Editio Critica Maior
The Editio Critica Maior ( ECM ) is the most comprehensive text-critical academic edition of the Greek New Testament to date. The project is funded by the Union of German Academies of Sciences . It is published by the Institute for New Testament Text Research , at which Kurt Aland has been developing the Novum Testamentum Graece (Nestle-Aland) for decades , which is the basis for many translations of the New Testament worldwide. It is issued in cooperation with the International Greek New Testament Project.
It is becoming apparent that the text obtained by this new method will have to be changed in many places compared to the previous editions. The complete edition should be available by 2030.
Working method
The ECM documents the Greek text history of the first millennium using the historically important Greek manuscripts, old translations and New Testament quotations in ancient Christian literature. Compared to the previous scientific text editions, a new method is used that was only possible with computer-supported databases. The source text of the Greek New Testament is reconstructed on the basis of genealogical research, and the relevant material was prepared for the first time with this completeness. The evaluation of the material tries to create a computer-aided genealogical sequence of the text witnesses and at the same time to do justice to the phenomenon of the high contamination of Bible manuscripts. Contamination means that a manuscript is not simply a more recent copy of an older manuscript, but that the copyist has copied from two or more different originals or that a manuscript was subsequently modified based on the readings of another manuscript. A manuscript can therefore have several mothers at the same time. Identical variants can accidentally arise several times and are not always an indication of a genealogical relationship.
The beginnings
At the Institute for New Testament Text Research (INTF), since its founding in 1959 by Kurt Aland, previously unknown and lost manuscripts have been identified and photographed on sometimes adventurous expeditions, and all known manuscripts recorded and cataloged. The INTF thus came into possession of over 90% of the known material on microfilm or photo.
First evaluation
First, a text passage program was implemented in the mid-1980s. The uniform texts, which, as is known, made up the bulk of the tradition of the High Middle Ages, were eliminated. After the elimination of these texts, the material relevant to the history of the text, especially from the first millennium, is now available: in addition to the manuscripts from this period, there are also numerous later ones that reflect the older text history. The actual editing work could begin. The still very high number of manuscripts relevant to text history is gradually being transcribed and subjected to a full text comparison (full collation). The results are recorded in databases. For the first time, this allows computer-aided research into the entire material. The acquisition of genealogical data, which illuminates the history of the text and especially its beginnings, is of particular importance. The specific problems associated with this tradition are now clearly evident.
The digitization
The institute uses digital methods at all levels of its philological work: Manuscripts are recorded in the highest possible quality as digital photos. These photos are the basis for the transcriptions to be created on the computer. The creation of a critical apparatus is then prepared using the Collate software . In addition to the edition published in book form, a digital platform is being developed that allows online access to all data that is collected while working on the ECM. Above all, this includes the diplomatic transcripts of all manuscripts used in the ECM and the databases on which the Editio Critica Maior is based. In cooperation with the Center for Information Processing of the University of Münster and the University Library, the initial data is stored in such a way that constant availability is guaranteed.
In addition to the edition published in book form (each with the sub-volumes Text , Accompanying Materials and Studies ), a digital platform is being developed that allows online access to all data that is collected during work on the ECM. Above all, this includes the diplomatic transcripts of all manuscripts used in the ECM and the databases on which the ECM is based. But the connection to the photos in the virtual manuscript reading room should also gradually be possible. Part of the digital platform will also be programs that develop the material and enable the user to apply the coherence-based genealogical method.
The printed partial deliveries
The printed editions are published by the German Bible Society
The Acts of the Apostles
- Novum Testamentum Graecum Editio Critica Maior, III / 1.1, The Acts of the Apostles Part 1.1, Text, Chapters 1-14 , ISBN 978-3-438-05609-2
- Novum Testamentum Graecum Editio Critica Maior, III / 1.2, The Acts of the Apostles Part 1.2, Text, Chapters 15-28 , ISBN 978-3-438-05610-8
- Novum Testamentum Graecum Editio Critica Maior, III / 2, The Acts of the Apostles Part 2, Accompanying Materials , ISBN 978-3-438-05612-2
- Novum Testamentum Graecum Editio Critica Maior, III / 3, The Acts of the Apostles Part 3, Studies , ISBN 978-3-438-05613-9
The Catholic Letters
- Novum Testamentum Graecum Editio Critica Maior, IV / 1, The Catholic Letters Part 1, Text , ISBN 978-3-438-05606-1
- Novum Testamentum Graecum Editio Critica Maior, IV / 2, The Catholic Letters Part 2, Accompanying Materials , ISBN 978-3-438-05607-8
Parallel pericopes
- Novum Testamentum Graecum Editio Critica Maior, parallel pericopes , ISBN 978-3-438-05608-5
The newer editions of Nestle-Aland in the 28th edition and the 5th edition of the Greek New Testament of the United Bible Societies are based on the text of the ECM, as far as it has appeared so far.