Works by John William Burgon
- Causes of the Corruption of the Traditional Text of the Holy Gospels
Description: The late 19th century marked a turning point in biblical criticism. B. F. Westcott and
F. J. A. Hort compiled some of the oldest manuscripts of the New Testament. Their
compilation has served as the template for almost every modern translation of the
Bible. Because of this, people often forget that Westcott and Hort’s critical text faced
considerable controversy. John Burgon was perhaps the fiercest enemy of the movement
Westcott and Hort had begun. Instead of the new compilation, Burgon favored the Textus
Receptus, or the collection of Greek texts that provided the material for the King James
Version and the German Luther Bible. His treatise The Causes of the Corruption of the
Traditional Text of the Holy Gospels compares the Textus Receptus with the Westcott
and Hort texts, finding points of disagreement and potential error. Today, many associate
Burgon and his arguments with biblical inerrancy.
Kathleen O’Bannon
CCEL Staff
- Inspiration and Interpretation: Seven Sermons Preached Before the University of Oxford: With Preliminary
Remarks: Being an Answer to a Volume Enti
- Last Twelve Verses of the Gospel According to S. Mark Vindicated Against Recent Critical Objectors and Established
Description: The late 19th century marked a turning point in biblical criticism. B. F. Westcott and
F. J. A. Hort compiled some of the oldest manuscripts of the New Testament. Their
compilation has served as the template for almost every modern translation of the
Bible. Because of this, people often forget that Westcott and Hort’s critical text faced
considerable controversy. John Burgon was perhaps the fiercest enemy of the movement
Westcott and Hort had begun. Among other “modifications,” Westcott and Hort had
deleted the last twelve verses of Mark’s Gospel from their text because they did not
appear in certain Greek originals. Burgon responded with this treatise, in which he
seeks to reestablish the legitimacy of the verses. Today, many associate Burgon and his
arguments with biblical inerrancy.
Kathleen O’Bannon
CCEL Staff
