Scholarly analysis of the foundational texts of Christianity, especially as they exist in English translations, frequently involves several recurring approaches. These include source criticism, which examines the origins of the biblical texts and identifies potential source materials; form criticism, which analyzes the literary genres present and how these forms shaped the text’s transmission; and redaction criticism, which focuses on how editors or redactors shaped the final form of the biblical books. Textual criticism, dedicated to establishing the most accurate original wording, is also a crucial element. For example, applying source criticism to the Gospels might involve comparing parallel passages to discern possible shared source documents like the hypothetical “Q” source.
Such investigative work is valuable because it offers a deeper understanding of the Bible’s historical and literary contexts. It illuminates the processes involved in the formation of the biblical canon, and allows for a more nuanced appreciation of the theological perspectives and social concerns of the texts’ authors and editors. The historical background to these analytical approaches stems from the Enlightenment and the rise of historical-critical methods in the 18th and 19th centuries, when scholars began to apply rigorous methods of inquiry to religious texts.
