Formkritik

Formkritik, or form criticism, is a methodological approach in biblical studies and literary criticism that analyzes the forms or genres through which biblical materials were transmitted and shaped in early communities. The central aim is to identify the traditional units (such as sayings, parables, miracle stories, legends, hymns, or dispute reports) and to understand their original function within the life setting of the community that produced them. A key concept is the Sitz im Leben, the intended “life situation” or social setting in which a form originated and served a particular purpose, such as teaching, worship, or remembrance.

Origin and development: Formkritik arose in German biblical scholarship in the early 20th century. Hermann Gunkel applied the method to the Old Testament to classify genres and recover oral forms contained in texts. In the New Testament, scholars such as Martin Dibelius and Rudolf Bultmann extended form criticism to gospel material, emphasizing oral transmission and the form’s role in shaping memory and proclamation. The approach often distinguished between the form’s original setting and the later redaction or editing of the text.

Method: The practice involves identifying discrete form units, classifying them by genre, assessing their original function in a community, and inferring a Sitz im Leben. Researchers then consider how the form may have been modified in transmission and by later editors. The results inform questions about the historical reliability and interpretation of the tradition, though they are not intended to claim a single definitive original form for complex texts.

Influence and critique: Formkritik significantly influenced biblical criticism by foregrounding oral transmission and genre. It faced critiques for presuming stable forms or overgeneralizing modern categories. The approach was complemented and partly superseded by redaction criticism and formgeschichte, which integrate form analysis with editorial reshaping and historical context.