Stephen of Tournai was the first significant French canonist and has been credited with establishing canon law in Northwestern Europe on a firm footing. He was learned in theology, having studied in Orléans, but after he arrived in Bologna to study law he heard lectures on Roman law by Bulgarus, a captivating and compelling teacher. Stephen mentioned his mentors in canon law only sparingly. After he left Bologna, he returned to northern France and became an abbot in monasteries in Orléans and Paris. In 1192, Stephen was elevated to the episcopal see of Tournai. His prolific outpouring of letters gives evidence of his importance in secular and ecclesiastical circles. He also wrote a large number of sermons in which he demonstrated his rhetorical skills and his theological training. In the prologue to his commentary on Gratian’s Decretum, Stephen vigorously examined how theology and law should be combined in Christian jurisprudence. Here Stephen revealed his debt to Bulgarus and justified his conviction that jurisprudence and theology were essential for understanding a Christian legal system. Theologians and jurists should share a meal together and discuss their mutual interests.