ABSTRACT
The third and final prong in the historical method’s three-prong analysis is the evaluation of a source’s reliability and the credibility of its contents. After the authenticity of a source is established in the first prong and its meaning(s) disclosed in the second, the third prong assesses the reliability of the source, checking whether its contents are credible and trustworthy. The credibility prong investigates whether some or all of a source’s contents most likely reflect an ancient reality. This chapter outlines the central features of the credibility prong and subsequent chapters explore them in greater depth.
