In 1772 he entered the university of Jena as a theological student. In 1776 he was on the point of abandoning theological pursuits, when the arrival of Griesbach inspired him with new ardour. After having been successively Repetent in Göttingen and teacher in the public schools of Dortmund (Westphalia) and Altdorf (Bavaria) he was, in 1785, appointed second professor of theology in the university of Altdorf, whence he was translated to a chair in Jena in 1804, where he succeeded Griesbach in 1812 and remained till his death.
At Altdorf Gabler published (1791-1793) a new edition, with introduction and notes, of Eichhorn's Urgeschichte; this was followed, two years afterwards, by a supplement entitled Neuer Versuch uber die mosaische Schopfungsgeschichte. He was also the author of many essays which were characterized by much critical acumen, and which had considerable influence on the course of German thought on theological and Biblical questions. From 1798 to 1800 he was editor of the Neuestes theologisches Journal, first conjointly with HKA. Hänlein (1762-1829), CF von Ammon (1766-1850) and HEG Paulus, and afterwards unassisted; from 1801 to 1804 of the Journal für theologische Litteratur; and from 1805 to 1811 of the Journal für auserlesene theologische Litteratur. Some of his essays were published by his sons (2 vols., 1831); and a memoir appeared in 1827 by W Schröter.
This entry was originally from the 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica.