Juan Carrasco

Who was Juan Carrasco?

Juan Carrasco was an apologist, of Marrano parentage. He was born in Madrid and is sometimes called Carrasco of Madrid.

Carrasco had first been an Augustin friar at Burgos and an excellent preacher. Later, on a journey to Rome, he became a convert to Judaism at Livorno. He was familiar with the writings of Nahmanides, Isaac Abravanel, and others, and while in Holland he wrote in Spanish his "Apology of Judaism." This work was published at Nodriza in 1633, and was later incorporated in the "Coleccion de Reformadores Españoles," published by Wiffen, who believed Carrasco to have been a Protestant.