Theories of Inspiration

[Ignatius_ofNOLA]

So I’ve recently been exposed to some of the incorrect theories of how to explain the dual authorship of the Scriptures:

“Dictation” or “Verbal Plenary”…I’m not sure how these differ or even if these differ
“Accommodation”
“Natural Intuition”
“Illumination”
“Conceptual Inspiration”

I’ve also had a friend tell me about a few others: “Possession”, “Subsequent Confirmation”, “Supervision”, although I’m not positive exactly what these entail, although I can take an educated guess.

Anyways, obviously, none of these are in accord with Catholic teaching. I was wondering, is there a name of the “theory” or the Catholic teaching on inspiration. Just wondering. If anyone could help on this, I’d appreciate it.

 

[PeterJohn]

So I’ve recently been exposed to some of the incorrect theories of how to explain the dual authorship of the Scriptures:

“Dictation” or “Verbal Plenary”…I’m not sure how these differ or even if these differ
“Accommodation”
“Natural Intuition”
“Illumination”
“Conceptual Inspiration”

I’ve also had a friend tell me about a few others: “Possession”, “Subsequent Confirmation”, “Supervision”, although I’m not positive exactly what these entail, although I can take an educated guess.

Anyways, obviously, none of these are in accord with Catholic teaching. I was wondering, is there a name of the “theory” or the Catholic teaching on inspiration. Just wondering. If anyone could help on this, I’d appreciate it.

It is described biblically as “God breathed”
God co-authored it. Divine inspiration.

105 God is the author of Sacred Scripture. “The divinely revealed realities, which are contained and presented in the text of Sacred Scripture, have been written down under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.”
“For Holy Mother Church, relying on the faith of the apostolic age, accepts as sacred and canonical the books of the Old and the New Testaments, whole and entire, with all their parts, on the grounds that, written under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, they have God as their author, and have been handed on as such to the Church herself.”

136 God is the author of Sacred Scripture because he inspired its human authors; he acts in them and by means of them. He thus gives assurance that their writings teach without error his saving truth (cf. DV 11).

 

[Aelred_Minor]

I wonder if the term “Duel Authorship” would summarize the Catholic position sufficienty, as far as giving a title to it like the titles of the false theories that have been mentioned.

Although, this name would obscure the fact that the Holy Spirit is the primary author of Sacred Scripture, though the human author is also a true author.

 

[Ignatius_ofNOLA]

I’m not sure “dual authorship” suffices, as any of those other false theories in some way incorporate a twofold authorship.

 

[Aelred_Minor]

I’m not sure “dual authorship” suffices, as any of those other false theories in some way incorporate a twofold authorship.

I don’t see that, in some cases anyway. A scribe who writes down what an author dictates is not a co-author of that work. Similarly if you have a conversation with someone and it “inspires” them to write a book, that doesn’t make you a co-author of that book. Most of the ideas you’ve listed seem to be reducible into single authorship (either human or divine), with some non-authorship kind of involvement on the part of the man or God.

Anyway, no brief title will be able to express every nuance of a Catholic doctrine. Consider all the misinterpretations there are of “No Salvation Outside the Church” or “Papal Infallibility.” Yet we still give titles to doctrines for the sake of convenience.