The Byzantine priority theory, also called the Majority Text theory, is a theory within Christian textual criticism held by a minority of textual critics. This view sees the Byzantine text-type as the New Testament's most accurate textual tradition, instead of the Alexandrian text-type or the Western text-type.[1][2][3] Known advocates of this view include Maurice Robinson, Zane Hodges and John Burgon.[4][5] The Majority Text theory is distinguished from the view of those who advocate the Textus Receptus, as although the Byzantine text is very similar to the Textus Receptus as the Textus Receptus mostly relies upon Byzantine manuscripts, it contains a few minority readings which Byzantine priorists reject.[6]
Byzantine priority is most commonly taught among conservative Evangelical and Eastern Orthodox circles.[7]