Inspiration is one of those words in the Christian world that instantly polarizes those who use it. The word comes from the Latin, inspirare which is actually two words combined into one, in + spirare literally, "to breath in, or, "act of inhaling". We refer to a movie or a book or a symphony and say to each other, "wow, I am/felt inspired by that". What we mean is that we have taken into ourselves somehow the beautiful qualities of the drama we have witnessed and somehow feel more rich, full, or better than we were before the event.
When the word becomes applied to Scripture though, we want to say that Scripture has this quality of being that which is breathed into by God. We want to affirm of the text, that has been breathed into by God, and so it carries with it a quality that brings us into the spirit of God when we read it.
A good deal of ink has been spilled over the nature of where this inspirare resides. If it resides in the text itself then questions like: "is every word inspired, or just the major phrases?" and, "which version is inspired?" and, "is something wrong with me if I don't feel the Spirit of God when I read the text?" and, "which texts are inspired, the protestant ones or the catholic ones too?"
On the other hand, if the inspirare is thought to reside not in the text itself but the relationship that the text facilitates between the reader and God, then a whole new and different set of questions must be posed. Some questions that fall into this category are: "how is God revealed in each book differently?" and, "why do these texts reveal God in a way that other texts don't?" and, "what role does prayer have in the reading of Scripture?"
There are a couple of things that can be said about both. Regardless of where you place the inspirare (and respected theologians and scholars and pastors from both sides exist and give cogent reasoning for their view) the question of interpretation must be asked -- and answered. In both cases (whether one thinks Scripture is actually the breath of God in verbal form or whether one thinks Scripture causes creation to receive the breath of God) words which interpret the words of Scripture are being spoken by pastors that result in the instruction of their parish.
It is unhelpful, damaging, and divisive to argue that people who place the inspirare of Scripture in a different place than you do are in fact deficient in their faith. The literature from both sides indicates that both sides give equal prominence to the Lordship of Christ. Both sides are seeking to learn from Scripture. Both sides view Scripture as that text which has ultimate authority for the way in which we Christians live our lives. Interestingly enough, it is possible to read the texts used in this debate in both directions.
The classic example of 2 Timothy 3:16 should suffice. One could argue that since Scripture is clearly the object of the verb, inspirato that it is the text itself which is where inspiration lies. One could also argue that this verse essentially limits the quality of inspiration to "all Scripture" in such a way that ensures that other texts don't also carry the authority of revelation. But what one can't do from this text is argue that those who hold a different view are in some sense setting themselves up above Christ or subverting the authority of God, or seeking their own end and not the will of God for their lives.
