Ancient Texts andnModern Readersnby E: Christian KopffnThe Text of the New Testament:nAn Introduction to thenCritical Editions and to thenTheory and Practice ofnModern Textual Criticismnby Kurt and Barbara AlandnTranslated by Errol F. RhodesnSecond Edition,nRevised and EnlargednGrand Rapids: William B.nEerdmans; 368 pp., $32.50nBn4inegin at the beginning,” was thenKing’s suggestion to Alice. “Gonon to the end. Then stop.” Kurt andnBarbara Aland of the Institute for NewnTestament Textual Research in Miinster,nWestphalia, Germany, begin theirnbook on the New Testament with Erasmus’neditio princeps of 1516, the firstnprinted edition. They then survey thenprinted editions since, attaining suchndetail and intricacy that by page 43neven they have misgivings.n”Much of the above discussion hasnbeen rather complicated — perhaps tooncomplicated for the beginning readernof this book—because many of thenthings mentioned and many of thenterms used are new and unfamiliarn…. The reader should not be undulynconcerned for the moment with thendetails and the difficulties — at least anfirst impression and a general appreciationnhave been gained. Later, afterncompleting this book and gaining familiaritynwith the Greek New Testament,nthe reader may return to thesenpages and reread them.”nThose familiar with the preface tonthe first edition may remember that thenAlands told them, “The purpose ofnthis book is to introduce readers (includingnbeginners with no previousnexperience) step by step to the difficultiesnof the material, if they will read itnstraight through from the beginning.”nIntelligent beginners will proceed tonget a copy of Bruce Manning Metzger’snThe Text of the New Testament:nIts Transmission, Corruption and Restorationn(Second Edition, Oxford,n1968), which begins with the ancientnbook, then discusses ancient copies andnother ancient evidence for the NewnTestament, and only then presents ansummary of the history of the NewnTestament as a printed text, followednby examples of specific textual difficulties.nThe beginner with no previous experiencenwill be befuddled by an introductionnthat proceeds in medias res,nbut will probably leave his half-readncopy of the Alands’ book with thenvague notion that textual cridcism isntoo complicated a matter for ordinarynmortals — especially hardworking ministersnof the Gospel — and that work onnthe text of the New Testament hasnbeen done by brilliant, hardworking, ifnernng giants whose productions arenBRIEF MENTIONSnsafely in the hands of less brilliant butnmuch more methodical and carefulnscholars (mainly at the Institute fornNew Testament Textual Research innMiinster).nDespite its failure as an introductionnto New Testament studies. The Text ofnthe New Testament is an importantnbook: it records openly and with disarmingnfrankness one of the most importantnevents in recent scholarly andncultural history. Throughout the laten19th century and most of this centurynas well, there were available manyndiff^erent texts of the original Greek ofnthe New Testament, texts that difi’erednin thousands of readings. This is not sonAINT YOU GOT A RIGHT TO THE TREE OF LIFE: THEnPEOPLE OF JOHNS ISLAND, SOUTH CAROLINA—THEIR FACES,nTHEIR WORDS, AND THEIR SONGSnRecorded and edited by Guy and Candie Carawan, revised andnexpanded editionnAthens, GA: Brown Thrasher Books/University of Georgia Press; 240 pp.,n$29.95nGuy and Candie Carawan were active in the voting rights movement in the 1960’snand centered their activities as folk singers and activists on Johns Island, a sea island notnfar from Charleston, South Carolina. They are among the kindest and most selflessnpeople I have ever run into, and I have always felt there is something wrong with ourncountry that so many good people in search of virtue turned to the far left.nI well remember the first edition of this book, with banjo player Bob Yellin and textsnof songs and tales collected by the Carawans. Indeed, I was around for some of thentime that Mr. Yellin was taking these pictures, and I have always carried with me in my.nmind his photo of an old man throwing a net with the grace of an acrobat. There is nonpart of the United States where black people developed or preserved a richer and morenauthentic cultural life. This second edition is welcome, if only as an illustration of hownprogress affects communities. On the positive side are the increased facilities for healthncare, and it is certainly true that a great deal more money is available for a variety ofnprojects, but the note struck most often in the recent texts is elegiac: “It’s harder nownto get the young people to come on the old side,” and “Everything is changed now.nThe world is so tough today.” What had bound together so many of these people hadnbeen a vigorous religious life that culminated in the all-night Christmas watch, but not,nas Mrs. Alice Wine observes:nThese people is too funny. I can’t figure out how people could change so fast.nEverybody go down to the church. They have watch meetings there, but theyndon’t go but half the night . . . It’s too dangerous now to walk to the hall atnnight. . . . It’s not the cars only, people do wicked. People will kill you andnknock you down and do all kind of things with you. . . . The people don’tnhave no old songs now, the people have new songs. And I don’t know one ofnthem. When they start to sing, I just shut my mouth. Nothing but new songsnnow. Ain’t got a taste to it. Ain’t got a spirit in it.nThis is shii a wonderful book that conveys some of the joy and solemnity of the old seanisland life. That way of life is now giving way to the well-intentioned arts of progress,nbut as long as their faith endures, they will still be a people. As their song has it:nYou go brute me, you go scorn me.nYou go scandalize my name.nSince my soul got a seat up in the Kingdom,nThat’s all right.nnn— Thomas FlemingnMAY 1991/37n