Myths and Mistakes in New Testament Textual Criticism

“Textual criticism is a field that is constantly changing, and about which misunderstanding abounds. This helpful volume of essays on various text-critical issues is written primarily for Christian writers and speakers, but will be relevant for many more audiences beyond. By providing a glimpse into the current state of scholarship, it promises to add nuance and clarity for non-specialists in a challenging area of study. The contributors cover a variety of key issues pertaining to New Testament textual criticism, which will also benefit graduate students, pastors, and anyone wanting a more accurate understanding of what we can and cannot say about the text of the New Testament. Though no one will agree with every contribution, this is a well-conceived and well-executed resource on an often neglected area of study. ”

“The authors in this book offer a necessary corrective to decades of overly exuberant apologetic arguments—arguments that have actually hurt the Christian faith. The writers are refreshingly honest, and they do not pull their punches. They observe poignantly that apologetic works on the reliability of the New Testament text have been drifting away from a proper, well-researched, accurately documented scholarship that is anchored to actual data. Apologists have had a tendency to regurgitate other apologetic works, which in turn are based on other apologetic works. Meanwhile, the scholarship that is supposedly behind the popular declarations in many an evangelical trade book is out-of-date, misunderstood, or simply ignored. These young scholars have something to say—not only to Christian speakers and writers but to non-Christian speakers and writers and even to New Testament scholars of all stripes. I was happily stunned to see the depth of discussion, the candid examination, and the up-to-date bibliography in each chapter. Although Myths and Mistakes in New Testament Textual Criticism is written in clear, user-friendly prose, the contents are well-grounded and perspicacious. I intend to utilize this volume unapologetically in my introduction as a primary source for several analyses.”

“Sanity, balance, and sober judgment are all qualities that too frequently are lacking in recent discourse. Even what some might consider to be the arcane discipline of New Testament textual criticism has not been immune from false facts and fake news. It is against this backdrop that this volume makes an invaluable contribution. Combining care, caution, and rigorous scholarship, the contributors place before readers the latest research and an accurate account of the state of the text of the New Testament. For those seeking to be reliably informed there will be no better guide than this book to understand the origins, manuscripts, transmission, collection, and translations of the writings that form the New Testament. This book replaces ignorance with knowledge, foolishness with wisdom, and angry argument with irenic debate. Anybody who cares about the text of the New Testament must read this book.”

“I personally don't think that you can defend the truth and accuracy of Scripture as the Word of God with untruths and inaccuracies. So I welcome this book that contains an enormous amount of useful information on the text of the New Testament in a form aimed to help people involved in apologetics. Occasionally there is some tough love when mistakes and problems are highlighted, but the aim is always to improve the reader's understanding of the New Testament and thus their witness to the person of our Lord Jesus Christ and the Scriptures that tell his story.”

“Early in my work as an apologist, I made an embarrassing number of mistakes when it came to comments about textual criticism. In almost every instance, a book like this one would have provided the broader perspective that I needed to speak the truth with greater precision. What Elijah Hixson and Peter Gurry have provided in this handbook is a tool that every would-be defender of the Christian faith should purchase and regularly consult. Sloppy defenses of the truth always end up diminishing the truth instead of exalting the truth. Myths and Mistakes in New Testament Textual Criticism will equip you to leave behind sloppy defenses of Scripture when it comes to textual criticism.”

“Packed with reliable data, Christian-friendly apologetics, but also critical of exaggerations and inaccuracies of some apologists, this rich multiauthor volume is a valuable resource. Practically every aspect of New Testament textual criticism is addressed competently and clearly. Highly recommended!”

“I am delighted that these rising stars in the field of New Testament textual criticism have undertaken to guide the church to more integrity and accuracy in the way we talk about the Bible, especially to outsiders. Students, pastors, and lay leaders will find a great foundation for proper handling of Scripture as well as trustworthy resources for apologetics. The essays are in-depth enough to inform the expert but written in plain language with helpful conclusions and takeaways, so the main points are accessible to any committed reader.”

“Informative, fair-minded, and sober. A corrective to the text-critical 'malpractice' of the current age.”