GRABE, JOHANN ERNST. - Patrologist, Protestant, b. at Königsberg in 1666, d. at Oxford in 1711. He taught at the University of Königsberg from 1685. The reading of Bellarmino’s writings inclined him towards Catholicism.
In his Dubia, addressed to the Consistory of the Lutheran Church, he accused Lutero of heresy. Only the intervention of the Pietist Spener prevented his conversion. In 1697 he emigrated to England, became an Anglican, and took up residence at Oxford. He became famous for his patristic writings, which were intended to contribute to the reunion of the Churches: Spicilegium sanctorum Patrum et haereticorum (2 vols., Oxford 1698-99; 3rd ed. there 1724; on the Index [decr. 15 Jan. 1714]). Edition of Giustino’s I Apologia (there 1700), and of Ireneo (there 1702). His masterpiece was the edition of the Septuagint, based on the Alexandrian codex (vols. I and IV, there 1707-1709; vols. II-III, posthumous, there 1719-20).