Kurtz, JOHANN HEINRICH, theologian, was born at Montjoie, near Aix-la-Chapelle, 13th December 1809, and was first destined for a commercial career, but early devoted himself to the study of theology at Halle and Bonn, and became in 1835 religious instructor at the gymnasium of Mitau, in 1850 ordinary professor of Church History (in 1859 of Exegesis) at Dorpat. He retired in 1870, and lived at Marburg till his death, 26th April 1890.
His writings are numerous, and some, owing to their usefulness, have been exceedingly popular, as the Lehrbuch der heiligen Geschichte (1843; 16th ed. 1884), Christl. Religionslehre (1844; 13th ed. 1883), Biblische Geschichte mit Erläuterungen (1847; 34th ed. 1882), and Abriss der Kirchengeschichte (1852; 11th ed. 1886). His works in the department of biblical criticism include Das Mosaische Opfer (1842), Bibel und Astronomie (1842), Die Einheit der Genesis (1846), Zur Theologie der Psalmen (1865), and especially Geschichte des Alten Bundes (1848-55) and Erklärung des Briefes an die Hebräer (1869).
His most important books, however, are those devoted to church history, his Handbuch der allgemeinen Kirchengeschichte (1853-56), and the invaluable manual, Lehrbuch der Kirchengeschichte für Studierende (1849; 9th ed. 1885). Of the last there are three English translations.