[1] Peter Olivarius Bugge was born at Holt in Nedenes county, Norway.

[2] He was a priest in various parishes in Sjælland, Jylland, and Lista before being appointed to the post of Bishop of the Diocese of Trondhjem when he was only 40 years old in 1804.

As Bishop of Trondhjem, Bugge gave the sermon at the coronation of the new King Karl Johan on 7 September 1818 at the Nidaros Cathedral.

[1][4] Bugge published a missionary magazine, Efterretninger om Evangelii Fremgang i alle Verdens-Dele (1821–22).

He later showed sympathy for the Pietism movement and defended Haugean lay preachers; he was the only bishop to call for the repeal of the Conventicle Act, which banned religious gatherings separate from the state church.