SALAS, JUAN DE

Jesuit theologian; b. Gumiel de Iban, in the province of Burgos, Spain, Dec. 3,1553; d. Salamanca, Sept. 20, 1612. He entered the society in 1569, and taught philosophy at Segovia and theology at Compostela, Barcelona, Salamanca, Valladolid, and Rome. In Rome Salas was employed by C. Acquaviva, general of the society, as censor of books and theological adviser, and he was given a place among those appointed to represent the Jesuits at the congregatio de auxiliis. He was a man of broad learning and an authority of considerable repute, especially in the field of moral theology. During his lifetime Salas published three volumes of commentary on the Prima secundae of the Summa theologiae of St. Thomas Aquinas (Barcelona 1607, 1609; Lyons 1611). After his death his commentary on the portion of the Secunda secundae dealing with contracts was published by D. Muñoz (Lyons 1617). He is also credited by Sommervogel with a De gratia et auxiliis that was not published because of the Holy See's prohibition of further works on the subject. Salas's treatment of contracts is of historical, as well as theological, importance because of its discussion of the business practices of the time and especially of the problem of interest taking.

Bibliography: c. sommervogel et al., Bibliothèque de la Compagnie de Jésus, 11 v. (Brussels-Paris 1890–1932; v. 12, suppl.1960) 7:448–449. h. hurter, Nomenclator literarius theologiae catholicae, 5 v. in 6 (3d ed. Innsbruck 1903–13) 3:589. r. brouillard, Dictionnaire de théologie catholique, ed. a. vacant et al., 15 v. (Paris 1903–50; Tables générales 1951–) 14.1:1032. Enciclopedia de la Religión Católica, ed. r. d. ferreres et al., 7 v. (Barcelona 1950–56) 6:948.

[p. k. meagher]