Bartolommeo Spina

Scholastic theologian, born at Pisa about 1475; died at Rome, 1546. He joined the Dominican Order at Pisa about 1494. Having taught for many years in the schools of his order, he was appointed (1536) by the Venetian Senate to the chair of theology at Padua. He was also for a time socius of the master-general of his order, and prior provincial of the Holy Land. In July, 1542, he was made Master of the Sacred Palace by Paul III, and during the four years that he discharged the duties of that office he rendered great services to the Holy See and to the Fathers of the Council of Trent, regarding many difficult and mooted questions. From the year 1518 Spina was engaged in a heated controversy with his famous confrère, Cardinal Cajetan. Still more harsh was his opposition to Ambrose Catharinus, whom he denounced as guilty of heresy to Paul III about the beginning of the year 1546. The most important of Spina’s works are: “Tutela Veritatis de Immortalitate Animæ contra Petrum Pomponatium” and “Flagellum in Tres Libros Apologiæ Pomponatii de Immortalitate Animæ”, both published in 1518. Of special interest are also “Tractatus de Stringibus et Lamiis” (Venice, 1523), and “Apologiæ Tres adversus Joann. Franc. Ponzinibium Jurisperitum” (Venice, 1525). These last two works were also published at Rome in 1576. In his treatise “De Conceptione B. Mariæ Virg.” (Venice, 1533), Spina opposed the doctrine of the Immaculate Conception.