John William Burgon

The Revision Revised (1883) is Burgon's sustained critique of the 1881 Revised Version and the Westcott-Hort Greek text. Through detailed collation of Fathers, ancient versions, and the lectionary tradition, he argues for the 'Traditional' or Byzantine text against reliance on a narrow Alexandrian witness (notably Codex Vaticanus and Sinaiticus). Written in a vigorous, forensic prose, studded with notes and examples, the book situates the revision controversy within nineteenth-century textual theory, challenging genealogical assumptions and the notion of 'neutral' manuscripts.
John William Burgon, later Dean of Chichester, was a classically trained Anglican scholar formed in the Oxford milieu and committed to the doctrinal stability of the Church's public Scriptures. His pastoral and liturgical concerns, combined with meticulous philological habits, led him to prize consensus across centuries over conjectural preference. Long engagement with patristic literature and ecclesial usage furnished the documentary base for his polemic.
Whether or not one accepts Byzantine priority, this is indispensable reading for textual critics, translators, theologians, and historians of Victorian scholarship. Burgon teaches readers to test methods, weigh evidence ecumenically, and attend to reception as well as manuscripts. It remains a bracing, erudite counterpoint to Westcott and Hort, and a classic of English polemical scholarship. Quickie Classics summarizes timeless works with precision, preserving the author's voice and keeping the prose clear, fast, and readable-distilled, never diluted.
Enriched Edition extras: Introduction · Synopsis · Historical Context · Brief Analysis · 4 Reflection Q&As · Editorial Footnotes.