Understanding the Times: A Theology of Textual Transmission

It is important to have a theological framework to understand the reasons why the church has to work hard on the preservation of Scripture. Clearly the current situation with differences in wording between manuscripts is something God has allowed to happen and therefore it cannot be an altogether bad thing: there is a positive story to tell about the church which is destined to be without an earthly supreme authority or central place of worship. And in the end, differences in wording do not obscure the communicative power of the New Testament.