RELIGIOUS ENCYCLOPEDIA
Biblical Introduction Biblical Theology
irregularity and vacillation which existed during several centuries, and the adjustment which produced a final and universally accepted result.
The examination of the origins of the individual writings and that of the origin of the collection supplement each other. The one brings to light the common spirit which animated the individual writers, the other reveals the influence which those writers exercised over the churches. And it is noteworthy that the collection was begun almost, \f not quite, before the latest writers had finished their work, so that no appreciable interval of time separated the two operations of writing and of collection. And so, notwithstanding the different areas in which these two processes work, they belong together as sections of the one discipline of the literary history of the New Testament.
As to the inclusion of other departments in this branch of study, usage differs. Some have included therein not only the history of the text and of translations, but also the history of the theological handling of the same. But, strictly speaking, neither the story of the vicissitudes of transmission nor the history of translations belongs here. If with Credner and Reuss the history of translations is put as a part of the 3" T.e.3t*ual history of the propagation of the New ri icism Testament, its proper place is in the Versions, histoi-y of missions. So far as the versions assist in the recovery of the original text, the treatment of them belongs in a guide to the exercise of text-criticism or in the prolegomena to editions of the New Testament, To be sure, the history of the earlier text and that of the old versions have importance for the history of the canon because of the fact that not so much individual books as the entire collection or at least great parts of the collection were copied and translated. Were greater certainty than is yet the case attainable concerning the Syriac and the Latin versions, great gains would be made in the history of the canon of the New Testament. But it must be remembered that not all branches which contribute to results in any given line of research are to be included in the department of science in which they are used. (T. Zahn.)
Bibliography: On the general introduction to the whole Bible consult: C. A. Briggs, Study of Holy Scripture, New
f^ork, 1899 (the best book for a comprehensive survey); G T. Ladd, Doctrine of Sacred Scripture, ib. 1883 (full but dry); E. Rapin, Les Livres de I'Ancien el du Nouveau Testament, Moudon, 1890; A. Schlatter, Einleitung in die Bibel, Stuttgart, 1894 (conservative).
On the Canon of the O. T. it is sufficient to mention: A. Kuenen, Historisch-kritisch onderzoek naar het onstaan en de verzameling van de boeken des Ouden Verbonds, 3 vols Leyden, 1885-93 (the fullest discussion); F. Buhi, Kanon und Text des Alten Testaments, Leipsic, 1891, Eng. transl.,
. ? U^gh' 1892 (a model); H. E. Ryle, Canon and Text Will, T'' Lond011' 1892 (reliable, indispensable); G. Wildeboer, Het Onstaan van den kanon des Ouden Verbonds, Groningen, 1889, Eng. transl., London, 1885 (all Mudents should have it); E. Kautzsch, Abriss der Gesclichte des alttestamentlichen Schrifttums, in his Heilige
i a u A- T" Freiburg. 1896, Eng. transl., Outline or the Hist, of the Literature of the O. T., New York. 1899 Uresn and interesting).
On 0. T. Introduction the one indispensable book is J^nver, Introduction, latest impression, London, 1897. U>nsult also J. P. P. Martin, Introduction a la critique generate de I'A. T., 3 vols., Paris, 1888-89; A. F. Kirkpat-
rick, The Divine Library of the 0. T., London, 1892 (conservative); S. Davidson, Introduction to the O. T., 3 vols ib. 1894 (the antithesis of Kirkpatrick); H. L.' Strackj Einleitung in das A. T., Munich, 1898; W. H. Green,' General Introduction to the 0. T., 2 vols., New York' 1898-99 (the extreme in conservatism); W R. Smith' O. T. in Jewish Church, Edinburgh, 1902; C. H. Cornill' Einleitung in das A. T., Freiburg, 1905, Eng. transl.! 1907; J. E. McFadyen, Introduction to the O. T., New York, 1905; K. Budds, Geschichte der althebraischen Liiteratur, Leipsic, 1906; C. L. Gautier, Introduction a I'A. T., 2 vols., Lausanne, 1906.
On the N. T. the works have been sufficiently indicated in the text, though worthy of mention are A. Loisy, Hisloire du Canon du N. T., Paris, 1891; Biblical Introduction- N. T., by W. Adeney, London, 1899; B. W Bacon, Introduction to N. T., New York, 1900; H. von Soden, Urchristhche Literatur-Geschichle, i, Die Schriften des X. T. Berlin 1905, Eng. transl., 1905.