Exploring Ancient Texts: Understanding Historical Criticism, Summaries of History

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Importance of Historical Criticism. By: Venus Monica C. Calungsod I. As we all know the word criticism has not always borne with a good name, as well as Historical criticism. It may sound negative or somewhat approaches the Bible in the wrong way, as some people would say. However, Historical Criticism has something to great offer, as it seeks greater understanding of texts by analyzing the historical and social contexts. It is also known as the historical-critical method, is a branch of criticism that studies the origins of ancient texts in order to comprehend, "the world behind the text." It is literary criticism based on historical evidence or the context in which a work was written, including facts about the author's life, as well as the historical and social circumstances of the time. In simple terms, Historical Criticism explores the origins of oldest text to appreciate the underlying circumstances upon which the text came to be. As to which, the following parts of the paper will enlighten the importance and discuss deeply the idea of Historical Criticism. II. A. The phrase “what actually happened” is no means free from difficulties of interpretation, but a common-sense view of it will suffice us in the present discussion. This idea was highlighted on the paper by I.H. Marshall (1977), entitle “Historical Criticism.” In which, he defined historical criticism as the study of any narrative which purports to convey historical information in order to understand what actually happened and is depicted or alluded to in the passage in question. He also added that a historical study is important, as it was conducted in order to throw more light on a mysterious narrative by analyzing the nature of the events to which it bears witness. One thing is the study how the meaning of various statements in the New Testament becomes apparent to the modern reader only when they are placed within their historical context. Truly, his paper enlightened us the idea of Historical Criticism and its great contribution to understanding the context from the bible. The question of how firm internationalisation evolves over time is best answered by the careful use of historical research methods duly The question of how firm internationalisation evolves over time is best answered by the careful use of historical research methods duly The question of how firm internationalisation evolves over time is best answered by the careful use of historical research methods duly The question of how firm internationalisation evolves over time is best answered by the careful use of historical research methods duly The question of how firm internationalisation evolves over time is best answered by the careful use of historical research methods duly The question of how firm internationalisation evolves over time is best answered by the careful use of historical research methods duly The question of how firm internationalisation evolves over time is best answered by the careful use of historical research methods duly The question of how firm internationalisation evolves over time is best answered by the careful use of historical research methods duly The question of how firm internationalisation evolves over time is best answered by the careful use of historical research methods duly The question of how firm internationalisation evolves over time is best answered by the careful use of historical research methods duly

B. The historian's reconstruction of the past is influenced by a variety of factors, and it is evident that it cannot always be certain. This is one of the reasons why Historical Criticism was brought about to convey historical information into understanding of several text, as what Marshall (1977) wanted to imply in his study. My understanding about his thought is that the details from the history or past offered an important information to the original readers, but to the present reader. In simple terms, those historical text is just a time note without any explanation in the present, without the essence of Historical Criticism. Noting that the existence of this historical criticism brought understanding of artifacts, clearly remarking its importance to literature. III. A. Furthermore, Catholic University of America Press (1917) authorized a paper that discussed further the Historical Criticism. As they stated that Historical criticism rose to prominence at a time when so-called Higher Criticism of the Scriptures, and the latter's dubious reputation in circles where the Bible was still revered as the Inspired Word cast a pall over the former's value as a constructive science or inquiry into the truth. In addition, they summed up that the value and the necessity of Historical Criticism were to test the genuineness of the source, analyze the text, determine and interpret the value of the source and the establishment of truth. Consequently, they conclude, historical work is absolutely critical, and anybody who embarks on it without first being warned against his instincts is doomed to drown in it. B. On my end, Catholic University of America Press (1917) implies to give a picture that historical criticism entails the understanding of events and experiences surrounding the creation of the work, particularly the source, and applying the results to interpret that piece of literature. In which, by analyzing the details of the text and by localizing them in place and time, we are enabled to see the constant use of material whose could never have known. The importance of a strict test for historical material is easily recognizable when one reflects that truth at the end. Hence, to test is to criticize; and while criticism is not the chief end of historical research, still, no conclusions may be made by the research-worker until all material has passed through the sieve of historical criticism. IV. Several disciplines make up historical criticism. It contains source criticism, which is a set of skills that assists you in carefully learning about the substance of historical sources. The internal dialectic of historical criticism is an essential aspect of it. The historical understanding develops through a process in which historians criticize the ways in which their ancestors' present- mindedness caused them to misinterpret the past. Historical criticism's main purpose is to find the text's primal or original meaning in its original historical context and literal sense. The secondary purpose is to develop a reconstruction of the author's and receivers' historical circumstances. From that idea and principles, we can formulate a conclusion of how important Historical Criticism, as it contributed to many aspects. V. “ The literary text is itself part of the interplay of discourses, a thread in the dynamic web of social meaning ,” a famous quote by Lois Tyson. This statement caught an eye to people, as it

brought a deep understanding of Historical Criticism. Since as we all know, writing history is subjective because certain events happened so long ago, and because sometimes the evidence is incomplete, different historians have different approaches and views about what happened in the past. This is the subjective nature of history. One historian claims an event happened a certain way, while another disagrees completely. From this thoughts and notion, historical criticism is made to bring understanding, through establishing one conception which everyone agrees. In general, Historical criticism is the process of separating convention from the individual, and uncovering the intentions underlying the process of construction, one important aspect that we truly need. VI. References I.H. Marshall. (1977). “Historical Criticism,” I. Howard Marshall, ed., New Testament Interpretation: Essays on Principles and Methods. Carlisle: The Paternoster Press, revised 1979. Pbk. ISBN: 0853644241. pp.126-138. Catholic University of America Press. (Oct, 1917). Historical Criticism. The Catholic Historical Review, Vol. 3, No. 3, pp. 368-371. Catholic University of America Press: Retrieved from https://www.jstor.org/stable/