J.I. Packer was an influential evangelical theologian, pastor, and author who had a significant impact on 20th century evangelicalism. Here is an overview of his life and ministry:
Background and Early Life
James Innell Packer was born on July 22, 1926 in Gloucester, England. From an early age, he showed an interest in Christianity and began reading Christian classics by Puritan writers. At age 15, Packer committed his life to Christ after being impacted by C.S. Lewis’ book The Pilgrim’s Regress.
Packer attended Oxford University, where he earned a triple first-class honors degree in classics, philosophy, and theology. During his studies, he became involved with the Oxford Inter-Collegiate Christian Union (OICCU) where he gained ministry experience. He also met his future wife Kit Mullet while at Oxford.
Ministry and Career
After finishing his degrees at Oxford, Packer was ordained in the Church of England in 1948. He served as a parish minister for a few years before becoming a tutor at Tyndale Hall, a theological college affiliated with Oxford, in 1954. This began his decades-long career as a theological educator.
In 1961, Packer was appointed principal of Tyndale Hall and also joined the faculty of Trinity College, Bristol. During the 1960s, he became recognized as a leading evangelical voice within the Church of England through his advocacy for biblical authority and evangelism. His popularity grew through speeches, articles, and books.
Packer was involved in the founding of the International Fellowship of Evangelical Students in 1953. He also served as general editor of the English Standard Version Bible, published in 2001. But perhaps his most influential publication was his 1973 book Knowing God, which sold over 1 million copies. This book on the theology of God shaped a generation of evangelicals.
In 1979, Packer moved to Canada to take a professorship at Regent College in Vancouver, affiliated with the University of British Columbia. He was named the first Sangwoo Youtong Chee Professor of Theology, a title he held until his retirement in 1996. Packer continued to teach periodically at Regent until 2014.
While at Regent College, Packer was involved in several controversies within Anglicanism. He was vocal in opposing liberal theology and served as theological editor for Christianity Today magazine for many years. He was sometimes branded as rigidly conservative, but Packer saw himself as upholding historic Christian orthodoxy.
Theological Views
Packer was known for his advocacy of Reformed evangelical theology and Puritan spirituality. Some of the theological views he emphasized include:
- The authority, inerrancy, and sufficiency of Scripture.
- Penal substitutionary atonement – that Christ died as a substitute sacrifice for sinners.
- Imputed righteousness – salvation through Christ’s righteousness credited to believers.
- The sovereignty of God over all creation and human affairs.
- The Lordship of Jesus Christ over individual lives and the entire world.
- The pursuit of holiness and piety through spiritual disciplines.
Packer was a proponent of historic Protestant theology in the Reformed tradition. He valued church tradition and wanted to recover teachings of older writers like John Calvin and the English Puritans. His book Fundamentalism and the Word of God argued for incorporating wisdom from the past into modern Christianity.
Controversies
Two theological controversies Packer was involved in were:
- Evangelical-Anglo Catholic debate – In mid-20th century Church of England, Packer argued against re-Catholicizing Anglicanism and for Reformed Protestant theology. His book Fundamentalism and the Word of God was a turning point in this debate.
- Conflict with liberalism – Packer consistently critiqued theological liberalism which denied biblical authority, substitutionary atonement, and other historic doctrines. This led to disputes within the Anglican Communion.
Packer took firm stances in these debates. While some saw him as divisively militant, he believed he was contending for the historic Christian faith against compromise and false teaching.
Later Years and Death
Even after his formal retirement, Packer continued writing and speaking into his 80s. He authored over 50 books and many articles covering theology, spirituality, biblical interpretation, and Anglican church issues.
Packer was named honorary clerical canon at St Andrew’s Cathedral in Sydney, Australia in 2014. He received numerous honors and awards from Christian institutions for his theological influence.
In 2016, Packer’s eyesight deteriorated to the point where he could no longer read or write in his final years. On July 17, 2020, J.I. Packer passed away in Vancouver at 93 years old. He leaves behind an extensive published legacy that continues to impact evangelical Christianity.
Packer was regarded by many as one of the most important evangelical theologians of the modern era. Through his books, articles, lectures, and ministry associations, he promoted historic Reformed theology, Christian spirituality, biblical literacy, and evangelical unity. His works such as Knowing God and Fundamentalism and the Word of God are considered classics of 20th century evangelicalism.
Though sometimes controversial, Packer played a key role in shaping the evangelical movement. His advocacy for doctrinal rigor, biblical fidelity, and spiritual vitality influenced generations of Protestant pastors, theologians, and everyday believers. J.I. Packer stands as one of the most respected and impactful evangelical thinkers of the late 20th century.
