SÁNCHEZ (Sanctius), JUAN. - One of the most typical representatives of laxism in the 17th century, born in Avila, Spain, and died ca. 1624.
Of wide erudition, he wrote, among other works, two monographs:
Sánchez (Sanctius), Gaspar - Title page of the Commentarii in Ezechielem et Danielem. Lyon 1619 - Copy from the Vatican Library.
*De ieiunio* and *De dubia impotentia circa matrimonium* (Madrid 1624, Lyon 1636). But his most notable work is the *Selectae et practicae disputationes de rebus in administratione Sacramentorum* (Madrid 1624), which is a fine synthesis of practical questions concerning the administration of the Sacraments, especially the Eucharist and Penance. After the author’s death, the work was placed on the Index (decree of 3-18 Dec. 1642) *donec corrigatur*, on account of the numerous laxist opinions maintained therein.
The fourth proposition condemned by Innocent XI is Sánchez’s: “An unbeliever will be excused from unbelief if he is led by a less probable opinion.” Sánchez, together with Caramuel and others, maintained that every opinion that is speculatively probable is also practically probable; that all probable opinions are equally secure (all of them), since whoever acts on one or another probable opinion is certain of not sinning.