Because Higher Criticism approaches the biblical manuscripts from a
more hypothetical perspective, its
greatest challenge is reconciling the role of
supernatural events in biblical history.
Based on how critics approach supernatural events, which reveals their
presuppositions, higher criticism is
divided into two camps:
Constructive Criticism accepts the possibility of supernatural
inspiration of the Bible.
Destructive Criticism takes a human rationalistic approach and
views the Bible with a bias against supernatural influences.
Destructive critics tend to use Higher Criticism as a method to
speculate and historically reconstruct the Bible
as a work of human fiction. Often based
on skeptical assumptions, their conclusions are controversial. In many cases, the
controversy is focused on the subjective method of analysis, or it fails to acknowledge
the method’s limitations, or in some cases, fails to be academically accountable.
If Higher Criticism is so questionable and controversial, is it necessary to consider
these methods as
viable means to study the Bible?