Scriptural criticism, also known as biblical criticism, is the analysis of the Bible using historical and literary methods. The goal is to understand the meaning of the Bible as objectively as possible. [1, 2]
How is scriptural criticism done? [2]
Textual criticism
Also known as "lower criticism", this type of criticism focuses on establishing the original text of the Bible. [2]
Source criticism
Also known as "higher criticism", this type of criticism focuses on identifying the author, date, sources, and place of writing for each book of the Bible. [2]
Socio-historical criticism
This type of criticism focuses on studying the social environment of the time, including occupations, housing, and laws. [3]
What are the goals of scriptural criticism? [1]
• To establish the plain meaning of biblical texts [1]
• To assess the historical accuracy of the Bible [1]
• To understand the historical and cultural setting of the text [2]
• To understand how the text came to be accepted as part of the Bible [2]
Other considerations [1]
Biblical criticism has been influenced by patristic, medieval, Reformation, and Renaissance interpretations. The discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls in 1947 also contributed to new perspectives in biblical criticism. [1, 4, 5]