What is Form Criticism?

by Edgar V. McKnight

Dr. McKnight begins his analysis of form criticism with a brief historical survey of the development of critical New Testament scholarship from the eighteenth century. He then describes the pioneer efforts of Martin Dibelius and Rudolf Bultmann in applying form criticism to the synoptic Gospels. Professor McKnight believes that the form critical work of some contemporary scholars has greatly enriched our understanding of the Parables, and has added much to our knowledge about the historical Jesus.

Genres: Biblical Studies, Theology

96 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 1969

Reviews

[Daniel Clemence]

What is Form Criticism gives an overview of form criticism within the Bible. The book is a snapshot of the issues raised by form criticism. The main takeaway from the book is that the Gospel writings of Jesus are not historical texts but theological texts that outline the teaching of Jesus. There is also a lot of debate between Dibelius and Bultmann on the nature of Jesus and the teachings of Jesus. The book gives a good overview of Form Criticism. It is a bit dated, but it should be seen as a useful book on the subject.

[Josep Marti]

A bit dated— but short enough of an introduction to be able to read it in a critical period of time.