What does it mean that the Bible is inspired by the Holy Spirit?
Catholic doctrine teaches that God is the primary author of Sacred Scripture. Under the supernatural influence of the Holy Spirit, human authors were inspired to write all that God wanted written, and only what he wanted.
This inspiration was not mechanical dictation. God made full use of the human authors' genuine literary faculties, language, cultural background and research abilities. While acting as true authors, they were so guided by the Holy Spirit that their words convey without error that saving truth which God wished to put into writing for our salvation.
Because Scripture is inspired, the Church venerates the divine Scriptures just as she venerates the Body of the Lord, continually feeding the faithful from the one table of God's Word and Christ's Body.
Sources
- Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraph 105
- 2 Timothy 3:16-17
Awaiting review by the chaplaincy. Written in our own words; the Church's own texts are the authority.