Franciscus Bonae Spei

Who is Franciscus Bonae Spei?

Franciscus Bonae Spei was a Catholic scholastic theologian and philosopher.

He was born under the name of François Crespin, and entered the Carmelite order in 1635 under the religious name of Franciscus Bonae Spei. During many years, he taught philosophy and theology in Leuven. He also held numerous charges within his order: he was Provincial, traveled three times to Rome and twice to Madrid, and died as prior of the Carmelite convent in Brussels. He wrote two vast philosophy and theology courses, of high quality. As all reformed Carmelites, he follows broadly the doctrine of Thomism, but discussed numerous contemporary issues. An important philosophical dispute has opposed him to the Spanish Cistercian Juan Caramuel y Lobkowitz.