Bible Dictionary
CRITICISM OF THE BIBLE
Biblical criticism is the careful examination of Scripture’s text, language, sources, authorship, date, composition, and historical setting. Textual criticism compares manuscripts and versions to establish the wording, while higher criticism studies literary and historical questions and must guard against unsupported assumptions.
Biblical Usage
Criticism may help establish, modify, or reverse traditional opinions about the biblical record, but it must be applied cautiously. The source warns that criticism becomes unsound when governed by reckless theories or the assumption that nothing supernatural can occur.