The Practice of New Testament Textual Criticism in the Twenty-First Century

In setting out the current state of New Testament textual criticism, this chapter shows that the study of the biblical text is now far broader than the narrow definition suggested by the traditional title of the discipline. Instead of a concern solely with establishing the earliest attainable form of text, practitioners are involved in the study of documents and a history of the text and its reception which spans the entire Christian era. An overview is given of the current state of manuscript studies, indirect evidence for the Greek New Testament, recent printed editions (including the Editio Critica Maior), and the contribution of textual scholarship to the history of interpretation. The creation of digital resources has led to a significant increase in interest in this field, which is reflected in new research centres and fresh forms of engagement between experts and a general audience.