KURTZ

kurtz, johann heinrich (1809-1890), german lutheran theologian, was born at montjoie near aix la chapelle on the 13th of december 1809, and was educated at halle and bonn. abandoning the idea of a commercial career, he gave himself to the study of theology and became religious instructor at the gymnasium of mitau in 1835, and ordinary professor of theology (church history, 1850; exegesis, 1859) at dorpat. he resigned his chair in 1870 and went to live at marburg, where he died on the 26th of april 1890. kurtz was a prolific writer, and many of his books, especially the _lehrbuch der heiligen geschichte_ (1843), became very popular. in the field of biblical criticism he wrote a _geschichte des alten bundes_ (1848-1855), _zur theologie der psalmen_ (1865) and _erklarung des briefs an die hebraer_ (1869). his chief work was done in church history, among his productions being _lehrbuch der kirchengeschichte fur studierende_ (1849), _abriss der kirchengeschichte_ (1852) and _handbuch der allgemeinen kirchengeschichte_ (1853-1856). several of his books have been translated into english.