HIST 11 – READINGS IN PHILIPPINE HISTORY

MODULE 3
HISTORICAL CRITICISM
LEARNING OUTCOMES
At the end of this module, you should be able to:
A. Distinguish the nature of historical criticism.
B. Critique the credibility and the authenticity of historical text.
C. Appreciate the value of checking credibility and authenticity of historical text

INTRODUCTION
Now that you are done with the second module which is the Sources of History, let’s
proceed to the last lesson of the first chapter. On the previous module, you learned about the
different kinds of written and non-written historical sources. In order for a source to be used as
evidence in history, basic matters about its form and content must be settled.

ANALYSIS
Hello there! My name is Abigail, I need to go shopping. However, I
cannot go to the mall right now due to lockdown. So, I downloaded Zalada, an
online shopping application. Upon scrolling, some of the items are fake. I am
afraid of the possibility of checking out products that are not original. Can you
help me find authentic products?

Help Abigail in checking the authenticity of the product by encircling “Add to Cart”
button.

Search in Ladaza

Flip this page

to see more.

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 Search in Ladaza

How was your experience? Did you have fun? I had a lot of fun too! Thanks for helping
me out! I cannot imagine my online shopping experience without your help. I learned a lot from
you. Since we really cannot easily avoid fake items online, it is really important to check quality
of the product that we’re eyeing for. We need to examine if it’s original or fake so that it will not
be a waste of effort, time, and money.

Just like history, we also need to check the authenticity and the credibility of the
historical texts that we use in learning. Continue to study the module to find out ways in doing
historical criticism. Are you ready?

You may go to the next page to continue the last topic of the Chapter 1.

ABSTRACTION

Lesson 3: Historical Criticism

Historical criticism examines the origins of earliest text to appreciate the underlying
circumstances upon which the text came to be (Soulen & Soulen, 2001).

The two (2) important goals in historical criticism which are: a. to discover the original
meaning of the text in its primitive or historical context and its literal sense or sensus literalis
historicus; and b. to establish a reconstruction of the historical situation of the author and
recipients of the text.

Historical criticism has two (2) parts which are: a. to determine the authenticity of the
material, also called provenance of a source; and b. to weigh the testimony of the truth –

PARTS OF HISTORICAL
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CRITICISM
higher criticism.

PROVENANCE OF THE
HIGHER CRITICISM
SOURCE

Types of Historical Criticism

 EXTERNAL CRITICISM
- It determines the authenticity of the source; to spot fabricated, forged, faked
documents; and distinguish a hoax or misrepresentation. It may be tested by:
o Paleographical – the deciphering and dating of historical manuscripts
o Diplomatic – understands how the document came to be

Tests of Authenticity

1. Determine the date of the document to see whether they are anachronistic (a
chronological misplacing of persons, events, or customs in regard to each other)
E.g., pencils did not exist before the 16th Century
2. Determine the author
E.g., handwriting, signature, seal.
3. Anachronistic style
E.g., idiom, orthography, punctuation
4. Anachronistic reference to events
E.g., too early, too late, too remote
5. Provenance or custody
E.g., determines its genuineness
6. Semantics – determining the meaning of a text or word
7. Hermeneutics – (principles of interpretation of ambiguous words)

Anachronistic references to events or the dating of a document at a time when the

alleged writer could not possibly have been at the place designated (alibi) uncovers fraud).

 INTERNAL CRITICISM
- It determines the credibility or historicity of the facts and relevant particulars
contained in the document. It checks the verisimilar of the document or as close as
what really happened from a critical examination of best available sources

Tests of Credibility

1. Identification of the author

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 E.g., to determine his reliability; mental processes, personal attitudes
2. Determination of the approximate date
E.g., handwriting, signature, seal
3. Ability to tell the truth
E.g., nearness to the event, competence of witness, degree of attention

Historical Criticism Methodologies

In doing historical criticism, there are five (5) methodologies to follow:

 SOURCE CRITICISM
o Analyzes and studies the sources used by biblical authors
 FORM CRITICISM
o It seeks to determine a unit’s original form and historical context of the literary
tradition
 REDACTION CRITICISM
o It regards the author of the text as editor of the source materials
 TRADITION CRITICISM
o It attempts to trace the developmental stages of the oral tradition from its
historical emergence to its literary presentation
 CANONICAL CRITICISM
o It focuses its interpretation of the bible on the text of biblical canon

Sigillographers is a historical seal that has been subject of special study of experts.

APPLICATION
I. Critique the authenticity and credibility of the following texts.

Jose Rizal messaged Josephine Bracken thru WeChat app.

1. What is the problem of the text?

2. What type of historical criticism should be done with the text and why?

“OMG!” said Lapu-lapu.

1. What is the problem of the text?

2. What type of historical criticism should be done with the text and why?

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