author
Julius Köstlin
1826–1902
A leading 19th-century Protestant theologian and church historian, he is especially remembered for his influential work on Martin Luther and the Reformation. His writing helped shape how later readers understood Luther’s life, thought, and historical importance.
1 Audiobook
Life of Luther
by Julius Köstlin
About the author
Born in Stuttgart in 1826 and later active in Halle, Julius Köstlin was a German Protestant theologian, church historian, and scholar of the Reformation. He became known not only as an academic teacher but also as a careful historical writer with a strong interest in Martin Luther and the religious movements of the 16th century.
Köstlin taught theology at universities including Göttingen, Breslau, and Halle. He was also a co-founder of the Verein für Reformationsgeschichte, a society devoted to research on Reformation history, which reflects how central that field was to his life’s work.
Many readers know him best through his biographies and studies of Luther, including works that introduced wider audiences to the Reformer’s life and legacy. He died in Halle (Saale) in 1902, leaving behind a body of scholarship that remained valuable for both church historians and general readers interested in Protestant history.