Peter the Venerable: The Life of the Abbot of Cluny at the Centre of his Time’s Developments

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Tobias Georges
• Subject Area: Protestant Theology ; Medieval History
• Term: since 2025
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 563243860

Peter the Venerable (1092/1094 to 1156) is regarded as the last great abbot of Cluny and stands at the centre of crucial developments in his time: the striving for monastic reform, the papal schism between Anacletus II and Innocencent II, as well as the disputes between Latin Christians and people of different thoughts and beliefs. Although scholarship of Peter the Venerable has pointed to his prominent influence, a biography that meets the standards of historical-critical research and integrates the manifold aspects of his work does not exist until today. Utilizing an interdisciplinary approach, this project will study the biography of Peter the Venerable, applying new methodical reflections from the fields of biographical research and network analysis. It intends to illustrate and to put into context the various developments of his time by tracing this protagonist’s life and, in turn, to draw a precise and integrative portrait of his personality. The project combines the disciplines of theology/church history and medieval history and aims at three interconnected goals: 1) Starting with the available primary sources of Peter the Venerable’s biography (Peter’s own works, especially his letter correspondence, works of his contemporaries, and hagiographic material) and studying the recent research on the topic, a precise chronological timeline of his life will be reconstructed. For this purpose, important social, political and ecclesiastical developments and incidents as well as individual relations, actions and works have to be considered carefully. 2) Starting with the available primary sources and against the background of the findings of 1), Peter’s conduct within the dynamics of his time will be precisely reconstructed. This part of the project will take into account his social network and will put a special focus on Peter’s pre-eminent fields of thought and his actions. Among other aspects, Peter’s impact as abbot of Cluny (especially in the related context of the monastic reforms) and as preacher and liturgist will be considered; his position and active response to the ecclesiopolitical controversies (like the papal schism between Anacletus II and Innocencent II); his exchange with women and especially with Heloisa; and, finally, his thoughts about and his activities in the debate about Judaism, Islam and Christian “heresies”. 3) Starting with the available primary sources and against the background of 1) and 2), Peter’s specific personality in which the manifold aspects of thought and action come together is to be defined. Such qualities are typical of the era and at the same time shape his character to its specific, individual peculiarity: Was he an organiser, a religious man, a monk, an intellectual, a peacemaker and/or a polemicist? The research results of Peter the Venerable’s life at the centre of his time’s developments will be published in a monograph as well as in complementary and summary research articles.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants
• International Connection: USA
• Co-Investigators: Dr. Carmen Angela Cvetkovic; Professor Dr. Peter Gemeinhardt; Dr. Jan Reitzner; Professor Dr. Frank Rexroth; Dr. Dorothee Schenk
• Cooperation Partner: Professor Dr. Volker Leppin