HISTORICAL CRITICISM

Question 1

Examines the origins of the earliest text to appreciate the underlying circumstances upon
which the text came to be.

Answer 1

HISTORICAL CRITICISM

Question 2

2 IMPORTANT GOALS IF HISTORICAL CRITICISM

Answer 2

• To discover the original meaning of the text in its primitive or historical context and its literal sense or sensus literalis historicus.
• To establish a reconstruction of the
  historical situation of the author and
  recipients of the text.

Question 3

Types Of Historical Criticism

Answer 3

External criticism:
Internal criticism:

Question 4

Determines the authenticity ofthe source; to spot fabricated, forged, faked documents; and distinguish a hoax or misrepresentation

Answer 4

External Criticism

Question 5

Authenticity check:

Answer 5

• Date verification: Check for anachronisms, such as objects or events that don’t match the time period (e.g., pencils post-16th century).
• Authorship: Identify the author through handwriting, signatures, or seals.
• Anachronistic style: Look for outdated language or expressions (e.g., “burning the midnight oil,” “thou” instead of “you”), or unusual punctuation (e.g., “/” used as a comma or period).
• Event references: Watch for historical events that are placed too early, too late, or too far in the past.
• Provenance: Assess the document’s origin and history to confirm its authenticity.
• Semantics: Interpret the meaning of words or texts.
• Hermeneutics: Apply principles to interpret ambiguous or unclear words.

Question 6

Credibility/Authenticity: Verifies the truthfulness of facts in the document.

Answer 6

Internal Criticism

Question 7

Tests of Credibility

Answer 7

• Identification of the author (determine his reliability: mental processes,
  personal attitude).
• Determination of the approximate date (handwriting, signature, seal)
• Ability to tell the truth (nearness to the event, competence of eyewitness,
  degree of attention).

Question 8

Studies and analyses the sources; ex. Bible.

Answer 8

Source Criticism

Question 9

Identifies the original form and historical context of literary traditions (e.g., oracles, poetry, parables).

Answer 9

Form Criticism

Question 10

Views the author as an editor who shaped and combined multiple sources into a final text.

Answer 10

Redaction Criticism

Question 11

Traces the development of oral traditions from their historical origins to their written form.

Answer 11

Tradition Criticism

Question 12

Interprets the Bible based on the text within the Biblical canon.

Answer 12

Canonical Criticism

Question 13

Study of historical seals by specialists known as sigillographers.

Answer 13

Sigillography

Question 14

The study of deciphering and dating historical manuscripts

Answer 14

Paleography

Question 15

Examining how a document was created and its historical context.

Answer 15

Diplomatics

Question 16

Compares the document to actual events using the best available sources.

Answer 16

Accuracy