Sylvius (Du Bois), François

SYLVIUS (DU BOIS), FRANÇOIS. - Theologian, b. at Braine-le-Comte (Belgium) in 1581, d. at Douai on 27 Feb. 1649.

He studied philosophy at Louvain and theology at the University of Douai, where he took his degree in 1610. Having become, on the death of Estius (1613), professor of theology at the same University, he remained there for his whole life, contributing greatly to the fame of the Douai school. Inferior to Estius in his knowledge of Scripture, he surpassed him in speculative penetration and in his adherence to the spirit and the letter of St. Thomas, of whom he is still considered one of the best interpreters in the Commentaria in Sum. Theol. s. Thomae (4 vols., Douai 1620-35; 2nd ed. ibid. 1622-48; 3rd ed. Antwerp 1698). On Thomistic subjects he had already published notable works: S. Thomae A. opuscula (2 vols., Douai 1608-1609); Explicatio doctrinae s. Thomae... de motione primi motoris (ibid. 1609); Liber sententiarum... de statu hominis post peccatum (ibid. 1614). Besides various essays in moral theology and 19 Orationes theologicae (ibid. 1621), mention should be made of the short works in which he resolutely opposed the nascent Jansenism: Litterae... ad Leopoldum Belgii gubernatorem (ibid. 1648); Veritas et aequitas censurae pontificiae... super 79 articulis dammatis (ibid. 1649). Of lesser importance is his Commentarium in Gen. (ibid. 1639). All the works were edited by Fr. Norbert d'Elbecque O. P. at Antwerp in 1698, reprinted at Paris in 1714 and at Venice in 1726.

Antonio Piolanti