CONINCK, GILES DE

Jesuit theologian; b. Bailleul, French Flanders, Dec. 20, 1571; d. Louvain, May 31, 1633. He entered the Society of Jesus in 1592 and studied under Leonard lessius at Louvain. Eventually he succeeded Lessius in the chair of scholastic theology, which he held for 18 years. St. Alphonsus held Coninck's work in high esteem, and it is generally recognized that he made a valuable contribution to moral theology. His principal works are: Comment. ac disp. in universam doctrinam divi Thomae, de sacramentis et censuris, a treatise requested by Lessius (Antwerp 1616, enlarged and revised in later editions); De moralitate, natura et effectibus actuum supernaturalium in genere et fide, spe, ac caritate speciatim (Antwerp 1623), for which Coninck is supposed to have left extensive additions to be incorporated in later editions; Responsio ad dissertationem impugnantium absolutionem moribundi sensibus destituti … (Antwerp 1625); and Disputationes theologicae de sanctissima Trinitate et divini Verbi incarnatione (Antwerp 1645). The St. Patrick Library in Dublin has a manuscript, dated Aug. 11, 1618, that is said to be Coninck's treatise on grace.

Bibliography: c. ruch, Dictionnaire de théologie catholique, ed. a. vacant et al. (Paris 1903–50) 3.1:1152–53. c. sommervogel et al., Bibliothèque de la Compagnie de Jésus (Brussels-Paris 1890–1932) 2:1369–71. h. hurter, Nomenclator literarius theologiae catholicae (3d ed., Innsbruck 1903–13) 3:881–882.

[f. c. lehner]