Abstract
Roberto Bellarmino (Montepulciano, Siena, 1542–Rome, 1621), Jesuit and cardinal, was among the leading theologians of the Counter-Reformation. A specialist in controversialist theology, he taught at the Roman College of the Society of Jesus and then had his lectures printed as his main work with the title Disputationes de controversiis (1586–1593). Appointed cardinal in 1599, he acted as adviser in theological matters to Popes Clement VIII and Paul V, resulting decisive in preventing an official condemnation of Jesuit Molinist theology in the controversy on grace with the Dominican Order. As a member of the Congregation of the Index and the Holy Office, he played a key role in the affairs of Francesco Patrizi’s Platonism, the condemnation of Copernicanism, and of Giordano Bruno’s trial. Bellarmino’s fame is mostly associated with the theory of the potestas indirecta in temporalibus, “the indirect power of the popes over temporal matters,” a theory he defended in the Disputationes and in later polemics with Anglican and Gallican theologians.
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References
Primary Literature
Bellarmino R (1586–1593) Disputationes de controversiis christianae fidei adversus huius temporis haereticos, I edn. David Sartorius, Ingolstadt
Bellarmino R (1610) Tractatus de potestate Summi pontificis in rebus temporalibus adversus Gulielmum Barclaium, Bartholomaeus Zannettus, Rome
The most widespread edition of Bellarmino’s collected works is his Opera omnia published in Venice, Iohannis Malachinus (1721); the most complete one is the edition of Paris, Louis Vivès (1870–1874)
Secondary Literature
Biersack M (1989) Initia bellarminiana. Die Prädestinationslehre bei Robert Bellarmin SJ bis zu seinen löwener Vorlesungen 1570–1576. Franz Steiner Verlag, Stuttgart
De Maio R et al (eds) (1990) Bellarmino e la Controriforma. Centro di studi sorani “Vincenzo Patriarca”, Sora
Dietrich T (1999) Die Theologie der Kirche bei Robert Bellarmin (1542–1621). Systematische Voraussetzungen des Kontroverstheologen. Bonifatius Druck-Buch-Verlag, Paderborn
Galeota G (ed) (1990) Roberto Bellarmino Arcivescovo di Capua teologo e pastore della Riforma cattolica, vol 2. Archidiocesi di Capua, Istituto superiore di scienze religiose, Capua
Godman P (2000) The Saint as Censor. Robert Bellarmine between Inquisition and Index. Leiden-Boston-Köln, Brill
Motta F (2005) Bellarmino. Una teologia politica della Controriforma. Morcelliana, Brescia
Tutino S (2010) Empire of Souls. Robert Bellarmine and the Christian Commonwealth. Oxford University Press, Oxford
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Motta, F. (2020). Bellarmino, Roberto. In: Sgarbi, M. (eds) Encyclopedia of Renaissance Philosophy. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-02848-4_372-2
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-02848-4_372-2
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Bellarmino, Roberto- Published:
- 16 October 2019
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-02848-4_372-2
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Bellarmine, Robert- Published:
- 24 November 2014
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-02848-4_372-1