A portion of the Leningrad Codex. Although the Hebrew Bible is the result of a developmental process, canonical criticism focuses on the final form of the text.

Canonical criticism, sometimes called the canonical approach, is a way of interpreting the Bible that focuses on the text of the biblical canon itself as a finished product. It has been made popular by Brevard Childs, though he personally dislikes the term. Whereas other types of biblical criticism focus on the origins, structure and history of the text, canonical criticism looks at the meaning the text in its final form has for the community which uses it.

[edit] Description

Canonical criticism involves "paying attention to the present form of the text in determining its meaning for the believing community."^[1] Or looking at the text with a view point from today rather than it would be view back then.

[edit] Origins

Canonical criticism is a relatively new approach to biblical studies. As recently as 1983, James Barr could state that canon had no hermeneutical significance for biblical interpretation.^[2]

	Part of a series on The Bible
Biblical canon and books
Tanakh: Torah · Nevi'im · Ketuvim Old Testament · New Testament · Hebrew Bible Deuterocanon · Antilegomena Chapters & verses Apocrypha: Jewish · OT · NT
Development and authorship
Jewish Canon Old Testament canon New Testament canon Mosaic authorship Pauline epistles  · Johannine works
Translations and manuscripts
Septuagint · Samaritan Pentateuch Dead Sea scrolls  · Masoretic text Targums · Peshitta Vetus Latina · Vulgate Gothic Bible · Luther Bible English Bibles
Biblical studies
Dating the Bible Biblical criticism Higher criticism Textual criticism Canonical criticism Novum Testamentum Graece Documentary hypothesis Synoptic problem NT textual categories Historicity (People) Internal Consistency Archeology · Artifacts Science and the Bible
Interpretation
Hermeneutics · Pesher Midrash · Pardes Allegorical · Literalism Prophecy
Views
Inerrancy · Infallibility · Criticism Islamic · Qur'anic · Gnostic Judaism and Christianity Biblical law in Judaism Biblical law in Christianity
This box: view • talk • edit Bible portal

[edit] Criticism

The canonical approach has been criticised by scholars from both liberal and evangelical perspectives.

[edit] References

1. ^ John N. Oswalt, "Canonical Criticism: A Review From A Conservative Viewpoint," Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society 30.3 [1987] 318.
2. ^ James Barr, Holy Scripture: Canon, Authority, Criticism (Westminster John Knox, 1983), 67.

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

Norman Gottwald, Social Matrix and Canonical Shape, Theology Today 42 [1985]