BALLI (BALLO), GIUSEPPE. - Sicilian theologian, b. at Palermo in 1567, d. at Padova in 1640: he was a canon of Bari.
He published an important work on the Eucharist, the fruit of 30 years of study, entitled: Resolutio de modo evidenter possibili transubstantiationis panis et vini in sacrosanctum Domini Iesu corpus et sanguinem (Padova 1640). In this book he maintains that the Eucharistic accidents are accidents of the body of our Lord, modified so as to represent the species of bread. This opinion gave rise to sharp controversies and opposition, to which B. replied: Responsio ad obicectiones qua Doctor Josephus Ballus suum de Sacrosancta Eucharistia aenigma dissolutum adstruit (Padova 1640).
Also by him are: De fecunditate Dei circa productiones ad extra, Padova 1635; Demonstratio de motu corporum naturali, ibid. 1635; Assertiones Apologeticae cum suis dilucidationibus pro Scholasticorum reverentia exaratae, ibid. 1641, and other manuscript works dealing with theology, mathematics, and astronomy.