historical criticism
Source-based biblical study
Historical criticism is a method of analyzing texts—especially religious scriptures—by examining their historical context, authorship, sources, and original meaning.
The approach treats sacred texts as historical documents subject to the same scrutiny as other ancient writings: Historical criticism of the Bible flourished in 19th-century German universities.
The term sometimes carries negative connotations among religious traditionalists who see it as undermining scriptural authority.
Critical textual interpretation
- hermeneuticsStudy of interpretation methods
- historiographyStudy of history-writing
- contextualizationPlacing something within circumstances
- periodizationDivision into distinct periods
chronology · etiology · genealogy · midrash · synoptic · apocrypha
Study of historical texts
- paleographyStudy of ancient handwriting
- epigraphyStudy of ancient inscriptions
- numismaticsStudy of currency
- stratigraphyStudy of rock layers
seriation · dendrochronology · carbon-dating · heuristics · diachronic · synchronic · typology · provenance
Stored historical records
- manuscriptOriginal text before publication
- artifactHuman-made historical object
- inscriptionText permanently marked
- chronicleOrdered historical record
annals · codex · palimpsest · autograph · recension · apparatus · collation · variant
Quality of being genuine
- credibilityQuality inspiring trust
- reliabilityConsistent, predictable performance
- validityQuality of being sound
- corroborationEvidence confirming another account
bias · anachronism · revisionism · debunking · evidence · documentation · verification · attestation
Freedom from prejudice
- neutralityState of taking sides
- detachmentSeparation or emotional uninvolvement
- disinterestAbsence of bias
- factualityAdherence to truth
empirical · evidence-based · verifiability · dispassionate · nonpartisan · accuracy · fairness · unbiased
Scholarly single-topic publications
- dissertationsExtended academic research documents
- citationsAcknowledged source mentions
- footnotesMarginal citations below text
- bibliographyList of cited works
exegesis
Critical textual interpretation
- hermeneuticsStudy of interpretation methods
- historiographyStudy of history-writing
- contextualizationPlacing something within circumstances
periodization · chronology · etiology · genealogy · midrash · synoptic · apocrypha
philology
Study of historical texts
- paleographyStudy of ancient handwriting
- epigraphyStudy of ancient inscriptions
- numismaticsStudy of currency
stratigraphy · seriation · dendrochronology · carbon-dating · heuristics · diachronic · synchronic · typology · provenance
archive
Stored historical records
- manuscriptOriginal text before publication
- artifactHuman-made historical object
- inscriptionText permanently marked
chronicle · annals · codex · palimpsest · autograph · recension · apparatus · collation · variant · fragment
authenticity
Quality of being genuine
- credibilityQuality inspiring trust
- reliabilityConsistent, predictable performance
- validityQuality of being sound
corroboration · bias · anachronism · revisionism · debunking · evidence · documentation · verification · attestation · interpolation
impartiality
Freedom from prejudice
- neutralityState of taking sides
- detachmentSeparation or emotional uninvolvement
- disinterestAbsence of bias
factuality · empirical · evidence-based · verifiability · dispassionate · nonpartisan · accuracy · fairness · unbiased · evenhandedness
monographs
Scholarly single-topic publications
- dissertationsExtended academic research documents
- citationsAcknowledged source mentions
- footnotesMarginal citations below text
- Ancient ChinaShang dynasty, Han dynasty, Confucius, Warring States period, oracle bones
- literary criticismliterary theory, literary analysis, close reading, literary critique, formalism
- Bible scholarshipPentateuch, Hebrew Bible, Old Testament, redactor, final form
- biblical criticismtextual analysis, literary analysis, literary forms, recension, apparatus
- biblical studiesscriptural study, biblical narratives, Hebrew Bible, textual analysis, Pentateuch
- historiographyhistoriography, historiographer, secondary sources, primary sources, periodization
history, criticism, historic, historical, prehistoric, prehistory, historically, historicity, ahistorical