Textual Criticism: A Caution

Edward Hobbs (EHOBBS@wellesley.edu)
Thu, 23 Oct 1997 11:52:21 -0500 (EST)

Colleagues:

There is a List devoted to Textual Criticism; may I ask that those who wish
to continue to discuss the principles and practice of the discipline
continue it there, or off-list.

Bart Ehrman and Mike Holmes (who really ARE textual critics) have given us
good and responsible leads, for those who wish to pursue the matter in
printed form.

Myself, I was once a textual critic (studying under E. C. Colwell, working
on the International Project in its early years, publishing an
"Introduction" to method, guiding Jim Royce's now-famous dissertation on
the shorter-reading rule in the papyri), but consider my own current
knowledge inadequate to debate the subject with Mike and Bart.

So, please: Off-list, or on the TextCrit list. And read those two good
books, one by and the other in honor of Bruce Metzger. (And let's honor
him in San Francisco a month from now, not bury him!)

Edward Hobbs, speaking "officially"