linking. I’ll give you credit and a link back to your blog if I use your suggestion.

Clicking on the Theological Term graphic at the top of this post will take you to a list of all the previous theological terms organized in alphabetical order or by topic.

Comments

[Sandra]

Please, Rebecca, consider the word "apologetics".

Thank you and God's blessings on you, yours and the work of your hands and heart.

[Diane]

Rebecca, I love this feature on your blog. With your permission, I have replaced my Theological Word For The Day Widget with a link to this.

Thank you for all the work you put into putting out these definitions.
Blessings to you sister!

[rebecca]

Sandra,

Thanks for the suggestion. I'll do it next week.

[rebecca]

Thanks for the link, Diane.

[Diane]

Rebecca, I love this feature on your blog. With your permission, I have replaced my Theological Word For The Day Widget with a link to this.

Thank you for all the work you put into putting out these definitions.
Blessings to you sister!