Moral Theology: Its Method and Masters
Vincent Contenson
Drawn from the authors' own words; every quotation links to its place.
Dominican · 1641–1674
In the Index: Contenson
Dates differ: Prümmer 1641–1674; Haringer ?–1674.
In Prümmer's Catalogue and Haringer's Index
- “Contenson, Vinc., O.P., French (1641-1674), wrote the work entitled Theologia mentis et cordis, often edited. The last edition appeared in 4 volumes in 4to, Paris 1875. Contenson indeed has a most acute intellect, but sometimes in moral theology he inclines too much into rigid opinions.” — Prümmer, Catalogue of authors
- [+*: rigid] “Contensonius Vincentius, French, Dominican, a most rigid author according to St. Alphonsus, died 1674.” — Haringer's index of writers (Gury-Ballerini) (p. XVI, sign read on the page)
His Moral System, as Our Authors Report It
Every report quoted in the author's own words and linked to its place; point at a name to see his words. Haringer's signs give St. Alphonsus's judgment as Haringer found it in St. Alphonsus's works (his notice, Gury-Ballerini, 1884, p. XI); a sign on a writer the 1884 editor added to the list is the editor's own, and is said to be his.
| Probabiliorist | |
|---|---|
| Counted among them by 5 of our authors | Koch-Preuss, Handbook I, the moral systems; Noldin, Summa I, n. 231; Tanquerey, Fundamental Moral Theology, n. 401; Slater, Short History, ¶ 88; Merkelbach, Summa II, excursus on the moral systems |
| Against probabilism | |
| Counted among them by one of our authors | Concina, Compendium II, diss. II, ch. IX, n. III |
| Rigid in his opinions | |
| “sometimes in moral theology he inclines too much into rigid opinions”Prümmer: inclines too much to rigid opinions | Prümmer, Catalogue of authors |
| “Contensonius Vincentius, French, Dominican, a most rigid author according to St. Alphonsus, died 1674.”Haringer marks him +*, giving St. Alphonsus's judgment of him (rigid) | Haringer's index, Index of writers, p. XVI |
In the Catholic Encyclopedia (1913)
“Vincent Contenson”, vol. 4, by John H. Stapleton. Public domain; transcription from Wikisource.
Dominican theologian and preacher, born at Altivillare (Gers), Diocese of Condon, France, 1641; died Creil-sur-Oise, 26 December, 1674. His epitaph in the church of that place described him as "in years a youth, mature in wisdom and in virtue venerable". Despite his short life, he gave proof in his writings of considerable learning and won remarkable popularity by his pulpit utterances. He was seventeen years old when he entered the Order of Preachers. After teaching philosophy for a time at Albi, and theology at Toulouse, he began a career of preaching as brilliant as it was brief. He was stricken in the pulpit at Creil, where he was giving a mission. His reputation as a theologian rests on a work entitled "Theologia Mentis et Cordis", published posthumously at Lyons in nine volumes, 1681; second edition, 1687. His life is found in the fifth volume of the "Histoire des hommes illustres de l'ordre de Saint Dominique", by Père Touron. The peculiar merit of his theology consists in an attempt to get away from the prevailing dry reasoning of Scholasticism and, while retaining the accuracy and solidity of its method, to embellish it with illustrations and images borrowed from the Fathers, that appeal to the heart as well as the mind. This pious and learned compilation has not yet lost its value and utility for students and preachers.
ROSE. New Gen. Biogr. Dict. (London, 1848); MORERI, Gr. Dict. Hist. (Paris, 1759). JOHN H. STAPLETON
John H. Stapleton.