The Heritage of Anglican Theology

by J.I. Packer

Historical and Theological Reflections on the Anglican Church from J. I. Packer

The Anglican Church has a rich theological heritage filled with a diversity of views and practices. Like a river with a main current and several offshoot streams, Anglicanism has a main body with many distinct, smaller communities. So what constitutes mainstream Anglicanism?

Influential Anglican theologian J. I. Packer makes the case that "authentic Anglicanism" is biblical, liturgical, evangelical, pastoral, episcopal (ordaining bishops), national (engaging with the culture), and ecumenical (eager to learn from other Christians). As he surveys the history and tensions within the Anglican Church, Packer casts a vision for the future that is grounded in the Scriptures, fueled by missions, guided by historical creeds and practices, and resolved to enrich its people.

Genres: Theology, Christian, History, Church History, Christianity

384 pages, Hardcover

Published June 15, 2021

About the author

What 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...)

Reviews

[Dr. David Steele · Rating 4 out of 5]

J.I. Packer went to be with the Lord in July 2020. Nearly a year later, we are blessed with a wealth of theological jewels in Dr. Packer’s posthumous work, The Heritage of Anglican Theology. This resource is a collection of lectures compiled from the author's course he taught at Regent College. The original intent of these lectures was to provide introductory source material for students who sought to understand the basics of Anglicanism.

The Church of England is a topic that is historically and theologically rich. “Evangelical catholicity” and "catholic evangelicalism” are two terms that Packer uses to refer to the Church of England. He utilizes David Bebbington’s four-point description of evangelicalism to help readers discover the core of Anglicanism:

* Bible-based
* Cross-centered
* Conversion-minded
* Mission-attuned.

Packer adds an additional fifth descriptor. “Church-focused” reminds the people of God that “one’s relationship with God is the most important thing in any person’s life and ought always to have priority.”

The history of the monarchy is discussed which gives readers an inside look at the origins of Anglicanism. In this context, Packer adds an additional list of important adjectives that sum up the essence of Anglicanism. His list includes 1) Biblical, 2) Liturgical, 3) Evangelical, 4) Pastoral, 5) Episcopal, 6) National, 7) Ecumenical. At the heart of this discussion is the strong allegiance to the authority of Scripture.

Packer presents a fairly comprehensive sweep of Anglican history beginning with the English Reformation and proceeding to the theology of the Puritans. Additionally, the author surveys the Oxford Movement, Anglo-Catholicism, and speaks to the current trends in Anglicanism.

Perhaps the most striking feature of this work is the attention given to doctrine. Packer strenuously argues the importance of doctrine in the Anglican church. As such, he urges his readers to grow more familiar with the Thirty-Nine Articles, which nicely summarize the essence of Anglicanism.

The Heritage of Anglican Theology is a needed volume in an age that has largely forgotten the importance of church history and theological tradition. While this volume has much value, it may be too much for some readers to digest. Having said that, I urge anyone who has an interest in the history of Anglicanism to explore Dr. Packer’s work and glean the high points. Don’t get overwhelmed in the minutia. Be sure to catalog the major headings that help summarize the core teaching and history of Anglicanism.

I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review.

[Jacob Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

J.I. Packer has saved one of his best for last. As an introduction to the various theological traditions within Anglicanism and their place in the course of its history, this is a work of beauty. It would take a multi-volume series to do full justice to the many theologians and micro-movements within Anglicanism. However, Packer, whose work is based on lectures on the same topic during his long tenure at Regent College, skillfully gives an impressively comprehensive overview that leaves the reader with a good handle on the history of Anglican theology over the last five centuries.
Packer himself is very much in the evangelical wing of the Anglican Church. He is very open about this. However, he maintains a humble and fair voice throughout, not reserving criticism for the evangelical movement he loves, while also finding much to praise about Anglo-Catholicism, broad-churchmanship, and others, even while having disagreements with them. In his charity, humility, and simplicity of writing, he shows the characteristic voice that has made him such a beloved writer on theology and spirituality for well over half a century. It is a voice that will be missed now that he has gone to glory.

[Riley Lanier-Davies · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed it. Packer wrote this in a more informal way which was easy to read

[Lucas Hagen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have not been exposed to the Church of England much in my life. While I have heard it mentioned in passing and seen pictures of high church Anglican priests, I have never been familiar with the Anglican church or it’s historic theology. For this reason, I am all the more grateful to J.I. Packer, one of the most well known evangelical Anglicans of the past hundred years, for writing this book.

The Heritage of Anglican Theology is an edited compilation of lectures from an undergraduate course that Packer has taught on the history, theology, and legacy of the Anglican church. Packer systematically walks readers through different time periods of the Anglican church, exploring theological trends, key figures, watershed moments, and much more.

Some of these key time periods that Packer unpacks include the English Reformation, The Caroline Divines, and the Oxford Movement.

I am beyond thankful for having had the opportunity to enjoy this book. It has been a while since I completed a book as quickly as I completed this one. While Packer’s prose can certainly feel like a college lecture at times (because it is), his storytelling and critical analysis of the Anglican church over time was nothing short of fascinating from the very beginning.

While it is clear that Packer is a loyal and loving member of the Anglican church, and he is open about that fact from the beginning, he remains fair throughout his assessment of the legacy and theological development of the Anglican church both in the beginning and more recently.

Prior to reading this book, my only thoughts about the Anglican church was that it was sort of like the Catholic church, but Protestant. Thankfully, my thoughts have become more nuanced. After reading this book, I have gained a deep appreciation for the movements and legacy of the Anglican church and how many of its members have left a lasting impact in the church that is still felt today, from men such as George Herbert, John Wesley, Richard Hooker, and Charles Spurgeon, just to name a few.

I have no hesitations in recommending this book to anyone with even the slightest interest in either church history or theology. While it can feel academic at times (because it is), it was surprisingly accessible and quite enjoyable. While not a life-transforming book, I am thankful for the wealth of knowledge the Packer has presented. I will certainly be reading more of Packer’s works in the future (and re-reading Knowing God), as well as exploring the works of some of the great Anglican theologians that Packer identifies in this book.

If you have even the slightest bit of interest in the Church of England, this is as good of a starting point as you will find.

Thank you to Crossway for sending me a copy of this book for the purpose of this review. All of my thoughts in this review are genuine and honest. I truly enjoyed reading it and joyfully recommend it!

[Emily Madison · Rating 5 out of 5]

It wasn't my intention for this book to line up with the Anglican confirmation class I am participating in through our church, but I just so happened to finish this during the last week of our confirmation class, and it was a joy to read this in tandem with the class.

Packer is an excellent, careful writer. In this work he brilliantly threaded the Anglican needle throughout all church history. He was quick to state that while not much happened historically for the Church of England during any particular time, he related the cause and affects of periods in church history to the broader history and development of the Anglican church as a whole. Every chapter begged the question, "what were the implications for Anglican churches/theology out of this period/movement?".

I would absolutely recommend this to someone who is new to the Anglican church, who may want to know more about what Anglicanism is and where it came from, or if the Anglican church is the right fit for your spiritual needs.

[Chris Wray · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this delightful and stimulating book, J.I. Packer vividly describes Anglican theology as "a jungle of lush growths of all sorts with a number of tangled cross-purposes, like ivy strands encircling a massive tree trunk. The only way to study it is by trying painstakingly to extract and relate those strands, taking apart the component elements and energies that make them up. That is what we are going to do in this book." Published the year after his death, and based on an Anglican history and theology course that he taught at Regent College, this book shows Packer at his best - comprehensive yet concise, scholarly yet accessible, firm in his convictions yet generous in his engagement with other perspectives. I loved it!

While identifying most closely with the personalities, priorities and theology of the Puritans and the Evangelical Revival, Packer is remarkably even-handed in his assessment of all the differing streams of Anglicanism. He categorises the Anglican mainstream as Biblical, liturgical, evangelical (centred on the gospel), pastoral, episcopal, national and ecumenical. Packer is consistently unbiased in articulating both the origin and development of movements he disagrees with (such as Anglo-Catholicism and modern liberalism), and where they tend to land both inside and outside the mainstream as he has defined it. With even the most generous interpretation, I would say that some branches of Anglican thought and practice may be said to lie firmly outside these parameters, but Packer tends towards charity where he can. Anglicanism is often criticised for its attempt at comprehensiveness, and discipline is certainly a weak spot (often blind spot) in Anglican polity, but Packer's generosity of spirit and honest pursuit of the maximum possible measure of unity is both attractive and compelling. At its best, Anglicanism can be comprehensive without unhealthy compromise, and can allow for differing views without being a "mere Christianity" that flattens out or ignores differences in matters of importance. To his credit, Packer also applies the same critiques to his Anglican heroes, most notably the Puritans. His summary of them as "Christ-centred, faith-focused and regeneration-oriented" is both concise and familiar to readers of his wider work on the Puritan movement in Britain, but is tempered by his admission that they could tend towards a narrowness that excluded different, though valid, expressions of Christianity.

The chapter on Hooker was a highlight, neatly skewering the Anglo-Catholic idea that he saw authority as a "three legged stool" of scripture, tradition and reason. Rather, as Packer amply demonstrates, Hooker stood firmly in the Reformational tradition of recognising scripture as self-interpreting (i.e. we read scripture in light of scripture). Reason is receptive rather than ruling, and tradition is drawn on as a rich well of understanding from the past, insofar as it aligns with the scriptural witness. In all things, scripture has the final word. The section on Hookers theology of the law was also very stimulating, with him seeing the written law as the verbal extension of a universal and philosophical conception of the law. In Hookers thinking law is built into all levels of creation (and indeed exists in God Himself), where law means the "oughtness" of the way things should be, and the ideal state to which they should trend. In this sense, even the gospel is a law (with law defined very differently from the Pauline juxtaposition of law and gospel). Hooker also stood against some aspects of Puritan thinking, as Packer comments that, "law and teleology cover absolutely everything and become, as I have said, the kettle in which Hooker put everything to boil. The Puritans had no such kettle. As a result, Hooker is able to outflank them again and again, showing, among other things, that in picking texts out of Scripture and putting together a collection of bits and pieces, then saying that this is the church order we are commanded to observe, they are really doing something unskillful, clumsy, and-in the final analysis-unwarranted." Packer concludes that Hooker's organic way of thinking, where he links everything up to everything else, is the main thing that evangelicals should learn from him.

The sections addressing rational divinity were also particularly memorable, as he contends that "Christianity in the hands of rational divinity-in the second half of the nineteenth century and on through the first half of the twentieth-became a kind of moralistic deism more than Christian theism: God is there, God has a law, God has moral standards; we then start from where we are and live moral lives by keeping God's equivalent of the scout law, and that is our Christian calling; that is what Christianity essentially amounts to." He also draws out the particular relevance of this line of thought to today: "The more or less explicit principle on which this tradition had always been working could be expressed this way: 'My judgement is the final arbiter of truth.'...Schleiermacher had said that theology is essentially a verbalising of religious experience - or, as he put it, a verbalising of the church's sense of dependence on God through Jesus Christ, whoever Jesus Christ was...It is actually the sense of God-the intuition of our depending on God in all sorts of ways-that Christians find they have. The church is a continuing historical mysticism; that is its faith. Its theology is the work of articulate people within the church verbalising the common experience." Our reason as ultimate authority, the premium set on feelings and experience, a bent towards scepticism - these are the currents that swirl in the contemporary liberal Anglican churches.

In an even more pointed critique, Packer points out an inescapable weakness in the liberal approach to truth: "Let me add that if you are in the rational-divinity/liberal theological tradition-the modernity tradition-whereby your own judgement is the final arbiter of appeal, you are inescapably the victim of your secular culture. It is a culture shot through with scepticism, shot through with cognitive dissonance, shot through with materialism, shot through with all sorts of subhuman anthropologies (ideas of what constitutes human life). You are the victim of all of that, and because you make your own judgment the final court of appeal, you have no you way of escaping your victimhood. There is nothing outside your own culture (which is shaping you all the time) that you can appeal to." He concludes that "cognitive dissonance...is a mark of our culture. One moment people are guided by their feelings as if feelings are everything (think of pop singers projecting their feelings in songs as too wonderful to deny). These same people pursue intellectual theories that fail to provide a framework for processing feelings of personhood, human dignity, and ethical values. Cognitive dissonance. That is one of the ironies of our modern or postmodern world."

As I noted above, the same critical blade is applied to Anglican movements with which Packer is much more sympathetic. In discussing the eighteenth-century evangelical revival, he warns that "There is a risk as well as a delight involved in the feeling that now we are coming home. We come home in the sense that most readers of this book will be children of the evangelical revival whose picture of ideal Anglicanism is more clearly seen in the eighteenth-century revival than in any other era of Anglican life, except perhaps the sixteenth century. Even there, on reflection, you may contend that in terms of power to lead and inspire us, the eighteenth-century awakening in England gives us more, and so imparts more theological genes to our makeup, than the sixteenth-century Reformation does...The danger of feeling that you have returned to the place of your ancestry, the essence of your Anglican heritage, is that you cease to be critical in the proper, godly, theological sense of measuring everything by the Bible. Godly criticism does not simply assume that everything your forebears believed and said and did and emphasised and published was biblical. You and I have to make our own assessments as to whether they were right. If we cease to do that, we become uncritical. When you become uncritical, you become indoctrinated rather than educated."

This is key to understanding Packers' priorities, both as a theologian and as an educator. As a theologian, his emphasis is on being biblical rather than mere commitment to a particular system or tradition (notwithstanding their goodness and usefulness). As an educator, his emphasis is on encouraging critical thought and genuine intellectual growth; or as he puts it, education rather than indoctrination: "I am very conscious that I am deeply committed to the kind of Christianity that broke surface in England in the evangelical revival, and therefore I want to say here: Do not be swept off your feet by this author's enthusiasm; he is trying to be critical within the frame of this enthusiasm, and he wants you, his reader, to be critical also within the frame of any enthusiasm that you may have for the evangelical revival or any other era or phenomenon in Anglican theological history."

Finally, I was also struck by his summary of the emphases and perspectives of Anglican modernism. The first is an emphasis on teleology, where God's purposes are intrinsically linked to progress, particularly the kind of material and social progress seen in nineteenth-century England. The second is immanentism which is "the idea that God indwells everything and everybody to such an extent that you cannot give a proper account of anything without affirming that God permeates its life or its functioning...it implied that the difference between God and man is a difference only of degree." A related idea that had a major influence on this theology is Hegel's idealist philosophy, which "maintained that reality is essentially mental of the mind, in some way. Matter has the nature of mind, deep down. Idealists saw the whole of the cosmos as linked together in a unity of this kind; everything, including the human individual and that individual's life, has the nature of mind." The third is illuminism, which Packer defines as "the belief that God is giving light to people almost indiscriminately, triggering insights. People receive this light not necessarily through Scripture and their knowledge of the Bible but simply because they are human, and deep down inside them, God indwells... God creates moments of awareness directly, without our having to go through Scripture...By the middle of the twentieth century, this illuminist idea morphed in an emerging ecumenical context into the idea that the world has the bulk of wisdom, and the church must learn to play catch-up. Where did the world get the wisdom? From the direct illumination of God the Holy Spirit." Lastly, and of most concern, is this movements understanding of Jesus. Packer explains that the "final theological principle of modernism is that Jesus, a man indwelt by God, was special because God revealed himself in and through Jesus more vividly, in greater strength, than he has revealed himself in other human being or ever will. This is the uniqueness any of Jesus, the vividness with which you see God in character and in attitudinal terms when you look at him. Notice that incarnation has been jettisoned. Jesus is a man full of God, and that is all he is. Likewise, atonement has been jettisoned. Man full of God does not die for the world's sins. It is primitive and wrong to suppose that he does. This man full of God probably did not rise from the dead, but it would not matter if he did, because he made his impact before his death, and that impact has been passed on in the church through the ages. The figure of Jesus is powerful magic because it is a revelation of God. This is an emphasis with which we are familiar, because modern liberals still say this and show themselves to be sub-Trinitarian in doing so." Yikes!

All in all, this is an immensely stimulating and edifying summary of Anglican thought, written by a man who perhaps uniquely combined conservative evangelical theology and ethics with a largeness of spirit that was willing both to entertain other views charitably and to be healthily critical of his own. This is Christian writing at its best, and it provides a hearty spiritual meal that did my soul good.

[Ray · Rating 5 out of 5]

J.I. Packer surveys the history of Anglican theology, from the Reformation to modern times. Topics include the Puritans, Richard Hooker, the Carolingian Divines, Rational Divinity, the Evangelical movement, the Anglo-Catholic movement, and modernism.

Anglican theology is complicated and has a few main divisions. He is in the evangelical wing, but bends over backwards to be fair to the other expressions of Anglicanism. He does display a clear disdain for modernism, which, as he points out, goes against the Creeds.

After reading this, I understand a lot more about about the different streams within the Anglican church.

Now I wonder if there is a book of similar depth about Presbyterianism, or if such a book is even possible.

[Christian Fredrickson · Rating 3 out of 5]

If I could give a more precise rating, this would be a 3 with some change. Packer’s work does a good job of giving concise breakdowns of what the theology of certain movements within Anglicanism is; however, and he calls this out himself, it comes with a bias from a neo Puritan viewpoint. The problem is, Packer probably underestimates the amount of bias his views hold sway on issues of specifically the Caroline Divines, Bishop Laud, King Charles, and the Anglo Catholics. Of the things I can remember that caught me as saying “what, no, that’s ridiculous” was Luther’s view of what seemingly was once saved always saved, and Packer seemingly leaning toward a Zwinglian view of the Eucharist, when confronted with the idea that Anglo Catholics revere the consecrated elements. As if Luther would’ve not considered the bread and wine to be more than mere bread and wine.

[John Damon Davis · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent guide to both the history and the scope of Anglican theology. Readers should be warned, however that packer is delightfully, and self-awarely partisan in his view of the Church of England's history. This is a history by an Evangelical Anglican for evangelicals. This is great for me for I am a reformed Evangelical Anglican, but I recognize it could lead to some uncomfortable reading for our Anglo Catholic brethren. But despite his partisanship he tries to see the value and the beauty and Truth in the other aspects of our tradition.

[Stephen Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Were it not for some poor trinitarian discussions at the end, and insufficient discussion of baptism and its role in the theological tradition, this one would be an easy five stars. From my experience, many evangelicals are aware of Dr. Packer due to his noteworthy books "Knowing God" and "Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God". However, I think few give much notice to his churchmanship, which is what he spent a great deal of his life and scholarly attention to. He was deeply impacted by the Anglican Church; the Anglican Church was deeply impacted by him. For someone who has left such a legacy for evangelicals, this volume is important to understand the legacies which impacted him.

Many jokes can be made about how confusing Anglicanism can be to understand. Compared to other contemporary confessions, the 39 articles as a whole is quite short and without much detail, leaving room for a variety of parties to be included within the church, making it hard to know exactly how to define it. Anglicanism's greatest strength is its desire for visible unity of the Church of God even amid significant difference, a virtue which is very clearly observed in Dr. Packer and his presentation of the various streams of thought, especially those which diverge from his evangelical convictions on a large range of points. He maintains an irenic tone throughout, and does an excellent job in trying to explain the motives of others to evangelicals by painting them in the most charitable light and only criticizing with a soft tone. Though sometimes Packer may go too far in this endeavor, there is certainly something to be learned and appreciated in his approach.

While Packer is most at home in discussing the Puritans, he does an excellent job giving an unlearned reader a broad view of the whole sweep of the history of the Church of England, as well as pointing in fruitful directions for the future. I most appreciated his presentation of Richard Hooker and his defense of episcopacy, which left me wanting for more details to understand his arguments. He is someone I hope to read soon.

This book is clearly intended to introduce evangelicals to the history, polity, and theology of the Anglican communion. As far as that goal is concerned, this book is a fantastic success and I would highly recommend it.

[Annette · Rating 5 out of 5]

My Thoughts:

In the past year I’ve seen more information about Anglicanism than in past years. I’ve read information in online articles and books about Anglicanism. Tish Harrison Warren [American] is one of those authors. I’ve also read a few bloggers who have mentioned Warren and Anglicanism. When the opportunity to read The Heritage of Anglican Theology by J. I. Packer became available from Crossway, I was quick to request and read it. In the United States, Anglicanism is The Anglican Church in North America or ACNA. It was established in 2009. In the United States, Anglicanism is diverse, but on some issues they are in agreement. This book and review is not about the Anglican history in the United States. J. I. Packer lived in England. This book is about Anglicanism in England, the history of the Christian Church in England, and its outreach to the world. However, their history has an impact on Anglicanism in North America.

While reading The Heritage of Anglican Theology I took 25 pages of notes! This is one testament that shows how much I enjoyed this book.

Reasons why I love The Heritage of Anglican Theology:
1. Packer’s writing style is engaging and informative. He writes as if he is telling me a story while sitting beside me.
2. Plenty of pleasant surprises while reading this book. For example, a study of Puritan history. A study of Richard Hooker.
3. Packer’s aims for the book are perfectly met.
4. I enjoyed reading about the three streams of thought in Anglicanism. In the Anglo-Catholic and the Reformed streams, Packer explains the differences but is not overly critical. In the liberal stream of thought he is direct about his opinion but not lengthy.
5. The seven mainstream teachings of Anglicanism: Biblical, Liturgical, Evangelical, Pastoral, Episcopal, National, and Ecumenical.
6. The teaching on the Eucharist. It is a “glorious mystery.”
7. A wonderful teaching on Augustine of Hippo. In addition, Packer points out where Augustine was wrong about merit and justification.
8. The wonderful and beautiful gift of the Book of Common Prayer.
9. Brief biographies on the men involved with the different movements in Anglicanism. For example, the men in the Oxford Movement and Anglo-Catholicism.
10. The Modernism movement. I am glad he includes this belief. He literally began with English Christian history during the time of Henry VIII, and he concludes with the Modernism movement.
11. In the final chapters he has several points, but the most important is an encouragement for pastors to keep preaching the Gospel. “You can never get beyond the gospel in an absolute sense in your ministry.” Quote from chapter twelve.

I wish that I owned this book in hardcopy. This is a second reason for writing 25 pages of notes.
I feel as if I’ve taken a mini-college course in Anglicanism.

Favorite Quotes:

From chapter one: “All who attempt to practice Anglican theology see themselves-and ask others to see them-as seeking to hold to the mainstream of pure truth.”

From chapter two: “The Prayer Book is the great legacy of the Reformers. When it comes to worship and prayer. The key words that sum up what is intended are doxology, which means giving glory to God; didacticism, which means teaching people the path of discipleship; and dependence, which speaks to the fact that at every point the prayers in the Prayer Book teach dependence on God for all ability to please him in any way and all ability to practice good works to his glory.”

From chapter four: “The Bible must always have the last word.”

From chapter six: “We have to be critical of our own prejudices which means, first and foremost, that we must be aware of them in order to be critical of them.”


Source: I received a complimentary e-book copy from Crossway. I am not required to write a positive review.
Audience: Readers of Christian Church history especially English Anglican history. Readers of J. I. Packer.
Rating: Excellent.

[Becky · Rating 4 out of 5]

First sentence of the foreword: The origins of this book are to be found in a course on Anglican history and theology that J. I. Packer taught at Regent College in Vancouver over a number of years.

First sentence: Our purpose in this book is to study and appreciate Anglican theology—to take the measure of it, that is, as theology, not as anything else.

I love, love, love J.I. Packer. I do. He was one of my first theologians to read. Going into this I knew relatively little about Anglican theology. Relatively. My knowledge was limited primarily to the Tudor period and later the Puritans. With little bits of shallow-ish knowledge from other time periods in history. This book covers a LOT. I was worried that it would be exceedingly dry, completely uninteresting, without a spark of personality. I was wrong.

Granted, this book won't appeal to every reader. I know that. You know that. But for those who have an interest either in church history in general OR the history and legacy of the Anglican church (aka Church of England) OR a love for all things Packer, this one does a great job at delivering just what it promises. What you see is exactly what you get. Packer gives us a history and overview of the Anglican church past and present. Packer highlights not only key events but also key people and key ideas. He does a good job of tracing the history through the centuries--linking everything together.

He does a good job of pointing out that there isn't just "one" stream of Anglicanism. There are three main streams--or branches--of Anglicanism. (And there have been for centuries.) The three are: Protestant Reformed, Anglo-Catholic (or High Church), Broad Church (or Liberal or Radical or Modern).

I love the blend of theology and doctrine, history, biography, and to some degree church politics.

Again this one won't appeal to everyone, but to those special few that have an interest, it will be appreciated and loved.

[Jasper Nobbs · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book achieved its goal of providing an excursus upon Anglican theology. You will quickly find that what 'Anglican Theology' is, is very loose definitionally. Other than the 39 Aritiles of Religion and the Book of Common Prayer Anglican theology takes many different shapes and forms (Just like most other Christian denominations but to a higher extent in Anglicanism). Because of this, the book takes a very historical shape (hence the term "heritage" used in the title). So don't go in expecting the bulk of the book to be about theology in a strict sense, it is a book on the story and shape of Anglicanism.

The book is written well and the history of Anglicanism is spelt out lucidly and engagingly, particularly in the early chapters on the inception and infancy of Anglicanism. Unfortunately, the later, more contemporary set chapters feel a bit disjointed and the flow isn't as fluid, but by no means is it no longer a good read (This could well be due to my personal interest in earlier Anglicanism).

Packer being a theologian with personal convictions does come across throughout the whole book, it isn't a commentaryless retelling. But he does so for two main reasons: (1) To inform the reader of his biases and (2) to comment upon where he wants Anglicanism to head in the future (Evangelical Anglicanism). So there is a good balance between the history itself and Packer as a theologian. But he certainly does so respecting the other traditions and forms; attempting to learn and extract from them for our benefit. Though that being said, he does not shy away from his disagreements with more liberal and modernist forms of Anglicanism, there are very few points to which he thinks that this tradition has things of value to add.

Overall, if you want to learn about the history and heritage of Anglicanism from a very knowledgeable and engaging source this would be what you are looking for. Well-written and well-informed.

[Doug · Rating 5 out of 5]

J. I. Packer provides a lucid, irenic, and hopeful reflection on the emergence and developments of Anglican Theology across the history of the church. He uses the term mainstream Anglican thought to speak of ideas and movements that have and are leading the church forward. This mainstream is made up of three streams coming together: Reformed/Evangelical, Anglo-Catholic, and Broadchurch. While Packer identifies himself within the Reformed/Evangelical stream, he sees value in engaging with the entire tradition.

Pack explores the emergence and developments within different streams at specific periods within church history. For instance, he begins with the Reformation Anglicans tells their story as a part of the historical moment. He focuses extensively on Richard Hooker and how his thought has overshadowed most of the church's history. The chapter on Richard Hooker is an example of Packer's ability to describe complex ideas in a clear, straightforward way.

At the same time, Packer doesn't hesitate to mention when he thinks certain groups or certain ideas are problematic. He even challenges some of the ideas of the first-generation Puritans. Nonetheless, he offers a way to appreciate why certain groups come to emphasize specific ideas even if they may have lost their footing.

I read through this on my own and decided it would be a helpful guide for the Anglican Reading Group in our church. Several of the folks who attend are from other backgrounds, and this book is offering an excellent way to dialogue. I've used a variety of Anglican introductions in the past, but I like this for its historical overview (that avoids going to deep into the weeds) and its generosity toward each stream, plus the encouragement to learn from other streams even if we don't always agree.

I highly recommend it.

[Scott Coulter]

For the 2023 #vtReadingChallenge, this is #20, for the category "A Book Written by an Anglican". For this category, I asked my wife's cousin, who is an Anglican priest, for some recommendations (thanks, Steve!), and this book definitely stood out to me from among several good options.
This book was put together based on recordings of a seminary course that J. I. Packer had been teaching for many years (they used lecture recordings from 1996 and 2010). While I believe it was actually published just after Packer's death, he had been involved in the editing process for the manuscript. The foreword describes the book as a "fireside chat with a wise and thoughtful theologian" and I completely agree.
This book is structured as history and theology mingled together, as Packer picks up the story of the Church of England from its early days (but never really digs in to the politics of the actual separation from the church of Rome), and then examines the various main changes, developments, and movements, up to the end of the 20th century. I found it to be a fascinating companion to "Seeking a Better Country" (which I read just a few weeks ago), which covered much of the same historical span, but in America and focusing on Presbyterianism (one interesting point of commonality is that both the Anglicans and the Presbyterians sort of want to lay claim to the Puritans, but they like to pick-and-choose which parts of Puritanism they prefer).
In this volume, I was struck by how quiet and gentle Packer's expressions of his own viewpoints are... his views were present, and stated, but never stridently.

[Ben Cook · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was simply stunning.

I have been incredibly jaded in the past with Anglicanism because of the C of E, but this was utterly thrilling.

To see that Anglicanism is fundamentally an evangelical defence of the gospel from Catholicism was breathtaking. Even more so to see that Anglicanism came into being essentially as a means of evangelising England was so encouraging. It has revolutionised the way I see the book of common prayer, 39 articles and the thrust of Anglicanism.

Highly recommend this book for anyone like me who has felt nonplussed about Anglicanism because of the way in which it is (badly) practiced.

[Shellie Foltz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Final word, having finished the book: it pried my fingers loose from clinging to the notion (or wish, really) that the church historic was more true or more pure, and that we have distanced ourselves from that nearst earthly expression of doctrinal and theological purity. Apparently, it has always been a mess. All I can say now is thank God for his sovereignty and his mercy. Also a note for potential readers, start with this one and follow it with Gerald Bray's Anglicanism: A Reformed Catholic Tradition. Packer's Afterword is the perfect intro for it. #eyeopener #sadderbutwiser

[G. Salter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Because this is a book based on classroom lectures that Packer gave, now transcribed from recordings, it can feel a bit dry at times. However, he does succeed at giving an overview of Anglicanism, using simple terms for people who haven't read British history or know much about liturgical worship. Not the kind of book you can breeze through in a sitting, but definitely a book worth sitting down to read.

[David Tollefsen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Packer does an excellent job of going through the history of anglican thought, practice and belief. I learned a lot and enjoyed the way he fit some of the pieces together of the “labels” in a matter of fact way and their place in history. At the end of the day, Packer describes an anglicanism that captured my spirit and that I still seek to live and learn, “an Anglicanism that is mere Christianity, a biblical faith without addition or subtraction.”

[Brandi · Rating 4 out of 5]

An informative and helpful tool to understanding Anglican Theology. I appreciate the rich explanation of the history and the powerful insights to the future of the church. Take you time and enjoy all the details offered. A blessing for anyone reading with an open heart and mind.
I received a complimentary copy from the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are solely my own, freely given.

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

I approached this as a history book. It's more of a review of what Anglican theology is and where it came from. I did find it excellent in that regard, though I'd probably have found the book easier if I had more knowledge of the underlying history. There is some repetition between chapters, presumably due to the book's roots as a lecture series, and at times I found it hard to follow the train of thought between sections.

[Josh · Rating 4 out of 5]

A real test of an author’s abilities is for him to take up a subject that you disagree with him on and for you to appreciate him more after the fact for having made those differences clearer.

I feel that Anglicanism is like a foreign language, a difficult one, one that you have to have grown up with in order to really grasp. Much of Anglicanism still befuddles me, but Packer has done an excellent service in helping me understand something of what Anglicanism is trying to say.

[Joe Harrod · Rating 4 out of 5]

Packer, a devout evangelical Anglican, helps orient students to the nuances of Anglican faith and practice. Readers can hear Packer speak in this work, which reads more like a lecture transcript than an edited book, but when the lecture is good, the format works. Packer is even handed in his portrait of Anglicans whose theology differed from his, and his clear charity is commendable. A very interesting and helpful introduction.

[Garrett Mindrup · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you’re at all interested in Anglican history (which you should be because it’s fascinating) this is a wonderful book. If one were to ask 10 different Anglicans what Anglicans believe, they might get 10 different answers. Packer’s book does a great job of explaining the history of why that is. One finds a diverse, broad tent communion that both disagrees sharply and yet strives for unity in a way that seems unique to Anglicanism.

[Parker Sheppard · Rating 4 out of 5]

Covers a wide ground over the major strands of thought within Anglicanism. Very conversational, which is both a strength and a weakness. Easy to read and understand. At times, a little wandering. Would recommend as an introduction to what holds the Anglican communion together and what sets it apart.

[Vanjr · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am not Anglican, but this was a fascinating look at the history and views of a variety of Anglicans. Packer is a clear writer and a clear mind. I was surprised at how much I enjoyed this moderate sized book. I have read Knowing God by Packer a couple of times. Now I am very interested in anything else he may have published.

[Trevor Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

It took me a while to get into this book, and honestly I wasn’t really a fan of the Richard Hooker section. I may just need to read through that again. I appreciate how transparent Packer is, as he has a clear evangelical bias. But he states the bias up front. He also tries to pull what he can from Anglo-Catholics, Broad Churchmen, and Liberal Anglicanism. It is a fair book, and very well done.

[Drew Clemmons · Rating 3 out of 5]

It’s probably somewhere into 2.5-3 stars for me. It’s not primarily due to the content of the book, but more because I found the writing style to be difficult to follow and found it mostly a defense of the Puritan movement moreso than a balanced overview of the theological development of the Anglican tradition.

[Jim Lyster · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having studied under Dr. Packer for almost a decade and edited a collection of his writings I could hear his voice in this work and imagine him presenting the material. I really appreciated the broad sweep of historical background.

[Jonathan Meintjes · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellent book and worth every penny. I would recommend it to everyone who would like to understand a bit more about the development of Anglican theology through the centuries. It certainly was helpful to me to even review my own beliefs and theological understanding.