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"Fundamentalism" and the Word of God
Back Cover: This modern classic by the author of Knowing God provides a comprehensive statement of the doctrine of Scripture from an evangelical perspective. J. I. Packer explores the proper meaning and use of the word "fundamentalism" and offers a clear, well-reasoned argument for the authority of the Bible and its role in the Christian Life.
191 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1958
59 people are currently reading
717 people want to read
About the author
J.I. Packer
446 books926 followersWhat do J. I. Packer, Billy Graham and Richard John Neuhaus have in common? Each was recently named by TIME magazine as among the 25 most influential evangelicals in America.
Dr. Packer, the Board of Governors’ Professor of Theology at Regent College, was hailed by TIME as “a doctrinal Solomon” among Protestants. “Mediating debates on everything from a particular Bible translation to the acceptability of free-flowing Pentecostal spirituality, Packer helps unify a community [evangelicalism] that could easily fall victim to its internal tensions.”
Knowing God, Dr. Packer’s seminal 1973 work, was lauded as a book which articulated shared beliefs for members of diverse denominations; the TIME profile quotes Michael Cromartie of the Ethics and Public Policy Center in Washington as saying, “conservative Methodists and Presbyterians and Baptists could all look to [Knowing God] and say, ‘This sums it all up for us.’”
In a similar tribute to Dr. Packer almost ten years ago, American theologian Mark Noll wrote in Christianity Today that, “Packer’s ability to address immensely important subjects in crisp, succinct sentences is one of the reasons why, both as an author and speaker, he has played such an important role among American evangelicals for four decades.”
For over 25 years Regent College students have been privileged to study under Dr. Packer’s clear and lucid teaching, and our faculty, staff and students celebrate the international recognition he rightly receives as a leading Christian thinker and teacher.
(https://www.regent-college.edu/facult...)
Dr. Packer, the Board of Governors’ Professor of Theology at Regent College, was hailed by TIME as “a doctrinal Solomon” among Protestants. “Mediating debates on everything from a particular Bible translation to the acceptability of free-flowing Pentecostal spirituality, Packer helps unify a community [evangelicalism] that could easily fall victim to its internal tensions.”
Knowing God, Dr. Packer’s seminal 1973 work, was lauded as a book which articulated shared beliefs for members of diverse denominations; the TIME profile quotes Michael Cromartie of the Ethics and Public Policy Center in Washington as saying, “conservative Methodists and Presbyterians and Baptists could all look to [Knowing God] and say, ‘This sums it all up for us.’”
In a similar tribute to Dr. Packer almost ten years ago, American theologian Mark Noll wrote in Christianity Today that, “Packer’s ability to address immensely important subjects in crisp, succinct sentences is one of the reasons why, both as an author and speaker, he has played such an important role among American evangelicals for four decades.”
For over 25 years Regent College students have been privileged to study under Dr. Packer’s clear and lucid teaching, and our faculty, staff and students celebrate the international recognition he rightly receives as a leading Christian thinker and teacher.
(https://www.regent-college.edu/facult...)
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July 29, 2021
“If the human mind is set up as the measure and test of truth, it will quickly substitute for man’s incomprehensible Creator a comprehensible idol fashioned in man’s own image…”
J.I. Packer, most widely known for his book Knowing God, also wrote this excellent book (back in 1958).
I found this book to be compelling, intelligent, and transparent.
Before you let the word ‘Fundamentalism’ scare you away, give this book a chance. Packer lays out several reasons for why the term "‘fundamentalism’ (note the quotes in the title), which traces roots back to 1909, is no longer a helpful term and should not be used. It comes with a lot of historical and theological baggage that takes away from any serious discussion about the actual beliefs held by adherents.
“the word is prejudicial, ambiguous, explosive and in every way unhelpful to discussion. It does not clarify; it merely confuses. It is only in use today because critics of Evangelicalism have dragged it up.”
While we should commend original fundamentalists for their zeal in defending their beliefs at a time when “militant Liberalism” was threatening to the faith, we must move forward and away from this term, recognizing the original movement’s weaknesses: “anti-intellectual bias, distrust of scholarship, de-valuing of reason in matters of religion, and susceptibility to eccentric influences.”
Later in the book he explains why authentic Christian faith requires us to use our minds, to reason, and to study. Worth quoting at length:
“The Evangelical is not afraid of facts, for he knows that all facts are God’s facts; nor is he afraid of thinking, for he knows that all truth is God’s truth, and right reason cannot endanger sound faith. He is called to love God with all his mind’ and part of what this means is that, when confronted by those who, on professedly rational grounds, take exception to historic Christianity, he must set himself not merely to deplore or denounce them but to out-think them. It is not his business to argue men into faith, for that cannot be done; but it is his business to demonstrate the intellectual adequacy of the biblical faith and the comparative inadequacy of its rivals, and to show the invalidity of the criticisms that are brought against it. This he seeks to do, not from any motive of intellectual self-justification, but for the glory of God and of His gospel. A confident intellectualism expressive of robust faith in God, whose Word is truth, is part of the historic evangelical tradition.”
Packer actually suggests ‘Evangelical’ is a better term, but we can see how this term hasn’t aged well either. Since 1958 ‘Evangelical’ has accumulated just as much baggage as fundamentalism with associations to legalism and especially and unfortunately, with far-right politics that seem inseparable in probably most Americans’ minds. I am not sure what a better term for us would be at this point.
Fundamentalism is identified by five major beliefs:
1. Infallibility/inerrancy of Scripture
2. Diety of Christ
3. Virgin birth (and other miracles)
4. Christ’s death atoning for our sins
5. Jesus’ bodily resurrection
“Fundamentalism” and the Word of God focuses on the first tenet— the infallibility of Scripture— because beginning with a foundational belief that the Bible is our ultimate, trustworthy authority is essential for any further doctrinal discussion.
“The deepest cleavages in Christendom are doctrinal; and the deepest doctrinal cleavages are those which result from disagreement about authority. Radical divergences are only to be expected when there is no agreement as to the proper grounds for believing anything… Those who disagree as to the principle of authority and, in consequence, as to the right method in theology, can reach no significant agreement on anything else.”
Before going further, a note about the writing style/formatting of this book. It is an old book and it is one that is a bit hard to read. I’m not sure if it’s been reprinted but the copy I have is small font, huge paragraphs, biblical references are in Roman numeral format, plus Packer just has a huge vocabulary so you might have to look up some words. It makes for a read that requires a quiet environment and a lot of concentration.
To be clear: it is definitely is worth your time. There were parts I didn’t fully grasp but there is still plenty that is easily understood. To the writing style— this book is presented as an argument. He is writing to present his side of the fundamentalism debate. He is writing to persuade Christians to hold fast to the authority of Scripture.
Therefore, much of his writing is strongly worded, which, personally, I find refreshing. There is no mincing words with Packer. He puts it to you straight. I mean, don’t you just love a theologian who uses the word ‘bumptious’?? (just look it up… you know you want to.)
He describes 3 authorities we can appeal to:
- Scripture (Evangelical view- the Bible is God’s words and interprets itself)
- Church (Traditionalist view- what the Church says, God says and Church tradition reveals truth)
- Reason/Conscience (Subjectivist view- what I feel God says, God says- I examine the Bible with an open mind and measure it against my own reason and what I find in extra-biblical sources)
Packer urges us to maintain the same view of Scripture as Jesus:
“Jesus Christ endorsed [Scripture] with the greatest emphasis and the full weight of His authority.” (Jn 7:16, 12:49, 7:48. Mark 1:22, Matt 5:17-18, Jn 10:35)
“Christ’s claim to be divine is either true or false. If it is true, His Person guarantees the truth of all the rest of His teaching; therefore, His view of the Old Testament is true. If His claim is false, there is no compelling reason to believe anything else that He said… If we refuse to believe some part of what He taught, we are in effect denying Him to be the divine Messiah—on our own authority.”
Packer confirms that when we believe in the ‘inspired’ Word of God we do not believe God literally dictated every word of Scripture but that every word we have in the Bible is exactly as God intended it. It is not unreasonable to believe that the Creator and Sustainer of the world would have the power and sovereignty to inspire the Bible as He would have it.
“Inspiration is to be defined as a supernatural, providential influence of God’s Holy Spirit upon the human authors which caused them to write what He wished to be written for the communication of revealed truth to others.”
“The Lord was well able to prepare, equip and overrule sinful human writers so that they wrote nothing but what He intended; and Scripture tells us that this is what in fact he did. We are to think of the Spirit’s inspiring activity, and, for that matter, of all His regular operations in and upon human personality as concursive; that is as exercised in, through and by means of the writers’ own activity, in such a way that their thinking and writing was both free and spontaneous on their part and divinely elicited and controlled, and what they wrote was not only their own work but also God’s work.” (Ps 135:6)
“The infallibility and inerrancy of biblical teaching does not, however, guarantee the infallibility and inerrancy of any interpretation, or interpreter, of that teaching…”
He reminds us that we cannot believe the Bible outside of the work of the Holy Spirit:
“Having disclosed himself objectively in history, in His incarnate Son, and in His written, scriptural Word, God now enlightens men subjectively in experience, so that they apprehend His self-disclosure for what it is. Thus, He causes them to know Him, and His end in revelation is achieved.”
“The evangelical certainty of the trustworthiness and authority of Scripture is of exactly the same sort, and rests on exactly the same basis, as the Church’s certainty of the Trinity, or the incarnation, or any other catholic doctrine. God has declared it; Scripture embodies it; the Spirit exhibits it to believers; and they humbly receive it, as they are bound to do.”
I find his reference to the Fall enlightening as we determine where our authority is going to be— within ourselves and our own ability to make judgements or in the Creator.
“It was precisely because man welcomed the prospect of becoming the measure and judge of all things that sin first entered the world. ‘When you eat… you will not need to depend any more on what God chooses to tell you; you will be able to work out for yourselves what is good and bad, and be master of your own judgment, not the basis of your own experience; you will have a mind of your own for the first time’... Man sought intellectual self-sufficiency, ability to solve life’s problems without reference to the word of God… they are still apt to demand instead that their reason be permitted to make its own independent assessment of what He says and to have the last word deciding whether it is credible or not.”
We are constantly battling our flesh, wanting control, wanting to be our own god and make the rules. We are regularly fighting our urge to demand the things our own way because we believe we know better than anyone else. This is the original sin— the usurping of God’s authority and design. He has given us His Word that has asserted itself as “a God-given, error-free, self-interpreting unity, true and trustworthy in all that it teaches.” Judging it as anything else or assigning credibility factors to different parts is unbelief and rebellion, however well-intentioned.
Who or what is your final authority? Really think about that. Who or what do you bow to? Whatever your church leaders say? Tradition? Professors? Popular opinion? Whatever feels right? Your own knowledge and judgement?
Or the very words of God?
It is essential to all matters of faith to get this right or your basis for all your other beliefs is on shaky ground.
I think I copied down 80% of the end of the book because it was so good. Packer definitely knows how to stir his audience to love God and His Word. Here are some favorites, and, as before, it’s worth quoting in length:
“The honest way to commend God’s revealed truth to an unbelieving generation is not to disguise it as a word of man, and to act as if we could never be sure of it, but had to keep censoring and amending it at the behest of the latest scholarship, and dared not believe it further than historical agnosticism gives us leave; but to preach it in a way which shows the world that we believe it whole-heartedly, and to cry to God to accompany our witness with his Spirit, so that we too may preach “in demonstration of the Spirit and of power.” (1 Cor 2:4-5)
“We have to choose whether to bow to the authority claimed by the Son of God, or whether on our own authority to discount and contravene a part of His teaching; whether to rest content with Christianity according to Christ, or whether to go hankering after a Christianity according to the spirit of our age; whether to behave as Christ’s disciples, or as His tutors…
We have to choose whether to embrace the delusion that human creatures are competent to judge and find fault with the words of their Creator, or whether to recognize this idea for the blasphemy that it is and drop it. We have to decide whether to say that we believe the Bible and mean it, or to look for ways whereby we can say it without having to accept all the consequences...
We have to choose whether, in presenting Christianity to others, we are going to rely on the demonstration of the Spirit to commend it, or on our own ability to make it masquerade as the fulfillment of secular thought.”
“Let us not fear the opposition of men: every great movement in the Church from Paul down to modern times has been criticized on the ground that it promoted censoriousness and intolerance and disputing. Of course the gospel of Christ, in a world of sin and doubt, will cause disputing; and if it does not cause disputing and arouse bitter opposition, that is a fairly sure sign that it is not being faithfully proclaimed… it is becoming increasingly necessary for a man to choose whether he will stand with Christ or against Him… It is out of such times of questioning that great revivals come… Controversy of the right sort is good; for out of such controversy, as Church history and Scripture alike teach, there comes the salvation of souls.” — Machen
Further reading:
Taking God at His Word by Kevin DeYoung is a more recent and easy to understand book on the authority and inerrancy of Scripture— why we can and should trust it.
Surviving Religion 101 by Michael J. Kruger is about more than just the authority of Scripture but this was written by a scholar of the New Testament canon and has a few chapters discussing why we can trust the Bible as we have it.
Christianity and Liberalism by J. Gresham Machen would be another good book— Packer quotes Machen a lot in his book. I haven’t read this one but it comes highly recommended.
Understanding Fundamentalism and Evangelicalism by George M. Marsden is another one I haven’t read but has come recommended.
(Note: These last two books are also older and may be harder reads)
Book Review Blog: www.shelfreflection.com
Pinterest: @shelfreflectionblog
J.I. Packer, most widely known for his book Knowing God, also wrote this excellent book (back in 1958).
I found this book to be compelling, intelligent, and transparent.
Before you let the word ‘Fundamentalism’ scare you away, give this book a chance. Packer lays out several reasons for why the term "‘fundamentalism’ (note the quotes in the title), which traces roots back to 1909, is no longer a helpful term and should not be used. It comes with a lot of historical and theological baggage that takes away from any serious discussion about the actual beliefs held by adherents.
“the word is prejudicial, ambiguous, explosive and in every way unhelpful to discussion. It does not clarify; it merely confuses. It is only in use today because critics of Evangelicalism have dragged it up.”
While we should commend original fundamentalists for their zeal in defending their beliefs at a time when “militant Liberalism” was threatening to the faith, we must move forward and away from this term, recognizing the original movement’s weaknesses: “anti-intellectual bias, distrust of scholarship, de-valuing of reason in matters of religion, and susceptibility to eccentric influences.”
Later in the book he explains why authentic Christian faith requires us to use our minds, to reason, and to study. Worth quoting at length:
“The Evangelical is not afraid of facts, for he knows that all facts are God’s facts; nor is he afraid of thinking, for he knows that all truth is God’s truth, and right reason cannot endanger sound faith. He is called to love God with all his mind’ and part of what this means is that, when confronted by those who, on professedly rational grounds, take exception to historic Christianity, he must set himself not merely to deplore or denounce them but to out-think them. It is not his business to argue men into faith, for that cannot be done; but it is his business to demonstrate the intellectual adequacy of the biblical faith and the comparative inadequacy of its rivals, and to show the invalidity of the criticisms that are brought against it. This he seeks to do, not from any motive of intellectual self-justification, but for the glory of God and of His gospel. A confident intellectualism expressive of robust faith in God, whose Word is truth, is part of the historic evangelical tradition.”
Packer actually suggests ‘Evangelical’ is a better term, but we can see how this term hasn’t aged well either. Since 1958 ‘Evangelical’ has accumulated just as much baggage as fundamentalism with associations to legalism and especially and unfortunately, with far-right politics that seem inseparable in probably most Americans’ minds. I am not sure what a better term for us would be at this point.
Fundamentalism is identified by five major beliefs:
1. Infallibility/inerrancy of Scripture
2. Diety of Christ
3. Virgin birth (and other miracles)
4. Christ’s death atoning for our sins
5. Jesus’ bodily resurrection
“Fundamentalism” and the Word of God focuses on the first tenet— the infallibility of Scripture— because beginning with a foundational belief that the Bible is our ultimate, trustworthy authority is essential for any further doctrinal discussion.
“The deepest cleavages in Christendom are doctrinal; and the deepest doctrinal cleavages are those which result from disagreement about authority. Radical divergences are only to be expected when there is no agreement as to the proper grounds for believing anything… Those who disagree as to the principle of authority and, in consequence, as to the right method in theology, can reach no significant agreement on anything else.”
Before going further, a note about the writing style/formatting of this book. It is an old book and it is one that is a bit hard to read. I’m not sure if it’s been reprinted but the copy I have is small font, huge paragraphs, biblical references are in Roman numeral format, plus Packer just has a huge vocabulary so you might have to look up some words. It makes for a read that requires a quiet environment and a lot of concentration.
To be clear: it is definitely is worth your time. There were parts I didn’t fully grasp but there is still plenty that is easily understood. To the writing style— this book is presented as an argument. He is writing to present his side of the fundamentalism debate. He is writing to persuade Christians to hold fast to the authority of Scripture.
Therefore, much of his writing is strongly worded, which, personally, I find refreshing. There is no mincing words with Packer. He puts it to you straight. I mean, don’t you just love a theologian who uses the word ‘bumptious’?? (just look it up… you know you want to.)
He describes 3 authorities we can appeal to:
- Scripture (Evangelical view- the Bible is God’s words and interprets itself)
- Church (Traditionalist view- what the Church says, God says and Church tradition reveals truth)
- Reason/Conscience (Subjectivist view- what I feel God says, God says- I examine the Bible with an open mind and measure it against my own reason and what I find in extra-biblical sources)
Packer urges us to maintain the same view of Scripture as Jesus:
“Jesus Christ endorsed [Scripture] with the greatest emphasis and the full weight of His authority.” (Jn 7:16, 12:49, 7:48. Mark 1:22, Matt 5:17-18, Jn 10:35)
“Christ’s claim to be divine is either true or false. If it is true, His Person guarantees the truth of all the rest of His teaching; therefore, His view of the Old Testament is true. If His claim is false, there is no compelling reason to believe anything else that He said… If we refuse to believe some part of what He taught, we are in effect denying Him to be the divine Messiah—on our own authority.”
Packer confirms that when we believe in the ‘inspired’ Word of God we do not believe God literally dictated every word of Scripture but that every word we have in the Bible is exactly as God intended it. It is not unreasonable to believe that the Creator and Sustainer of the world would have the power and sovereignty to inspire the Bible as He would have it.
“Inspiration is to be defined as a supernatural, providential influence of God’s Holy Spirit upon the human authors which caused them to write what He wished to be written for the communication of revealed truth to others.”
“The Lord was well able to prepare, equip and overrule sinful human writers so that they wrote nothing but what He intended; and Scripture tells us that this is what in fact he did. We are to think of the Spirit’s inspiring activity, and, for that matter, of all His regular operations in and upon human personality as concursive; that is as exercised in, through and by means of the writers’ own activity, in such a way that their thinking and writing was both free and spontaneous on their part and divinely elicited and controlled, and what they wrote was not only their own work but also God’s work.” (Ps 135:6)
“The infallibility and inerrancy of biblical teaching does not, however, guarantee the infallibility and inerrancy of any interpretation, or interpreter, of that teaching…”
He reminds us that we cannot believe the Bible outside of the work of the Holy Spirit:
“Having disclosed himself objectively in history, in His incarnate Son, and in His written, scriptural Word, God now enlightens men subjectively in experience, so that they apprehend His self-disclosure for what it is. Thus, He causes them to know Him, and His end in revelation is achieved.”
“The evangelical certainty of the trustworthiness and authority of Scripture is of exactly the same sort, and rests on exactly the same basis, as the Church’s certainty of the Trinity, or the incarnation, or any other catholic doctrine. God has declared it; Scripture embodies it; the Spirit exhibits it to believers; and they humbly receive it, as they are bound to do.”
I find his reference to the Fall enlightening as we determine where our authority is going to be— within ourselves and our own ability to make judgements or in the Creator.
“It was precisely because man welcomed the prospect of becoming the measure and judge of all things that sin first entered the world. ‘When you eat… you will not need to depend any more on what God chooses to tell you; you will be able to work out for yourselves what is good and bad, and be master of your own judgment, not the basis of your own experience; you will have a mind of your own for the first time’... Man sought intellectual self-sufficiency, ability to solve life’s problems without reference to the word of God… they are still apt to demand instead that their reason be permitted to make its own independent assessment of what He says and to have the last word deciding whether it is credible or not.”
We are constantly battling our flesh, wanting control, wanting to be our own god and make the rules. We are regularly fighting our urge to demand the things our own way because we believe we know better than anyone else. This is the original sin— the usurping of God’s authority and design. He has given us His Word that has asserted itself as “a God-given, error-free, self-interpreting unity, true and trustworthy in all that it teaches.” Judging it as anything else or assigning credibility factors to different parts is unbelief and rebellion, however well-intentioned.
Who or what is your final authority? Really think about that. Who or what do you bow to? Whatever your church leaders say? Tradition? Professors? Popular opinion? Whatever feels right? Your own knowledge and judgement?
Or the very words of God?
It is essential to all matters of faith to get this right or your basis for all your other beliefs is on shaky ground.
I think I copied down 80% of the end of the book because it was so good. Packer definitely knows how to stir his audience to love God and His Word. Here are some favorites, and, as before, it’s worth quoting in length:
“The honest way to commend God’s revealed truth to an unbelieving generation is not to disguise it as a word of man, and to act as if we could never be sure of it, but had to keep censoring and amending it at the behest of the latest scholarship, and dared not believe it further than historical agnosticism gives us leave; but to preach it in a way which shows the world that we believe it whole-heartedly, and to cry to God to accompany our witness with his Spirit, so that we too may preach “in demonstration of the Spirit and of power.” (1 Cor 2:4-5)
“We have to choose whether to bow to the authority claimed by the Son of God, or whether on our own authority to discount and contravene a part of His teaching; whether to rest content with Christianity according to Christ, or whether to go hankering after a Christianity according to the spirit of our age; whether to behave as Christ’s disciples, or as His tutors…
We have to choose whether to embrace the delusion that human creatures are competent to judge and find fault with the words of their Creator, or whether to recognize this idea for the blasphemy that it is and drop it. We have to decide whether to say that we believe the Bible and mean it, or to look for ways whereby we can say it without having to accept all the consequences...
We have to choose whether, in presenting Christianity to others, we are going to rely on the demonstration of the Spirit to commend it, or on our own ability to make it masquerade as the fulfillment of secular thought.”
“Let us not fear the opposition of men: every great movement in the Church from Paul down to modern times has been criticized on the ground that it promoted censoriousness and intolerance and disputing. Of course the gospel of Christ, in a world of sin and doubt, will cause disputing; and if it does not cause disputing and arouse bitter opposition, that is a fairly sure sign that it is not being faithfully proclaimed… it is becoming increasingly necessary for a man to choose whether he will stand with Christ or against Him… It is out of such times of questioning that great revivals come… Controversy of the right sort is good; for out of such controversy, as Church history and Scripture alike teach, there comes the salvation of souls.” — Machen
Further reading:
Taking God at His Word by Kevin DeYoung is a more recent and easy to understand book on the authority and inerrancy of Scripture— why we can and should trust it.
Surviving Religion 101 by Michael J. Kruger is about more than just the authority of Scripture but this was written by a scholar of the New Testament canon and has a few chapters discussing why we can trust the Bible as we have it.
Christianity and Liberalism by J. Gresham Machen would be another good book— Packer quotes Machen a lot in his book. I haven’t read this one but it comes highly recommended.
Understanding Fundamentalism and Evangelicalism by George M. Marsden is another one I haven’t read but has come recommended.
(Note: These last two books are also older and may be harder reads)
Book Review Blog: www.shelfreflection.com
Pinterest: @shelfreflectionblog
June 7, 2023
I have owned this small paperback since 2005 but only got around to reading it over the last few days. Jim Packer presents us with a spirited defence of the evangelical view of scripture, which is caricatured as "Fundamentalism", in opposition to liberalism. The chapter on reason and his discussion of the place of tradition in interpreting scripture are very strong.
April 8, 2018
Well written defense of conservative bibliology. Falls short in well-rounded Theological method (sources of theology, relationship to history) and falls victim to modernistic perspectives on knowledge and certainty. A classic expression of evangelical thought, to be sure.
May 19, 2025
Where does authority ultimately lie? Is the authority in the Word of God as it was revealed, or does man have the authority to pick through the Bible, parse it out, and determine what is truly “from God.” That is the driving question of the book and of our modern times.
Packer establishes that God’s word is the authority because it is truly God’s own inerrant, infallible, self-revelation to humanity. Faith, then, is the submissive reception of the Word of God which expresses itself in repentance and belief in Jesus as the Word requires. Out of faith, the Christian is able to use the cognitive faculty of reason that God has given him which is not at odds with faith at all.
I was thoroughly enriched by Packer’s logical move from authority to scripture, scripture to faith, and faith to reason. I had wondered in the past how the rational abilities of man and believing God at his word worked together, and it was immensely helpful to have Packer demonstrate that the question is not whether we will have faith or reason. Rather, the question is whether we will use reason faithfully or not.
Additionally, I found that Packer’s explanation of how we got to the liberal and fundamentalist controversy was helpful. I had wondered in the past how the evangelical use of historical backgrounds differed from the liberal use. After reading this book, I understand that the Evangelical studies backgrounds after already having received the Bible as God’s word and submitted to it. In contrast, the Liberal studies historical background to “figure out” what parts of the Bible are actually the Bible. Like Packer said, the issue is authority.
Packer establishes that God’s word is the authority because it is truly God’s own inerrant, infallible, self-revelation to humanity. Faith, then, is the submissive reception of the Word of God which expresses itself in repentance and belief in Jesus as the Word requires. Out of faith, the Christian is able to use the cognitive faculty of reason that God has given him which is not at odds with faith at all.
I was thoroughly enriched by Packer’s logical move from authority to scripture, scripture to faith, and faith to reason. I had wondered in the past how the rational abilities of man and believing God at his word worked together, and it was immensely helpful to have Packer demonstrate that the question is not whether we will have faith or reason. Rather, the question is whether we will use reason faithfully or not.
Additionally, I found that Packer’s explanation of how we got to the liberal and fundamentalist controversy was helpful. I had wondered in the past how the evangelical use of historical backgrounds differed from the liberal use. After reading this book, I understand that the Evangelical studies backgrounds after already having received the Bible as God’s word and submitted to it. In contrast, the Liberal studies historical background to “figure out” what parts of the Bible are actually the Bible. Like Packer said, the issue is authority.
January 26, 2021
Incredible defense of the infallible and inerrant Word of God against the offense of the last century’s rise of Liberalism and Subjectivism. Encouraging and edifying to the present-day believer, this book will doubtless assist the Reformed Christian to better articulate his or her convictions.
“If the human mind is set up as the measure and test of truth, it will quickly substitute for man’s incomprehensible Creator a comprehensible idol fashioned in man’s own image; man wants a God he can manage and feel comfortable with, and will inevitably invent one if allowed.“
“If the human mind is set up as the measure and test of truth, it will quickly substitute for man’s incomprehensible Creator a comprehensible idol fashioned in man’s own image; man wants a God he can manage and feel comfortable with, and will inevitably invent one if allowed.“
May 10, 2023
Relevant, convicting and true. Worth the read
January 15, 2020
In “Fundamentalism and the Word of God” J.I. Packer provides a helpful rubric for addressing spiritual error. This book was written in 1958, but it is just as relevant today as the day it was written. Packer specifically addresses the theological liberals of the 1950’s who were consumed with Critical Theory in the interpretation of Scripture. Instead of a priori acceptance of the inspiration, authority, and inerrancy of Scripture, the Liberals accepted these things only insofar as their critical theory allowed. In other words, many fundamental doctrines ended up on the trash heap and the Word of God became subservient to human wisdom.
Packer defends the conservative position—that Scripture is God-breathed, authoritative and without error. Packer also engages in open debate with the opposing viewpoint. But he does it with grace and a winsomeness that is God honoring. That being said, Packer pulls no punches in defense of God’s Word, and his intellect and spiritual maturity shines through the pages of this book.
So, who should read this book? Any student of Scripture who wishes to have a deeper understanding of the doctrine of Scripture, especially as it is applied in a real World controversy. Also, any believer who desires to understand how to address spiritual error with grace and intellectual vigor without compromising one’s beliefs could greatly profit from reading this book. As followers of Christ we are admonished to “Earnestly contend for the faith that was once delivered to all the Saints.” This book is an excellent starting point, for if you have not yet settled in your mind the absolute authority of God’s Word, then you are fighting a losing battle. Read this book and be instructed. Happy reading!
Packer defends the conservative position—that Scripture is God-breathed, authoritative and without error. Packer also engages in open debate with the opposing viewpoint. But he does it with grace and a winsomeness that is God honoring. That being said, Packer pulls no punches in defense of God’s Word, and his intellect and spiritual maturity shines through the pages of this book.
So, who should read this book? Any student of Scripture who wishes to have a deeper understanding of the doctrine of Scripture, especially as it is applied in a real World controversy. Also, any believer who desires to understand how to address spiritual error with grace and intellectual vigor without compromising one’s beliefs could greatly profit from reading this book. As followers of Christ we are admonished to “Earnestly contend for the faith that was once delivered to all the Saints.” This book is an excellent starting point, for if you have not yet settled in your mind the absolute authority of God’s Word, then you are fighting a losing battle. Read this book and be instructed. Happy reading!
June 3, 2014
An excellent introduction to some of the more liberal arguments leveled against Scripture. He keeps his eye on the ball and refuses to allow liberal scholars to get away with shifting the topic under debate. He emphasizes the authority of Scripture throughout the book. His sections on the connection between reason and faith are some of the best in the book. He shows how we are to think faithfully, not attempt to reason outside of our faith. Some of the language is dated. For example, he uses "Biblical Theology" in a way it is no longer normally used. He does a good job critiquing certain aspects of Fundamentalism without throwing it out entirely. The book does not answer all questions, but it is a good starting point for those who want a more in depth analysis of the liberal attack on Scripture.
December 9, 2021
This book literally took me over a year to read! I kept dragging it and dragging it, and forced myself to finish it because it is highly regarded by many and was written by J. I. Packer himself. Nevertheless, I think the book is honest dated—and quite boring, to be honest. The book was written in the late 50's, and thus the whole notion of fundamentalism was understood to be something entirely different to what we equate the word to mean nowadays. It seeks to answer questions and controversies from 60 years ago that virtually no one today is asking. I bet it was a great read for its times, but in the 2020's this book doesn't say anything particularly meaningful that other fresher books haven't said with regards to what it means to be an evangelical.
So, If you're trying to get a good grasp of the history behind the concept of fundamentalism, this is your book. If you're looking for a critique of fundamentalism as we understand it today, then you should be looking elsewhere.
So, If you're trying to get a good grasp of the history behind the concept of fundamentalism, this is your book. If you're looking for a critique of fundamentalism as we understand it today, then you should be looking elsewhere.
March 11, 2017
In many ways this echoes exactly what contemporary "conservative evangelicals" (ie fundamentalists) say about Scripture, so they haven't changed much in 70 years. Packer basically asserts that "inerrancy" is the best way to understand Scripture and while he thankfully avoids purporting that Biblical "science" holds up, he still does nothing to help bridge the divide between the Biblical and modern world. It would have been helpful if he had actually engaged in critical (in the best sense) Bible reading instead of defending distinctly modern anti-intellectualism. Many young people today are curious: was there really a worldwide flood? Is the earth 6,000 years old? Is the Bible reliable? Packer is less concerned with these issues and rather seems more interested in fence-drawing and keeping out the evil "liberal", in my opinion the essence of fundamentalism. So much for the Word of God.
March 26, 2023
I like the Word of God. I think this book is just clarifying semantics. It was sometimes FUN haha
June 28, 2011
This is a solid book that speaks to the importance of biblical authority and rightly draws the line between those who seek to evaluate the Scriptures according to its own attestation and those who seek to evaluate the Scriptures according to the standards of human wisdom, the assured results of modern scholarship, and the like. Packer rightly holds that the Bible describes itself as the Word of God and if that is true then there is no standard that is fit to judge it, while explicitly calling the Church to avoid the errors of obscurantism and non-intellectualism. To some, this may seem a hopeless contradiction, but Packer rightly grounds his call in the Bible's self-attestation.
The book is a bit dated. Packer's primary interlocutor, Gabriel Hebert, is largely irrelevant today, along with Hebert's "Biblical Theology" proposal. But one would expect this to be the case, given that Packer was defending the authority of Scripture in a modern context and the Church today finds itself in the post-modern context. Issues of authority and the Word of God have presented themselves since the fall of mankind in Eden, so many of the issues are the same(Machen's "Christianity and Liberalism" does a better job of speaking to the issues of 20th century liberalism in a general way without dating itself by addressing too many particular, but now obscure, references). Packer's work is important and true, but for a one-volume work on the Doctrine of Scripture that specifically addresses the particular issues of our current context, while doing a more thorough job of looking at inspiration, illumination, the work of the Holy Spirit, and their implications, I would recommend John Frame's "The Doctrine of the Word of God."
The book is a bit dated. Packer's primary interlocutor, Gabriel Hebert, is largely irrelevant today, along with Hebert's "Biblical Theology" proposal. But one would expect this to be the case, given that Packer was defending the authority of Scripture in a modern context and the Church today finds itself in the post-modern context. Issues of authority and the Word of God have presented themselves since the fall of mankind in Eden, so many of the issues are the same(Machen's "Christianity and Liberalism" does a better job of speaking to the issues of 20th century liberalism in a general way without dating itself by addressing too many particular, but now obscure, references). Packer's work is important and true, but for a one-volume work on the Doctrine of Scripture that specifically addresses the particular issues of our current context, while doing a more thorough job of looking at inspiration, illumination, the work of the Holy Spirit, and their implications, I would recommend John Frame's "The Doctrine of the Word of God."
June 5, 2009
Excellent.
October 6, 2013
One of the first books of substance I ever read. Definitely time-oriented to a certain moment in Anglo-American evangelicalism.
February 23, 2015
Superb analysis of fundamentalism and critique of its shallow critics. Packeri ably lays out Scripture's case for the authority of Scripture.
August 19, 2015
Fundamentalism is to hold certain beliefs as fundamental. Therefore fundamentalism is not extremism.
A great book that no-one should be afraid of.
A great book that no-one should be afraid of.
Read
May 9, 2023He always writes with a seamless combination of unashamed commitment to right doctrine and the warmth of affection that that doctrine should produce in the heart of those who believe it.
November 4, 2022
What value in reading a polemic work defending evangelicalism in the wake of critical letters in The Times after Billy Graham visited England, and dead and forgotten Anglican bishops and ministers wrote critically against it?
For those of us who both had the privilege to hear JI Packer and to read controversies about him later in life as he wrote joint documents with Roman Catholics on justification, this clearly written and vigorously evangelical work shows why these later actions were puzzling inconsistencies.
His prose is formal, but clear and starts expressing the need to carefully explain what evangelicalism is. Though it is tarred with the name of fundamentalism, the original fundamentalists were simply evangelicals and their theology was that of the Bible held to be supremely authoritative.
He responds to various authors who say the Bible is important to them yet who hold it to be the fallible words of men, placing human reason above it. Packer shows Christ's attitude to the Bible gives no room for such attitudes.
His final chapters are gems. He shows how a belief that the Bible is the word of God is a work of the Holy Spirit. Genuine believers may have weak views of scripture but they are thankfully often inconsistent in their approach to the Bible.
He shows how reason fits with faith. Non-Christians are guided by faithless reason, Christians by reasoning faith.
The last chapter, no doubt reliant on Machen, exposes the errors of Liberalism. It discounts the authority of Christ, it expresses an attitude of intellectual impenitence, it denies the rule of the Creator over the world and it presupposes an apologetic strategy that is radically wrong. By the last point he means the wrong-headed idea of Liberalism that the less we consider actually needs to be held as Christian truth then the easier it will be to defend it, and that faith must be bounded by the limits of historical enquiry, including conclusions that God has not provided an accurate Bible.
'The world may call its compromises 'progressive' and 'enlightened' (those are its names for all thoughts that pander to its conceit); those who produce them will doubtless, by a natural piece of wishful thinking, call them 'bold' and 'courageous', and perhaps 'realistic' and 'wholesome'; but the Bible condemns them as sterile aberrations.'
Perhaps it is me, but I do wish I heard this firm note from brothers in the Church of England battling heresy from bishops and elsewhere. There is no 'good disagreement' with false Christianity. It confuses members of their churches and leads souls to Hell.
Overall a helpful read for those with an interest in English church history, enjoy Packer's writings or want a primer on the vital place of the Bible in the Christian life. There will, no doubt, be more modern works that also helpfully address that last issue.
For those of us who both had the privilege to hear JI Packer and to read controversies about him later in life as he wrote joint documents with Roman Catholics on justification, this clearly written and vigorously evangelical work shows why these later actions were puzzling inconsistencies.
His prose is formal, but clear and starts expressing the need to carefully explain what evangelicalism is. Though it is tarred with the name of fundamentalism, the original fundamentalists were simply evangelicals and their theology was that of the Bible held to be supremely authoritative.
He responds to various authors who say the Bible is important to them yet who hold it to be the fallible words of men, placing human reason above it. Packer shows Christ's attitude to the Bible gives no room for such attitudes.
His final chapters are gems. He shows how a belief that the Bible is the word of God is a work of the Holy Spirit. Genuine believers may have weak views of scripture but they are thankfully often inconsistent in their approach to the Bible.
He shows how reason fits with faith. Non-Christians are guided by faithless reason, Christians by reasoning faith.
The last chapter, no doubt reliant on Machen, exposes the errors of Liberalism. It discounts the authority of Christ, it expresses an attitude of intellectual impenitence, it denies the rule of the Creator over the world and it presupposes an apologetic strategy that is radically wrong. By the last point he means the wrong-headed idea of Liberalism that the less we consider actually needs to be held as Christian truth then the easier it will be to defend it, and that faith must be bounded by the limits of historical enquiry, including conclusions that God has not provided an accurate Bible.
'The world may call its compromises 'progressive' and 'enlightened' (those are its names for all thoughts that pander to its conceit); those who produce them will doubtless, by a natural piece of wishful thinking, call them 'bold' and 'courageous', and perhaps 'realistic' and 'wholesome'; but the Bible condemns them as sterile aberrations.'
Perhaps it is me, but I do wish I heard this firm note from brothers in the Church of England battling heresy from bishops and elsewhere. There is no 'good disagreement' with false Christianity. It confuses members of their churches and leads souls to Hell.
Overall a helpful read for those with an interest in English church history, enjoy Packer's writings or want a primer on the vital place of the Bible in the Christian life. There will, no doubt, be more modern works that also helpfully address that last issue.
February 18, 2025
Packer 的思路真的非常清晰。很有條理、有脈絡的論述他的觀點。
Reading this book felt like holding on to an anchor- Anchoring you to the truth. Especially nowadays, where everything seems to be relative, it is incredibly grounding to be reminded that the Christian faith is rooted in the Bible and nothing else, and that this foundation has not changed even through all the ages. I was especially touched by Packer’s statement that only when you’re bound in God’s truth are you truly free (p.143). This statement spoke to me so deeply because as a student studying at an institution where liberal discourses are so prevalent, I have on occasion felt my Christian faith hindering me from integrating into the academic community. Yet, here is an assurance pure and true, that real freedom is mine, in Christ.
It is extremely humbling to be reminded that it is not by our own intellect that we can understand the scripture, but only through the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Thus, this book ushered in a new type of prayer in my life, where, during my daily devotions, I would ask the Holy Spirit to help me interpret the Bible passages correctly. I realized true repentance is not just relinquishing control emotionally, but intellectually as well.
Questions
-How can we be culturally sensitive and contextually appropriate without compromising God’s truth?
-Why are Mark & Luke’s writings granted the same authority as the apostles (p.66)? I also don’t really understand the part from p.123-124, where the author talks about the “intellectual double-life” of regenerate men. No comprendo:(
Reading this book felt like holding on to an anchor- Anchoring you to the truth. Especially nowadays, where everything seems to be relative, it is incredibly grounding to be reminded that the Christian faith is rooted in the Bible and nothing else, and that this foundation has not changed even through all the ages. I was especially touched by Packer’s statement that only when you’re bound in God’s truth are you truly free (p.143). This statement spoke to me so deeply because as a student studying at an institution where liberal discourses are so prevalent, I have on occasion felt my Christian faith hindering me from integrating into the academic community. Yet, here is an assurance pure and true, that real freedom is mine, in Christ.
It is extremely humbling to be reminded that it is not by our own intellect that we can understand the scripture, but only through the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Thus, this book ushered in a new type of prayer in my life, where, during my daily devotions, I would ask the Holy Spirit to help me interpret the Bible passages correctly. I realized true repentance is not just relinquishing control emotionally, but intellectually as well.
Questions
-How can we be culturally sensitive and contextually appropriate without compromising God’s truth?
-Why are Mark & Luke’s writings granted the same authority as the apostles (p.66)? I also don’t really understand the part from p.123-124, where the author talks about the “intellectual double-life” of regenerate men. No comprendo:(
February 9, 2018
This title is one of Packer's older works from the late 50s. He tackles the subject of the inerrancy of Scripture under the contemporary label of "Fundamentalism." Though he's not fond of the particular word, he agrees with the doctrine of inerrancy. After defining in some detail the term "fundamentalism" as it often used, he addresses the general concept of Divine authority and the human tendency to resist it. He then moves to examine the inspiration and authority of Scripture. Next, he deals with faith, then reason, and how each relates to the Bible. He examines liberalism, and how it falls short of Biblical faith and historic orthodoxy.
Though this book was written over 50 years ago, it is still as on-target today as it when it was first written. It would be a great help to all students of theology who have a high view of Scripture. I strongly recommend it.
Though this book was written over 50 years ago, it is still as on-target today as it when it was first written. It would be a great help to all students of theology who have a high view of Scripture. I strongly recommend it.
February 10, 2021
I've been intending to read this for some time, and I am so glad I did. It is Packer at his dead-level best. Even though it was written in 1957, it remains one of the best presentations of the doctrina evangelica scripturae I have ever read. Most of the insights of this work can be found in God Has Spoken by the same author, but I prefer this older work because of its forceful style, which was written in the heat of controversy. Controversy brings out the worst in some theologians; for others, it brings out the best. Packers definitely belongs to the latter category. If you liked the style of his introduction to Owen's The Death of Death, you will love this work. The debate which occasioned this work may have passed, but Packer's insights are timeless and his style is delightful.
October 29, 2019
This one has been on my "to read" list for a couple of years and I am glad I finally got around to it. J.I Packer's Knowing God was instrumental in my turning to the reformed faith. This book is a great reminder of the necessity of Scripture being the rule and measure of faith in a world that has no answers. Great perspectives and insights on "faith and reason" and God's truth being the only truth. Packer lovingly and decisively picks apart the liberal scholar and exposes their folly for what it is. Don't forget the appendices. Great nuggets there. Should be on the shelf of every pastor's library.
October 7, 2018
A refreshing defense of Biblical authority. Refreshing because, in defending Scripture's authority, Packer feels no need to step away from the Bible's presuppositions about itself. God is, He has spoken, and the testimony of the Holy Spirit is absolutely necessary for a faithful comprehension of the Bible's message. I especially enjoyed the conclusion against liberal "halfway houses" of thought concerning the Scriptures, "To accept all is consistent; to reject all is consistent; but no third course is consistent."
March 18, 2023
I was truly surprised at how much I enjoyed this book. I probably shouldn’t have been because, well, it’s Packer. But when “Fundamentalism” is present in the title, hesitancies immediately arise for me. In any case, it’s books of his like this which bring clarity regarding why his voice is so widely respected despite the sometimes unpopular positions Packer takes. As an Evangelical, I align with him on much - I think that’s worth stating. I think Packer’s voice and method is one to be modeled and built off of, even if not entirely mirrored. Fantastic work here well worth the time.
April 27, 2023
A well-written book providing a British evangelical perspective on the liberal-fundamental debate. As always, Packer brings balanced and clear-headed insight to the table. However, because he interacts in close detail with the arguments and views of his contemporaries, this book can come off a bit dated as a result. Perhaps the most prominent example of this would be Packer's engagement with proponents of a certain school of "Biblical Theology" which was more specific to that particular time period.
August 29, 2017
Fantastic book to explain the Evangelical, or as Packer says the opponents call us, 'Fundamentalist' position of Biblical Authority. It looks at a 20th century 'Biblical Theology' movement, which was the liberal controversy of the day and shows how it commits the error of subjectivism, and how it is no different than earlier 19th century higher critical movements.
Some may find it challenging to get through, but the reader is well rewarded for their patience.
Some may find it challenging to get through, but the reader is well rewarded for their patience.
October 25, 2020
The title of this book is unfortunate, b/c a lot of people may miss the quotation marks around the first word. He writes from the point of view of an Englishman, where they were more likely to use the word "Evangelical" than "Fundamentalist" when he wrote this (in the late 50s). It's a great defense of inerrancy and the inspiration of Scripture, much needed today in the light of progressive Christianity.
December 15, 2020
Outstanding book that gives clear definitions and, in a manner characteristic of Packer, says a lot in a few words. Packer helps demonstrate that the fundamental question in many arguments concerning biblical interpretation is one of authority, and then he proceeds to demonstrate what Christians mean when they assert and submit themselves to biblical authority. The arguments about the inspiration of the OT and how Jesus, in his own words, conceived of his mission in OT terms were splendid.
March 29, 2024
I really enjoyed this book - 66 years later and a very different mood within Evangelicalism, it still packs a punch. I found it helpful and clarifying and even helped speak to the historical roots of Evangelical beliefs, much needed today. The last chapter on Liberalism felt a bit repetitive, but probably because the urgency of the issues he was addressing in 1958 doesn’t translate as directly today. Very much worth reading.
December 4, 2024
An erudite, balanced & illuminating read on how Fundamentalism came from a pious heart posture but messy intellectual dishonesty. How ultimately, it's our inescapable presuppositions that cause us to interpret Sacred Scripture as it demands to be interpreted - an infallible and sufficient Word of God - or when we presuppose man-made philosophies when interpreting it. We let Scripture say what it is and not us. There's no neutral ground.
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