LORENZO da BOLOGNA. – A theologian of the Order of the Servants of Mary, born in Bologna in the first half of the 14th century, died after 1392. In 1360 he was a lecturer in theology; around 1370 he went to Paris, where he expounded the Sentences, obtained the licentiate in theology (1374), and probably also the doctorate. By 1379 he was already in Italy, holding the office of vicar to the prior general, and on 2 June of that year he was admitted to the college of masters of the Theological Faculty of Bologna. In 1387 he was appointed bishop of Traù, but continued to reside in Bologna.
During the period of his teaching in Paris (between 1372 and 1374), he composed his commentary on the Sentences, published in the 16th century by Fr. Domenico Dotti: Ordinatissimi ac ingeniosi doctoris Laurentii Opinii Bononiensis Ordinis Servorum egregia super quattuor libros sententiarum Parisiis habita (Venice 1532). From Pietro Lombardo he freely took certain starting points for treating at length themes of greater importance and contemporary relevance, such as the nature of the procession of the Word, the twofold sending of the Holy Spirit, the hypostatic union, justification, and merit.