Vincent Baron

Vincent Baron (17 May 1604 – 21 January 1674) was a French Dominican theologian and preacher.^[1]

Biography

He was born at

convent of St. Thomas in the same city. He made his religious profession there on 16 May 1622, where he also completed his course in philosophy and theology, and taught these subjects.

As early as 1634 he was first professor in his convent and conventual doctor in the University of Toulouse. Rare erudition, depth of thought and clearness of exposition earned for him the reputation of being one of the leading theologians of France.

While discharging his professorial duties he delivered courses of Lenten sermons in the principal churches of

, with whose ministers he frequently joined in open debate, sometimes in their public synods. In the pulpit Father Baron was always a teacher; but while intent upon forming the minds of his hearers he won their hearts by his disinterestedness, sincerity and charity.

From 1630 to 1659 he filled the office of

of his order to make a canonical visitation of the Portuguese convents. On his return to Paris he devoted himself during the remaining fourteen years of his life to the composition of theological works.

Works

He published an abridgment of his controversies with Lutheranism under the title "L'heresie convaincue" (Paris, 1668). His only surviving sermons to Catholic congregations are those preached at Paris in 1658 and 1659 (Paris, 1660), doctrinal discourses and panegyrics, composed in the forced style and manner of his age.

His most important productions were written to satisfy the desire expressed by

. These works were:

• (1) "Theologiae Moralis adv. Laxiores probabilistas pars prior" (Paris, 1665);
• (2) "Manuductionis ad Moralem Theologiam pars altera" (Paris, 1665);
• (3) "Theologia moralis Summa bipartita" (Paris, 1667).

In these works, while condemning opinions that seemed too lax, and censuring others that appeared to be too rigorous, he defended the system of

.

With

, he promised a new edition, which was embodied in his "SS. Augustini et Thomae vera et una mens de libertate humana" (Paris, 1666).

Another work is his "Libri V apologetici pro religione, utraque theologia, moribus ac juribus Ord. Praed." (Paris, 1666).

At the time of his death he was engaged on a complete course in theology to be entitled "D. Thomas sui Interpres". From this work, but half completed and never published, the one bearing the same title by

, O.P., is entirely distinct.

References

Attribution

•  This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1907). "Vincent Baron". Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 2. New York: Robert Appleton Company.
• Rust, R. J. (2003). "Baron, Vincent".
  Thomson Gale
  . pp. 104–105.