TYPES OF BIBLICAL CRITICISM

TYPES OF CRITICISM

What is criticism?

In criticism, the intention is that you want to make a judgment in order to understand, it is not to make negative judgment or condemn the scriptures. It is to make an objective judgment; to read meaning out.

Criticism in this regard is from the Greek word Krinein. There are two major approaches to critical study of a text – diachronic and synchronic method. Dia – means ‘through’. A method that goes outside the text of a passage, and your observation will help in interpreting the text. Syn- meaning with or together; a method that adheres strictly to the text you have before you. THE HISTORICAL CRITICAL METHOD IS A TYPICAL E.G OF DIACHRONIC METHOD WHILE THE LITERARY CRITICAL METHOD IS OF SYNCHRONIC METHOD. The textual critic compares different manuscripts like the Septuagint and the Vulgate in the O.T. He examines them, to assess their relative importance e.g to know which one came out first in chronological order so that one that came out later than another cannot be said to be more correct.

TEXTUAL CRITICISM

In a nutshell, it seeks for the original wording of the text. O.T and N.T scholars use this skill to search and discover all the eras and operations that are come into play regarding the text. It seeks to reach as closely as possible, the original wording of the text.

Aims; i. To determine the process by which a text has existed. Ii. To establish the original wording. Iii. To determine the best word for the current reader. Iii. To compare the texts and to determine which one is more probably the original, because of unintentional and intentional errors from copyists.

Fundamental Axioms in TC; i. The more difficult reading is to be preferred. Ii. The shorter reading is to be preferred. Iii. The manuscript witnesses are to be weighed rather than counted.

Procedure for TC; The TC consults the texts and the footnotes. Critically looks at the supporting witnesses and their variants. Applies the external and internal criterion i.e to ask whether a particular reading conforms to the rest of the book. He/she looks at the style of the work - e.g command - , the vocabulary or language, the theology of that passage and the theology of the rest of the word that you are looking at, the Logic, and lastly, the difficult reading and the shorter reading. At the end of this, he/she arrives at a text very close to the original text.

HISTORICAL CRICISIM - SYNCHRONIC

THIS IS A SYNCHRONIC APPROACH. It is about the quest for the setting in time and space. It learns two situations described in the text, i.e. the history in the text and history of the text. The history in the text is the stories in the text while the history of the text deals with the composition of the text ,when the text was written, and the transitions of the text.

Aims of Historical Criticism;

Ø  Tries to overcome historical and cultural doubts as well as third party perspectives.

Ø  Tries to find out the history in the text, by going into the history of the text (Synchronic) This is why we talk of the diachronic method – so that one goes outside

If the text contains reference to customs and people that of not of your time, you have to enquire of the history of the time when those things were. Some other material that were written around the same time can also be consulted to get the issues discussed at that time.

LITERARY CRITICISM - SYNCHRONIC

This is a synchronic method that concentrates on the text without looking for materials outside it. This types of criticism focuses on the words by looking at the literal interpretation of the text, the composition of the text, the structure, and rhetorical style in the text. Generally, it can apply the historical sense but strictly speaking it pays attention not to the author but the text only. It is a synchronic method that looks out to understand the text as it is.

Aims of a literary critic;

Ø  Focuses on the words without paying attention to the author or it’s time, or the origin of the text, etc.

Ø  Looks at the N.T to see words that are ipsisima verba or they were put in the mouth of Jesus by the authors

Process

Ø  Situate what is to be interpreted in context. Don’t interpret bible out of context. Adhere strictly to the texts.

Ø  Determine the literary function of the text - is the passage transitional, is it climatic, it is illustrative, is it extrinsic, etc.

Ø   Distinguish the literary and rhetorical critic used in the text - should be able to get the literal moods, to get some ironical sayings, some liturgical sayings

PROCESSES ACCORDING TO STAURT; Examine the literary function, Examine the placement, Analyze the detail, Analyze the authorship

FORM CRITICISM - SYNCHRONIC

This criticism originated from the Germans. It is synchronic, and it focuses on the genre which is from the German word Gattung – form of a text. This examines the form of a text, the content and asks whether these are definitive to make a particular genre. Some genres in the biblical passages include; speeches, call narratives, stories, lamentations (individual and communal), thanksgivings (individual and communal), prophecies (prophecy of doom, of salvation, or of consolation), etc. Understanding the genre of a text is important to interpret it correctly.

Aims of form critic;

Ø  Analyzes the content and function of a particular unit and asks whether it is definitive or not to form a particular genre.

Ø  Form critical analyses can be applied to a whole book for instance the apocalyptic genre –Daniel and Rev

Ø  Determines the SITZ IM LEBEN – a German word meaning life situation that was instrumental in producing, shaping or utilizing a particular genre.

Form / Genre analysis

STEPS

First, is to identify the genre. Second, identify the specific literary type e.g a discuss, a sermon. Third, look for a similar genre and see if there are similarities or they share specific connection. Fourth, analyze the completeness of the form, i.e. whether there is something lacking of something new in it. Usually the features are always the same, those sometimes a feature may be missing or another added. Lastly, be alert to welcome some exceptions, it does not mean that it is not that form.

SOURCE CRITIICISM.

The study of the sources the author may have used in writing his texts. The SC engatges instudying the sources the author uses in writing his texts. It is imp to not that later writers make use of ealier materials in scriptures. The prophecies that were made later on made use of ealier prophecies. In taking from ealier scriptures they modify them, someother times they took from outside the scriptures. That means those books from where they took are their sources

REDACTION CRICISM

RC is somehow related to SC. From the name, it has to do with gathering of materials and editing of materials. It’s the ability to look at these two texts to know what was added and what was omitted and why. For what reason was this added or removed? When talk about the final redactors i.e. editing materials to suit the new audience for a particular reason, for their own interest, etc. eg 1 and 2 kings and 1 and 2 Chronicles. The later is the redaction of 1 and 2 kings.

It’s a process of trying to edit, to serve a particular purpose or to serve a new audience.

IN THE PROCESS, some issues come to play. There are things he won’t want the new audience to know and there are others he will want to add to buttress the message.

i.                    Issues like the theological intent of the redactor

NB. YOU ARE NOT EXPECTED TO WRITE A PAGE FOR ALL THESE CRITICISMS, ONLY HALF A PAGE WITH SUBSTANCE CAN DO.