DELFINI, JOHN ANTHONY

Theologian; b. Pomponesco, near Cremona, March 26, 1507; d. Bologna, Sept. 5, 1561. He studied at Cremona and Bologna, taught metaphysics in Padua, later at the University of Bologna. He was elected provincial of the Bologna province of the Conventual Franciscans (1548), served as inquisitor of Bologna and Romagna (1550–59), and was elected vicar-general of his order (1559–61). His most important theological works were written in connection with his activities at the Council of Trent: De Potestate Ecclesiastica (Venice 1549), Universale fere Negotium de Ecclesia (Venice 1552), De salutari omnium rerum et praesertim hominum progressu (Camerino 1553), De tractandis in Concilio Oecumenico (Rome 1561), Commentarii in Evangelium Joannis et in Epistolam Pauli ad Hebraeos (Rome 1587). Delfini was leading Scotist at the Council; his views on almost every important question discussed in the first and second periods are to be found in the volumes of Concilium Tridentinum: Diariorum, Actorum … nova collectio (Freiburg im Br. 1901 ss.). In general he followed the common teaching of the schools, but to this he brought a knack for clarity of exposition, apparent especially in his important works on justification and on the Church.

Bibliography: v. heynck, Lexikon für Theologie und Kirche, ed. j. hofer and k. rahner (2d, new ed. Freiburg 1957–65) 3:209. a. garani, De Ecclesiae Natura et Constitutione Doctrina J. A. Delphini (Padua 1942) 11–35. f. lauchert, Die italienischen literarischen Gegner Luthers (Freiburg 1912).

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