Reading J I Packer

I've been slowly reading through the four volumes of The Collected Shorter Writings of J I Packer. I started nearly seven years ago in fact, starting with his volume two on the church. That volume is the best theology I have read on the topic of church.

In fact, I really appreciate J I Packer. When I started reading theology at bible college I thought I was going to give up the whole ministry thing altogether. The theology reference texts were dry and dense, but with no seeming end goal. It was theology for the sake of theology using the methodology of the academics' world - arguing against each other (it seemed at least for me anyway) for no apparent purpose other than that. In addition, a lot of the referenced theologians were continental. As you may well be aware, continental theologians have a specific approach to theology with a strong philosophical edge. I was sinking fast.

Then I was introduced to Packer by a friend of mine. And what a joy! Here was a theologian of the highest order, with a razor sharp knowledge of the scriptures, able to brilliantly and graciously critique the theology of those such as Schleiermacher, Barth, Brunner and the like, as well as biblically address Kantian philosophy and rationalism and liberalism. Not only that, he reminded other theologians (and me) that theology must always lead somewhere - specifically, doxology! What a breath of fresh air. Packer's writing has now become a good teacher to me and a biblical mentor in print.

So I am reading volume 3 of his collected shorter writings. It's the collection on scripture. The doctrine  of scripture and its authority as God's spoken word is one of the great polarizing topics of our time, especially within the church. I'm only on page 111 of 336, as each page of Packer's is filled with important biblical insight into this doctrine. It's slow going basically. But such gold to mine from his words! Loving it.

For example, in his 1962 essay 'Our Lord's Understanding of the Law of God' (pps 109-124) there are several standout comments that certainly ring true of today. For example:


'We act as if freedom from the law has made it a matter of comparative unimportance whether we keep the law in daily life or not.' (111)
                             
'...we are, it appears, more interested in feeding our own souls than in doing good to our neighbours' (111)

There is an essay too on the authority of reason. Something that stood out for me was Packer's description of the three stages of the undermining of scripture from within on page 60: the first, the 17th century thought 'which made God stand back from man' (Arminianism). The second was at the end of the 17th and beginning of the 18th century, being 'the movement of thought which made God stand back from his word' - English Deism - morphing into the continental Enlightenment, with God as the great mechanic building his world then walking away. Finally, stage three was from the 19th century when 'God was silenced' (p60) - 'the era of Kant, Schleiermacher and the liberals' (p60).

I could go on, but may post more as I keep reading. To have the four volumes on your shelf would be a very good move, dear pastors!

Postscript: finished this book the next day. Rivetting and full of biblical/pastoral theology. Topics discussed include hermeneutics, preaching, the authority of the word, women and men, creation, the apocalyptic genre - I could go on. Highly Recommended. A brilliant, reformed, lucid work.