Form Criticism & Source Criticism

- Textual Criticism Continued
- Chicago Hope Academy . Mr. Settecase . Senior Bible . 01/18/2010
- Contributors: Mr. Settecase, Dr. James Bibza, Rev. Owen E. Evans, MA
- Students will be able to:
- Discuss the difference between form criticism and source criticism

- Identify two methods of textual criticism used by biblical scholars
- Key Questions:
- Where did the Gospels come from?

- How do biblical scholars think the New Testament was formed?

- What basic tenets should all Christians believe about the Bible?
- Passages we aren’t sure about
- Mark 16:9-20 - most likely not part of the original text

- John 7:53-8:11 – woman who committed adultery
- Seems historically reliable
- Is this problematic?
- God does not risk anything by having them in there
- John: Actually historical
- Mark: summary of other stories

- Form Criticism
- Sees events as pearls, connected by narrative
- The early form critics
- Very anti-supernatural
- Assumed miracles were impossible
- Assumed Bible stories were created by the early church

- These people were supposedly believers
- Source Criticism
- The attempt to trace the literary sources which underlie the Synoptic Gospels

- Synoptic Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke
- Describe events in Christ's life from a similar point of view
- Same outline and chronology
- Four sources of Source Criticism
- Mark
- Q
- M
- L
- Who is Q?
- See the handout for definitions of the four sources.

- Got questions?