Melchior Cano

Melchior Cano ( born January 6, 1509 Tarancón, † September 30, 1560 in Toledo) was a Spanish Dominican and theologian. He was the author of the influential " De locis theologicis " and thus applies in the cath. Theology as the founder of fundamental theology. He is an important representative of the School of Salamanca.

Cano came in 1523 in Salamanca in the Dominican Order one. In 1541 he became professor of philosophy is actually there in 1546 of theology. 1550 Cano was a member of the Jury for the defense of Valladolid on the future treatment of the Indians in America. Cano was sent in its place the Council of Trent because of poor health, Francisco de Vitoria, where he was one of the most important theologians. In 1552 he became bishop of the Canary Islands, this office but never served. In 1554 he gave up all offices and initially retired to the convent of his order in Ávila back. In 1554 he became rector of the San Gregorio College in Valladolid and in 1557 the prior of St. Stephen in Salamanca. In the same year he was elected to the Order provincial, but not confirmed by the Pope. 1559 again elected, he was only in 1560, after the death of Paul IV, during his stay in Rome the papal confirmation.

He was a passionate man who thus made ​​many enemies and his canonization prevented. He inveighed against the Jesuits, and fought against the privileges of the church; against his Ordensmitbruder Bartolomé de Carranza, with whom he was in scientific competition, he created an unfavorable opinion of the Inquisition, but also took party for the King of Spain against Pope Paul IV in his catholicity he was antireformatorisch. His most famous work is entitled " De locis theologicis " and deals with the sources ( loci ) theological knowledge. The book was a textbook for theological epistemology and methodology for centuries.