Abstract
19th and 20th century historical-critical exegesis of the Bible led to criticism of the traditional doctrines of divine inspiration and inerrancy. In the Catholic Church, three popes spoke specifically in defense of the traditional teaching, and with increasing nuance as time passed. The Second Vatican Council’s Dogmatic Constitution Dei Verbum gave the most developed understanding of these doctrines, with significant ambiguities but still upholding the traditional teaching—especially on inerrancy. Many Catholic exegetes effectively disregarded the Magisterium on the grounds that traditional inerrancy was unbinding and naïve. Many neo-Thomists used philosophical principles to establish their own understanding of biblical truth, and disregarded modern critical methods in their entirety. This paper reexamines Magisterial statements specifically on inerrancy to propose a working definition that both Thomists and Exegetes can use as a starting point for collaboration.