Tostado, Alonso
Tostado, Alonso
(ALONSO TOSTATUS)
Exegete, b. at Madrigal, Castile, about 1400; d. at Bonilla de la Sierra, near Avila, 3 Sept., 1455. After a course of grammar under the Franciscans he entered the University of Salamanca, where, besides philosophy and theology, he studied civil and canon law, Greek, Hebrew, and the other branches then comprised in the curriculum of a university. By great application joined to an unusually brilliant mind and an extraordinarily retentive memory he accumulated such a vast store of knowledge that his contemporaries styled him the wonder of the world. At twenty-two he began to lecture on a wide variety of subjects to large audiences attracted by his learning. Later he assisted with distinction at the Council of Basle.
During a visit to the papal court at Siena in 1443, he was denounced to Eugene IV as having publicly defended an heretical and some rash propositions, but in an explanatory letter he assured the pontiff of his orthodoxy. In his “Defensorium”, written on this occasion against Torquemada and other critics, he gave utterance to views derogatory to the authority of the pope.
On his return to Spain he was appointed grand Chancellor of Castile, and in 1449 Bishop of Avila, whence his title Abulensis. Besides a Spanish commentary on the chronicles of Eusebius and other minor works, he wrote commentaries on the historical books of the Old Testament as far as II Par., and on the gospel of St. Matthew. These are extremely diffuse, containing many digressions on dogmatic and other subjects, which, though often excellent in themselves, are out of place in a commentary. An edition of his works in 13 folio volumes was published at Venice in 1507 and 1547; a more complete edition in 24 folio volumes appeared at the same place in 1615, and another in 27 folio volumes in 1728.
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HURTER, Nomenclator, IV, 762; ANTONIO, Biblioth. Hisp. Vetus, II (Madrid, 1788), 255; Nouv. Biogr. Gen., XLV, 518; AMADOR DE LOS RIOS, Histor. Crit. de la Literat. Espan., VI, vii, and xi.
F. BECHTEL Transcribed by Thomas M. Barrett Dedicated to the Memory of Bishop Alonso Tostado
The Catholic Encyclopedia, Volume XIVCopyright © 1912 by Robert Appleton CompanyOnline Edition Copyright © 2003 by K. KnightNihil Obstat, July 1, 1912. Remy Lafort, S.T.D., CensorImprimatur. +John Cardinal Farley, Archbishop of New York
Fuente: Catholic Encyclopedia
Tostado, Alonso
a Spanish prelate, was born at Madrigal in 1400. He studied at Salamanca, and at the age of twenty-two received his degree. He was elected to the chair of theology, and soon gained a wide reputation. In 1431 hew as sent to the Council of Basle, and by some of his utterances attracted the attention and condemnation of the holy see. In 1443 he was ordered to appear before an assembly of theologians at Sienna, and was convicted of unsound doctrine. On his return to Spain, through the intercession of the king, he received the bishopric of Avila, and was also member of the Council of Castile. He died near Avila Sept. 3, 1455. His works are numerous, and a large number were published at Venice, 1547, 24 vols. fol.; they consist of mystical commentaries on the lives of the Bible and on Matthew. Besides these are Comentario sobre Eiusebio (Salamanca, 1506): Confesionario (Logrofo, 1520). See Viera Clavio, Elogio de Alonso Tostado; Antonio, Bibl. Hist. Vetus. Hoefer, Nouv. Biog. Gneral, s.v.