Methodologies: Form Criticism

eBooks

Biblical Form Criticism in Its Context by Martin J. Buss
"This magnum opus is not another catalogue of the forms of biblical literature, but a deeply reflected account of the significance of form itself. Buss writes out of his experience in Western philosophy and the intricate involvement of biblical criticism in philosophical history. Equally, biblical criticism and the development of notions of form are related to social contexts, whether from the side of the aristocracy (tending towards generality) or of the bourgeois (tending towards particularity) or of an inclusive society (favouring a relational view). Form criticism, in Buss's conception, is no mere formal exercise, but the observation of interrelationships among thoughts and moods, linguistic regularities and the experiences and activities of life." - T&T Clark
Biblical Interpretation (FORTHCOMING) by Robert P. Morgan; John Barton
"Modern critical study of the Bible in the West has made a deep impact on the fabric of Christian belief. This book explains what interpretation is and what special issues arise in biblical interpretation. It analyses the development of literary and historical criticism and more recent social-scientific and literary approaches, by focusing on the key figures from Reimarus to Gerd Theissen, and exposes the underlying theological issues. There emerges a pattern in the relationship between religious interests in these texts and the rational methods used to interpret them, providing guidance for a theologically sensitive use of the Bible today. An annotated index provides detailed information on some 250 biblical scholars and other interpreters."
- Especially chapter 4 "History of Religions and History of Traditions" and chapter 7 "Literary Study of the Bible"
Jesus and the Word by Rudolf Bultmann
"An historical presentation of the teachings of Jesus in the setting of the thought of his own time. There is here a summary of Bultmann’s controversial method of Biblical interpretation, which tries to recover the deeper meaning behind the mythological concepts of the New Testament."
The Legends of Genesis: the Biblical Saga and History by Hermann Gunkel
This is the English translation of Gunkel's Introduction to his commentary on Genesis in which Gunkel makes extensive use of form criticism. This introduction gives a detailed background and explains why this methodology is preferred over others. Chapter 3 "Literary Form of Genesis" is probably the most relevant for form criticism.

Journal Articles & Book Sections

David L. Peterson, "Brevard Childs and Form Criticism" in The Bible As Christian Scripture: The Work of Brevard S. Childs
A brief history of Brevard Child's, one of the most prominent Hebrew Bible scholars of the 20th century, use of form criticism and how his use of this methodology evolved over the course of his career.
Johannes P. Floss, "Form, Source, and Redaction Criticism" in The Oxford Handbook of Biblical Studies
"This article looks at form criticism, source/literary criticism, and redaction criticism. Form criticism, like source criticism, literary criticism, and redaction criticism, is a scientific method of interpreting the texts of the Old Testament. Literary criticism constitutes the first methodological step on the path to seeking the origin and provenance of a text."
Stephen McKenzie, "Introduction: Jonah and Genre" in How to Read the Bible: History, Prophecy, Literature—Why Modern Readers Need to Know the Difference, and What It Means for Faith Today (FORTHCOMING)
Provides an excellent overview of form criticism and then uses form criticism to interpret the book of Jonah.
Stuart Weeks, " Form Criticism: The Limits of Form Criticism in the Study of Literature, with Reflections on Psalm 34" in Biblical Interpretation and Method: Essays in Honour of John Barton
"This chapter is an attempt to clarify the key issues from a methodological perspective, and to establish the boundaries within which it is proper to use form criticism itself. It also looks more generally, however, at the important questions which surround the issue of genre, and at the reasons why the notions of genre which hold sway in much Old Testament scholarship, under form-critical influence, are both misguided and misleading."