New technologies have drastically changed the way we access texts of all kinds. In addition to the classic printed book, people read written works on phones, tablets, computers, and purpose-designed e-readers. I myself am an avid Kindle user; I use it to do a good portion of my own reading, whether academic or recreational. Ebooks do offer many advantages over physical books-- they are easily searchable, generally more portable and accessible anywhere, fonts and other formatting can be adjusted-- the list goes on and on. If one uses an actual e-reader which is optimized with things like e-ink, many of the benefits are increased, and many disadvantages which one might suffer when reading on a computer or phone are diminished. However, physical books do have some distinct advantages which make them worthwhile in certain cases. Studies so far do seem to indicate that the tactile nature of a physical book is better for retention and for understanding how parts of a book fit together....
Editorial Note: I am leaving this article up, but it should be noted that I no longer hold the position on the text of the New Testament which I held at the time of writing this article. I would say that I now, broadly speaking, embrace the Critical Text and the underlying eclectic methodology. I would still say that I see the points listed here as reasons why the TR position is more logically consistent than a pure majority text position. I have decided to write this article in response to a video posted by Pastor Matthew Everhard on the subject of the majority text. I want to state up front that this is a friendly article intended to stimulate brotherly conversation. Pastor Everhard’s online ministry has greatly influenced me in many ways, and this particular video on the Majority Text has much to commend it. In fact, the straightforward and clear nature of the video is what makes it such a great starting point for further conversation. I also want to note that as a TR advocate,...