Inspiration A Central concept in the theology of Revelation This presentation will probably involve audience discussion, which will create action items. Use PowerPoint to keep track of these action items during your presentation In Slide Show, click on the right mouse button Select “Meeting Minder” Select the “Action Items” tab Type in action items as they come up Click OK to dismiss this box This will automatically create an Action Item slide at the end of your presentation with your points entered.

INSPIRATION From the Latin Inspirare – breath upon or into

INSPIRATION The special influence of God upon the origin of Scripture through its human authors On this basis God is described as the one actually speaking in Scripture Consequently Scripture is understood as the word of God

INSPIRATION The manner is which God is considered the author is called ACTIVE inspiration The way is which the human author experiences the intervention is called PASSIVE inspiration

INSPIRATION BIBLICAL FOUNDATIONS The relationship between word and spirit (ruah) Isaiah 34:16 Nehemiah (9:20, 30) Zechariah (7:12)

INSPIRATION The description of the prophets as bearers of the word of God Is 6:6-13 Jer 1:4-10, 20:7-9 Am 7:12-15

INSPIRATION The conviction of Paul that his words are effected by the Spirit 1Cor 2:4, 7:40 2 Cor 4:13

INSPIRATION The author of the second letter to Timothy insists that Scripture is inspired by God 2Tim 3: 14-16

INSPIRATION While the Petrine letters emphasise the role of the Spirit Human beings have spoken in the power of the Spirit (1Pt 1:10-12) There are writings composed under the impulse of the Holy Spirit (2Pt:16-21)

INSPIRATION FATHERS of the CHURCH Ambrose and Augustine spoke of God as the auctor The originator Gregory the Great spoke of God as literary composer The human author described as the scriptor (scribe)

INSPIRATION Two theories of inspiration emerged: Verbal inspiration Real inspiration

INSPIRATION Verbal inspiration – Is the notion that the individual words of the Bible stem from God The human being is only the material instrument Like a secretary who takes down God’s dictation!

INSPIRATION Real Inspiration – The Bible springs from God only in its content Confirmed by the Holy Spirit Therefore protected from errors!

INSPIRATION However in the Enlightenment period it was proved that There are errors of fact and history in the Bible There are false statements in the Bible To respond to this the following qualifications were made:

INSPIRATION Only the doctrinal content was inspired! Only categorical statements were inspired Aquinas responded to this by speaking in terms of the divine- human relationship

INSPIRATION Aquinas spoke of God as the principal author of scripture Auctor principalis The human author as the instrumental Auctor instrumentalis

INSPIRATION Modern Questions: How do the two authors interact with each other? How can we understand the process of inspiration? How does the Church recognise the inspired nature of the individual books of the Bible?

INSPIRATION How can the insights of modern scripture scholars be reconciled with the doctrine of inspiration?

INSPIRATION Karl Rahner answers this well: When the cooperation of both God and human persons is asserted, then this is not in a competitive sense, but more mutually analogous

INSPIRATION God as originator of Scripture enables the human authorship The founding of the Church is intimately connected to this The community of the apostles as the first bearers to witness to the resurrection becomes the link between human beings and God

INSPIRATION God inspired the human authors (active inspiration) Who were thereby chosen and enabled to be the norm-giving witnesses to Christ (passive inspiration) Thus they were not secretaries or instruments but witnesses, guided by the Spirit to how God was revealing God’s self in the situation of the early Church

INSPIRATION In this way the Church witnesses that a writing from apostolic times is consonant with its essence and normative for it Scripture does not have as its aim information dealing with factual truths, but a genuine trusting opening towards a personal encounter with God