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Melchor CanoO.P. (1509? – 30 September 1560) was a SpanishScholastictheologian. Cano's most important theological work was his posthumously publishedDe locis theologicis (Salamanca, 1563), a major contribution to theNew Scholasticism of theSalamanca school.
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Melchor Cano was born inTarancón (New Castile); in 1523 he entered the Dominican order in Salamanca, where he was taught byFrancisco de Vitoria. He taught atValladolid (1534–43) andAlcalá (1543–6) before succeeding Vitoria as professor of theology atSalamanca. Cano was a man of deep learning and originality. His only rival wasBartolomé Carranza, also a Dominican and afterwards archbishop ofToledo. At the university the schools were divided between the partisans of the two professors; Cano pursued his rival with relentless virulence, and took part in the condemnation forheresy of his brother-friar. He attended theCouncil of Trent and participated in the debates on theeucharist and on penance (which dealt with the issue ofindulgences). In 1552 Cano was appointed bishop of theCanary Islands at the behest of Jesuits who wanted him out of Spain because of his opposition to their Order; there was unease in Rome about the appointment, and the following year Cano renounced the see.
His personal influence with KingPhilip II of Spain soon brought about his recall, and he was made provincial of his order in Castile. In 1556 he wrote his famousConsultatio theologica, in which he advised the king to resist the temporal encroachments of the papacy and, as absolute monarch, to defend his rights by bringing about a radical change in the administration of ecclesiastical revenues, thus making Spain less dependent on Rome. With this in his mindPope Paul IV styled him "a son of perdition." In 1557 Cano was elected Dominican provincial of Castile, but the Vatican declined to confirm the appointment; he was again elected in 1559, and after an initial refusal the Vatican acquiesced in the appointment.
The reputation of Cano rests on a posthumous work,De Locis theologicis (Salamanca, 1562), unrivalled in its own line. In this, a genuine work of theRenaissance, Cano tried to freedogmatic theology from the vain subtleties of the schools; by clearing away the puerilities of the later scholastic theologians, to bring religion back to first principles; and, by giving rules, method, co-ordination and system, to build up a scientific treatment of theology. In discussing the credibility of sources, he was one of the first to inquire into the principles of the credibility ofhistorical documents. He argues that if all serioushistorians agree about a fact, then we should believe it, even if it is unlikely. Otherwise "It would be as if the Mediterranean peoples were to deny the existence of the ocean ... or if, indeed, we should mock at him who speaks of elephants."[1]
Ita fit, ut mediterranei mare esse non credant, nec in insula nati, in qua lepusculos vulpesculasque solum viderint, credant leones et pantheras esse: si vero de elephanto quis dicat, etiam rideri se putent.
This article incorporates text from a publication now in thepublic domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Cano, Melchior".Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. This article incorporates text from a publication now in thepublic domain: Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). "Melchior Cano".Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company.| Catholic Church titles | ||
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| Preceded by | Bishop of Islas Canarias 1552–1554 | Succeeded by |
