Peter Antes studied Catholic theology, science of religions and Orientalistik (orientalist studies) in Freiburg and in Paris and became doctor of theology and philosophy. His habilitation was in the history of religions and in comparative religions. He was appointed at the University of Hannover in 1973 as professor for “Religionswissenschaft und Didaktik des religionswissenschaftlichen Unterrichts.” He was elected emeritus in 2011.

Peter Antes is known for his exceptional talents for languages. When he made his Abitur, he already knew besides German 7 languages, Latin, English, French, Greek, Hebrew, Italian and Spanish. But of course, he did not stop there, and he is known for speaking 20 languages!

He has been editor of important books in our field, such as, for example, the “New Approaches to the Study of Religions”, and books such as “Religionen im Brennpunk” und “Grundriss der Religionsgeschichte”.

Since 1991 he is member of the editorial Board of Numen, since 2001 of the scientific journal Daimon. Annuario di diritto comparator delle religioni; and since 2002 Membre du comité scientifique d’Archaeus, the Bucarest series of the history of religions.

Peter Antes has not only been deeply involved in the making of the discipline, the Study of Religions, in his home University, providing for instance a study of religions profile to the teaching subject: Werte und Normen. He has also been very active in the DVRG, the Deutsche Vereinigung für Religionsgeschichte, for which he acted as president from 1989 to 1993. He became Honorary member of the Association, running now under the name of DVRW (Deutsche Vereinigung für Religionswissenschaft), in 2011 in Heidelberg.

In 2000 he became president of the IAHR, the International Association for the History of Religions, until 2005, nominated then Honorary member of the IAHR in Tokyo.

He has been the representative of the German Association for the EASR for several years.

Peter Antes has been president of many Associations and was an academic expert for commissions, which I will not reproduce here. But in order to appreciate the wide appreciation he enjoys, we may state that he received:

• In 1995 the nomination of Chevalier, of the Ordre des palmes académiques
• In 2001 he received the academic price: Premio Anassilaos International
• In 2007 he was nominated Cavaliere of the Ordine della Stella della Solidarietà italiana, by the Italian State president.

He was invited professor at the Universities of Geneva, Tokyo and till today at the Gregoriana in Rome. He presided, and is still participating in the International Summer School on Religions in San Gimignano.