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The J.I. Packer Collection
James I. Packer, the son of a Gloucester railway clerk, rose to become one of the most influential evangelical, theological and spiritual writers of the twentieth century. He is widely admired as a theologian with a rare gift of being able to communicate his ideas with clarity and passion to a wide variety of audiences. Many Christians have identified him as one of the greatest influences of their lives.
Packer has authored more than 300 works over fifty years of his writing ministry. From this massive body of literature, Alister McGrath has selected sixteen core writings, faithfully representing both Packer's personal interests (such as the authority of Scripture, the relationship of theology and spirituality, and the importance of 'great tradition' Christianity), and the various phases of his career. Each of these writings is carefully introduced and set in its theological, historical and biographical context, and is followed by questions for further study to help readers interact with the texts. The work also includes an informative introduction to the life and career of J.I. Packer.
ALISTER McGRATH is Professor of Theology, Ministry and Education, and Head of the Centre for Theology, Religion and Culture at King's College, London. He is the author of numerous books, including J.I. A Biography.
Packer has authored more than 300 works over fifty years of his writing ministry. From this massive body of literature, Alister McGrath has selected sixteen core writings, faithfully representing both Packer's personal interests (such as the authority of Scripture, the relationship of theology and spirituality, and the importance of 'great tradition' Christianity), and the various phases of his career. Each of these writings is carefully introduced and set in its theological, historical and biographical context, and is followed by questions for further study to help readers interact with the texts. The work also includes an informative introduction to the life and career of J.I. Packer.
ALISTER McGRATH is Professor of Theology, Ministry and Education, and Head of the Centre for Theology, Religion and Culture at King's College, London. He is the author of numerous books, including J.I. A Biography.
288 pages, Paperback
First published November 1, 1999
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J.I. Packer
446 books931 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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January 4, 2026
Gathering sixteen essays, speeches and lectures from across J.I. Packer's years of Christian writings, Alistair McGrath presents a historical, personal and theological examination of both his upbringing, educational background, and exemplary works of faith. McGrath and Packer offer an approachable and compelling exploration of spiritual debate and contemplation, though in need of grammatical editing.
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