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higher criticism

noun
  1. the study of the Bible having as its object the establishment of such facts as authorship and date of composition, as well as determination of a basis for exegesis.
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Compare lower criticism.

Origin of higher criticism

First recorded in 1830–40
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for higher criticism

Historical Examples

  • If we apply the laws of higher-criticism to this old document a number of things appear, as obvious as they are interesting.

    The Builders

    Joseph Fort Newton

British Dictionary definitions for higher criticism

higher criticism

noun
  1. the use of scientific techniques of literary criticism to establish the sources of the books of the BibleCompare lower criticism
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Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012