Molina

Molina, Luis (1535-1600), a Spanish Jesuit, who was born at Cuenca. He entered the order at 13, and studied theology at Coimbra, and then became a professor at Evora, and later taught moral theology at Madrid. His great work in life was the treatment of the question of free-will and predestination, and his endeavour to harmonise the theory of free-will with that of grace made a great commotion. The Dominicans vigorously attacked his position, and finally reference was made to the Pope, who cut the knot by imposing silence upon the combatants. Molinism passed finally into Jansenism, and is noticed by Pascal in his Lettres d'un Provincial. Molina also wrote a commentary upon part of the Summa of St. Thomas Aquinas.