Charles Wagner

Born in Vibersviller in Lorraine in 1852, Charles Wagner studied theology in Paris and Strasbourg and also attended the universities of Göttingen and Heidelberg. He served as a pastor before moving to Paris, where his preaching and writing brought him a broader public audience.

Wagner is best remembered as a liberal Protestant minister whose books spoke to readers looking for a humane, inward kind of religion. His writing emphasized sincerity, moral freedom, everyday goodness, and spiritual depth without showiness, and these qualities helped The Simple Life become especially influential.

He died in 1918, but his work continued to appeal to readers interested in practical spirituality rather than rigid doctrine. For audiobook listeners, he offers a calm, reflective voice from the turn of the twentieth century—earnest, accessible, and still easy to connect with.