Cole on Preservation and the Westminster Divines’ Sermons

Zach Cole of RTS Orlando has a new article out in JETS. Actually, it was out in September issue, but I just got my hardcopy. Zach’s been working on the subject of TC in the Westminster divines for a while now and his ETS paper this year built on that. It dovetails nincely with my recent article on the topic and I’ve been enjoying following Zach’s parallel work on the subject. I recommend this one. Here is the abstract.

Providential Preservation of Scripture and Textual Criticism in the Sermons of Westminster Divines

Abstract: The men who claimed that Scripture had been “kept pure in all ages” were also regular preachers who routinely dealt with textual variations and marginal readings. By giving attention to the manner in which they addressed text-critical problems in the pulpit, we can understand more precisely what the Westminster divines believed about the manner of God’s preservation of his word. It is argued that the authorial intent of WCF 1.8 allows room for the practice of textual criticism and that it does not require adoption of one particular strand of the Greek textual tradition as “approved” in every point of variation.

And here are his concluding observations in short form:

• First and most obviously, the men who affirmed that the word of God had been “kept pure in all ages” were aware of textual criticism and its challenges.
• Second, we do not find our preachers engaging in conjectural emendation, that is, advocating a reading that lacks extant manuscript support.
• Third, beyond these similarities across our preachers, we also find a modest diversity of approaches and practices when adjudicating textual problems. 
• Fourth, several of the Westminster divines show a degree comfortability with textual variation.

You can read the whole article here, although it may be paywalled for non-ETS members.