Tuesday, September 27, 2022

The "Consensus" View

During my seminary days at Talbot, and well into my teaching career, I adhered to the Alexandrian Priority View (also called Reasoned Eclecticism). All of my Talbot profs held to this view. Moreover, as I recall, very little was said in my New Testament classes about the different approaches to textual criticism. The consensus view was the consensus view. All one needed to do to retain favor with the academy was to adhere to this consensus. 

There is nothing wrong with a consensus view per se. But "majority rule" in New Testament studies can be a very dangerous thing. Don't stop thinking for yourself.