A New Approach to Textual Criticism: An Introduction to the Coherence-Based Genealogical Method

by Tommy Wasserman, Peter J. Gurry (Editor)

With the publication of the widely used 28th edition of Nestle-Aland's Novum Testamentum Graece and the 5th edition of the United Bible Society Greek New Testament, a computer-assisted method known as the Coherence-Based Genealogical Method (CBGM) was used for the first time to determine the most valuable witnesses and establish the initial text. This book offers the first full-length, student-friendly introduction to this important new method. After setting out the method's history, separate chapters clarify its key concepts, including genealogical coherence, textual flow diagrams, and the global stemma. Examples from across the New Testament are used to show how the method works in practice. The result is an essential introduction that will be of interest to students, translators, commentators, and anyone else who studies the Greek New Testament.

Kindle Edition

Published November 17, 2017

Reviews

[Timothy Decker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Clear as mud.

[Timothy Decker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Helpful intro but still very confusing to me.

[John Mcchesney-young · Rating 5 out of 5]

A textbook (in the best sense of the term) which leads the reader gently through the theory and practice of CBGM. Although it presupposes little, I can't imagine it would be easy going without some prior understanding of New Testament textual criticism (a reading of Metzger or Aland & Aland, for example). The examples presented are clear and helpful and there are a glossary and a fairly extensive annotated bibliography which thoughtfully notes works which are the best next steps. There's no index but the book is logically organized and brief enough that the lack probably won't be felt by many.

[Христо · Rating 4 out of 5]

Now, I both like this book and find it extremely disappointing.

The book, is great. The CBGM, is an ill-conceived attempt to justify subjective decisions. In short, excellent expository book, but the method it elucidates will - I'm sure of it - prove satisfactory only as a coping mechanism.

There is no mechanized, automated, or computer-aided way to reach the Autographs, because there are no Autographs, which - coincidentally - speaks to the real authenticity of the New Testament manuscript tradition.

[Gordon Walker · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very helpful introduction to a new approach to textual criticism which is becoming increasingly influential in critical editions of the New Testament. It is very much aimed at practitioners, with extensive discussion of the software tools available, and even screen shots of various parts of the interface. However this does help to give a very full and realistic insight into how it works.

[Frank Russell · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great intro to the Coherence Based Genealogical Method. Although there were times I sat scratching my head in the sections explaining the theory, the portions with in depth examples using texts with variant readings was enormously helpful.

[Kenneth Trax · Rating 5 out of 5]

A concise work that demystified the newest frontier of textual criticism. I hope to have opportunity to practice this method as the tools become more widely available.

[Anthony Ingram · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although the book is a very good introduction, and it is relatively short (120 pages), boy is it dense. Took me a while to read because the content was so foreign and the language and vocabulary is so different.
But overall a good intro to a very complex system (a system that I still do not understand that well) but what helped me the most was reading the chapter on the CBGM in “40 Questions about the text and canon of the New Testament” by Quarles and Kellum and it had a good overview of the what the system is (a 30,000 foot view if you will). If you understand the “what”, then this book is good at understanding the “how” the system works.