THE FUNDAMENTALS CHAPTER I THE HISTORY OF THE HIGHER CRITICISM. BY CAN N DYSON HAGUE, M. A., RECTOR OF THE MEMORIAL CHURCH, LONDON, ONTARlO. LECTURER IN LITURGICS AND ECCLESIOLOGY, WYCLIFFE COL· LEGE, TORONTO, CANADA. EXAMINING CHAPLAIN TO THE BISHOP 01' HURON. What is the meaning of the Higher Criticism? Wfiy is it called higher! Higher than what! At the outset it must be explained that the word "Higher" is an academic term, used in this connection in a purely special or technical sense. It is not used in the popular sense of the w na o r r y d m at an a . ll, N an o d r i m s a i y t m co e n a v n e t y to a c w on ro v n e g y i t m he pr i e d s e s a io o n f t s o up th er e io o r r it d y i. It is simply a term of contrast. It is used in contrast to the phrase, "Lower Criticism." One of the most important branches of theology is called the science of Biblical criticism, which has for its object the study of the history and contents, and origins and purposes, of the various books of the Bible. In the early stages of the science Biblical criticism was devoted to two great branches, the Lower, and the Higher. The Lower Criticism was em• ployed to designate the study of the text of the Scripture, and i n f a l words as they were written by the Divinely inspired writers. d ( a S y e s e B is ri T gg e s x , tu H a e l x C ., r p it a ic g i e sm 1. . ) I T f h t e he ter p m hra g s e e ne w ra e l r ly e u u s s e e d d n i o n w t - h a e twentieth century sense, Beza, Erasmus, Bengel, Griesbach, Lachmann, Tregelles, Tischendorff, Scrivener, 'Westcott, and 9 u f in e s c r c l e r u n ip d t t e s r d e i a n t d h i e o n r g d i s n e v r in e s t t t h i h a g e t at v w io a e n r i o m o u f a s y v t h e b e r e s i m s o u n a r s n e u a s w n c d e r ip c h t o a s d v , i e c a e n t s h d e a n t o h d r e i m g d i a n
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