Rufinus was an Italian
canon lawyer
Canon law (from grc, κανών, , a 'straight measuring rod, ruler') is a set of ordinances and regulations made by ecclesiastical authority (church leadership) for the government of a Christian organization or church and its members. It is t ...
, described as the most influential canonist at the
University of Bologna
The University of Bologna ( it, Alma Mater Studiorum – Università di Bologna, UNIBO) is a public research university in Bologna, Italy. Founded in 1088 by an organised guild of students (''studiorum''), it is the oldest university in continu ...
in the mid 12th century. He composed a ''Summa'' on
Gratian
Gratian (; la, Gratianus; 18 April 359 – 25 August 383) was emperor of the Western Roman Empire from 367 to 383. The eldest son of Valentinian I, Gratian accompanied his father on several campaigns along the Rhine and Danube frontiers and w ...
's
Decretum before 1159, which soon became the most influential commentary in Bologna, surpassing all previous ones in detail and length.
Stephen of Tournai, his pupil, quoted from his ''Summa'' several times.
[J. F. von Schulte, ''Die Geschichte der Quellen und Literatur des Canonischen Rechts von Gratian bis auf die Gegenwart'', 3 vols, Stuttgart 1875-1880, I, p. 123 and n. 6, and p. 134.]
References
Bibliography
* Wilfried Hartmann and Kenneth Pennington, ''The history of medieval canon law in the classical period, 1140-1234'', Washington, DC: Catholic University of America Press, 2008.
External links
Rufinus. ''Summa Decretorum''. Edited by Heinrich Singer. Paderborn: Ferdinand Schoningh, 1902. Reprint Aalen: Scientia, 1963.
{{Authority control
Canon law jurists
12th-century Italian jurists