New Testament

===Biblical criticism===
{{Main|Biblical criticism}}
[[Biblical criticism]] is the scholarly "study and investigation of [[Biblical manuscript|biblical writings]] that seeks to make discerning judgments about these writings."<ref>{{Cite book|last=Achtemeier|first=Paul|url=https://archive.org/details/harpersbibledict00tion/page/129/mode/2up|title=Harper's Bible dictionary|publisher=Harper & Row|year=1985|isbn=0060698632|location=San Francisco|pages=129}}</ref> Viewing biblical texts as having human rather than supernatural origins, it asks when and where a particular text originated; how, why, by whom, for whom, and in what circumstances it was produced; what influences were at work in its production; what sources were used in its composition; and what message it was intended to convey.

It will vary slightly depending on whether the focus is on the Old Testament, the letters of the New Testament, or the [[Canonical Gospels]]. It also plays an important role in the quest for the [[historical Jesus]]. It also addresses the physical text, including the meaning of the words and the way in which they are used, its preservation, history, and integrity. Biblical criticism draws upon a wide range of scholarly disciplines including [[archaeology]], [[anthropology]], [[folklore]], [[linguistics]], [[narrative criticism]], [[Christian Oral Tradition|Oral Tradition studies]], history, and [[religious studies]].