Sunday Hymn: Holy God, We Praise Thy Name

Holy God, we praise Thy name;
Lord of all, we bow before Thee!
All on earth Thy scepter claim,
All in Heaven above adore Thee;
Infinite Thy vast domain,
Everlasting is Thy reign.

Hark! the loud celestial hymn
Angel choirs above are raising,
Cherubim and seraphim,
In unceasing chorus praising;
Fill the heavens with sweet accord:
Holy, holy, holy, Lord.

Lo! the apostolic train
Join the sacred name to hallow;
Prophets swell the loud refrain,
And the white robed martyrs follow;
And from morn to set of sun,
Through the Church the song goes on.

Holy Father, Holy Son,
Holy Spirit, Three we name Thee;
While in essence only One,
Undivided God we claim Thee;
And adoring bend the knee,
While we own the mystery.

—Ig­naz Franz

Theological Term of the Week: Redaction Criticism

redaction criticism

The study of the role of the editor in the composition of the biblical text. 

(Evangelical redaction criticism presupposes the supernatural nature of scripture, and is used to focus on the the particular theological objectives of a biblical author. But more commonly, redaction criticism is done from anti-supernatural presuppositions and used to confirm the (supposedly) human origin of scripture. One of the linked articles under Learn More below denounces redaction criticism generally, but it does so under the assumption that all redaction criticism has anti-supernatural presuppositions.)

• From 40 Questions About Interpreting the Bible by Robert L. Plummer, page 301:

[W]hile many biblical authors had both firsthand knowledge of events (e.g., the apostle John) and oral and written sources from which to draw (e.g., Luke 1:1-4), the redactor ultimately showed his theological interests and purposes through selecting, omitting, editing, and summarizing the material for his text. (Of course, Christians assume the Holy Spirit was working through the redactors in this process.)

Learn more: 

1. Got Questions: What are redaction criticism and higher criticism?
2. D. A. Carson: Redaction Criticism: On the Legitimacy and Illegitimacy of a Literary Tool 
3. Robert Stein: Redaction Criticism

Related terms:

• amanuensis
• autographs 
• codex
• inspiration of scripture
• manuscripts
• source criticism
• text criticism

Filed under Scripture

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Clicking on the Theological Terms button above the header will take you to an alphabetical list of all the theological terms.

Sunday Hymn: Come Behold the Wondrous Mystery

Come, behold the wondrous mystery
In the dawning of the king
He the theme of Heaven’s praises
Robed in frail humanity

 
In our longing, in our darkness
Now, the light of life has come
Look to Christ, who condescended
Took on flesh to ransom us

Come, behold the wondrous mystery
He is the perfect son of man
In His living, in His suffering
Never trace nor stain of sin

 
See the true and better Adam
Come to save the hell-bound man
Christ, the great and sure fulfilment
Of the law; in Him we stand

Come, behold the wondrous mystery
Christ, the Lord upon the tree
In the stead of ruined sinners
Hangs the lamb in victory

 
See the price of our redemption
See the Father’s plan unfold
Bringing many sons to glory
Grace unmeasured, love untold

Come, behold the wondrous mystery
Slain by death, the God of life
But no grave could ever restrain Him
Praise the Lord; He is alive!

What a foretaste of deliverance
How unwavering our hope
Christ in power resurrected
As we will be when He comes

—Matt Boswell / Michael Bleecker / Matt Papa