Richard Simon Critical History of the Text of the New Testament

In Critical History of the Text of the New Testament, 17th century Oratorian Richard Simon (1638-1712), ‘father’ of modern biblical criticism, surveys the genuineness, accuracy, authority, and reliability of all then known sources of the New Testament. He makes rigorous, objective, and expert use of a staggering quantity of material relating to the text—Greek and Latin manuscripts, early versions, quotations from the Old Testament in the New, from the Church Fathers and other commentators of all periods. Though in his day Simon was contradicted, opposed, persecuted, and silenced, it is precisely because, three centuries ago, he dared to be different, and because of his knowledge and his scrupulously “scientific” approach, that his work deserves to reach a wider audience.

Andrew W.R. Hunwick, Doctor of University of Paris (Sorbonne, 1969), Chevalier dans l’ordre des Palmes Académiques was formerly Professor of French Studies at the University of Western Australia (1998-2007). He was editor for the Complete Works of Voltaire (Oxford, Voltaire Foundation): see vol. 80c (2009): 11-76: articles Journal de politique et de littérature (1777).

"Overall this is a very useful volume for those interested in the history of New Testament critical scholarship and textual criticism" – Paul Foster, University of Edinburgh, in: The Expository Times 125/2 (2013)