DRIEDO, JEAN. – Theologian, born at Darisdonk (hence the name D.; his family name was Neys), near Turnhout in Brabant, in 1478 or early 1479; died at Louvain on 4 August 1535. He first taught philosophy from 1499 to 1509, when he also became a member of the council of the University for the arts; Baccalaureus formatus in 1511, he was promoted to doctor of theology in 1512 by his master Adrian of Utrecht (the future Adrian VI). Professor and later dean of the theological faculty, in 1518 he was elected rector of the University (for the second time in 1533), and from 1520 he held a canonry in the collegiate church of St Peter.
He wrote: De ecclesiasticis scripturis et dogmatibus I. IV (ed. R. Tapper, vol. I), an introductory treatise on Sacred Scripture, notable for its hermeneutical rules and its ideas concerning the authenticity of the Vulgate, adopted in the decisions of the fourth session of the Council of Trent; De captivitate et redemptione generis humani liber unus (ed. Tapper, vol. II); De concordia liberi arbitrii et proedestinationis divinae liber unus (ed. Tapper, vol. III); De Gratia et libero arbitrio libri duo (ed. Tapper, vol. III); De libertate christiana, left incomplete (ed. Tapper, vol. IV).
His theology rests upon Sacred Scripture and the Fathers, among whom he particularly favored Augustine, placing himself within the Augustinian current of his time, which continued at Louvain through Baio and beyond.
The complete edition of D.’s works was prepared by R. Tapper, Louvain 1546, 1552, 1556, in four volumes.