This presents an interesting Catch-22: The current trend on TC-List seems
to be away from entertaining questions from or discussions with interested
amateurs, towards a more academically rigorous and advanced forum. I do not
think the discussion that was developing here would be welcome on TC-List.
Mark Johnson
------------------------------
From: Edward Hobbs <EHOBBS@wellesley.edu>
Date: Thu, 23 Oct 1997 11:52:21 -0500 (EST)
Subject: Textual Criticism: A Caution
Colleagues:
There is a List devoted to Textual Criticism; may I ask that those who wish
to continue to discuss the principles and practice of the discipline
continue it there, or off-list.
Bart Ehrman and Mike Holmes (who really ARE textual critics) have given us
good and responsible leads, for those who wish to pursue the matter in
printed form.
Myself, I was once a textual critic (studying under E. C. Colwell, working
on the International Project in its early years, publishing an
"Introduction" to method, guiding Jim Royce's now-famous dissertation on
the shorter-reading rule in the papyri), but consider my own current
knowledge inadequate to debate the subject with Mike and Bart.
So, please: Off-list, or on the TextCrit list. And read those two good
books, one by and the other in honor of Bruce Metzger. (And let's honor
him in San Francisco a month from now, not bury him!)
Edward Hobbs, speaking "officially"
------------------------------