Ulrich Berges

Prof. Dr. Ulrich Berges is a Professor of Old Testament Studies at the University of Bonn’s Catholic Theological Faculty since October 2009. Previously, he served as a member of the board of the Cluster of Excellence from November 2007 to June 2009 and led Project D1, titled 'Divine Violence in the Hebrew Bible.' His research focuses on biblical texts and their historical contexts, particularly examining themes like divine violence, human sacrifice, and legal frameworks in the Old Testament. Notable contributions include analyses of Psalm 79’s role in legitimizing violence during the Crusades and studies on the Maccabees’ use of biblical references to justify power dynamics. He co-organized the 2012 conference 'Dying Beyond Death,' exploring social exclusion across eras, with proceedings published in 2012.

His work integrates interdisciplinary methods, emphasizing precise reception-historical analyses to trace how biblical texts influence historical and legal discourses. Berges’ research bridges theological interpretation with sociocultural contexts, addressing critical scholarly debates on the Old Testament’s ethical and legal implications.