J. I. Packer
Encyclopedia
James Innell Packer is a British-born Canadian Christian theologian
in the low church
Anglican and Reformed
traditions. He currently serves as the Board of Governors' Professor of Theology at Regent College
in Vancouver, British Columbia
. He is considered one of the most influential evangelicals in North America.
, the son of a clerk for the Great Western Railway
, Packer won a scholarship to Oxford University. He was educated at Corpus Christi College
, obtaining the degrees of Bachelor of Arts
(1948), Master of Arts
(1952), and Doctor of Philosophy
(1955).
It was as a student at Oxford that he first heard lectures from C. S. Lewis
, whose teachings would (though he never knew Lewis personally) become a major influence in his life. In a meeting of the Oxford Inter-Collegiate Christian Union, Packer committed his life to Christian service.
He spent a brief time teaching Greek
at Oak Hill Theological College
in London
, and in 1949 entered Wycliffe Hall, Oxford
to study theology. He was ordained a deacon
(1952) and priest
(1953) in the Church of England
, within which he was associated with the Evangelical movement. He was Assistant Curate of Harborne Heath
in Birmingham
1952-54 and Lecturer at Tyndale Hall, Bristol 1955-61. He was Librarian of Latimer House, Oxford 1961-62 and Principal 1962-69. In 1970 he became Principal of Tyndale Hall, Bristol, and from 1971 until 1979 he was Associate Principal of Trinity College, Bristol
, which had been formed from the amalgamation of Tyndale Hall with Clifton College and Dalton House-St Michael's.
In 1979, Packer moved to Vancouver
to take up a position at Regent College, eventually being named the first Sangwoo Youtong Chee Professor of Theology, a title he held until his retirement. He is a prolific writer and frequent lecturer, but he is best known for his book, "Knowing God
". He is a frequent contributor to and an executive editor of Christianity Today
.
Packer served as General Editor of the English Standard Version
, an Evangelical revision of the Revised Standard Version
of the Bible, and Theological Editor of the Study Bible version.
As of 2008, Packer is associated with St. John's Shaughnessy Anglican church in Vancouver, which in February 2008 voted to leave the Anglican Church of Canada
because the St. John's church believes that the ACC is no longer teaching in accordance with Scripture. So, they joined the Anglican Province of the Southern Cone of America. Packer, on 23 April, handed in his licence from the Bishop of New Westminster. In December 2008 Dr Packer was appointed an honorary Clerical Canon of St Andrew's Cathedral in Sydney in recognition of his long and distinguished ministry as a faithful teacher of Biblical theology.
A sample of his work:
"The unceasing activity of the Creator, whereby in overflowing bounty and goodwill, He upholds His creatures in ordered existence, guides and governs all events, circumstances, and free acts of angels and men, and directs everything to its appointed goal, for His own glory".
, which affirmed a conservative position on Biblical inerrancy
.
and serves on the advisory board of Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood
. He thus subscribes to a traditional view of gender roles - that a husband should lovingly lead, protect and provide for his wife and that a wife should joyfully affirm and submit to her husband's leadership. Complementarians also believe the Bible teaches that men are to bear primary responsibility to lead in the church and that as such only men should be elders. In 1991 Packer set forth his reasons for this in an influential yet controversial article called 'Let's Stop Making Women Presbyters'.
and is critical of Intelligent Design
. Packer said of the book: 'Surely the best informed, clearest and most judicious treatment of the question in its title that you can find anywhere today.' This perhaps reveals Packer's current position in the evolution/intelligent design debate.
However, he has also expressed caution as to whether the theory of evolution is actually true, 'its only a hypothesis... its only a guess... so as science, in terms of philosophy of science... evolution is by no means proven and as a guess it is very strange and contrary to all analogies...' He also said, 'the biblical narratives of creation... don't obviously say anything that bears one way or another on the question of whether the evolutionary hypothesis might be true or not...'
The most recent information on Packer's position on evolution comes from his foreword to Reclaiming Genesis by Melvin Tinker. Reclaiming Genesis is a 'pro-evolution' book with the subtitle 'The Theatre of God's Glory - Or a Scientific Story?' in it Packer writes "Melvin Tinker is fully on wavelength in this lively and enlivening series of expositions. His book is wise, popular, and powerful. I heartily commend it."
Protestant doctrine. Nonetheless, his advocacy of ecumenicism has brought sharp criticism from some conservatives, particularly after the publication of the book Evangelicals and Catholics Together
: Toward a Common Mission (ed. Charles Colson
, Richard J. Neuhaus
) in which Packer was one of the contributors. Some conservatives also feel that Packer's views on Mother Teresa are quite liberal.
Packer took the side of evangelical ecumenism in opposition to Martyn Lloyd-Jones
in 1966, then co-authored a work with two Anglo-Catholics in 1970 (Growing into Union) that many evangelicals felt conceded too much biblical ground on critical doctrinal issues. The publication of that work led to the formal break between Lloyd-Jones and Packer, bringing an end to the Puritan Conferences.
Christian theology
- Divisions of Christian theology :There are many methods of categorizing different approaches to Christian theology. For a historical analysis, see the main article on the History of Christian theology.- Sub-disciplines :...
in the low church
Low church
Low church is a term of distinction in the Church of England or other Anglican churches initially designed to be pejorative. During the series of doctrinal and ecclesiastic challenges to the established church in the 16th and 17th centuries, commentators and others began to refer to those groups...
Anglican and Reformed
Calvinism
Calvinism is a Protestant theological system and an approach to the Christian life...
traditions. He currently serves as the Board of Governors' Professor of Theology at Regent College
Regent College
Regent College is an international graduate school of Christian Studies, located next to the campus of the University of British Columbia in the University Endowment Lands west of Vancouver, British Columbia, and is an affiliated college of that university....
in Vancouver, British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
. He is considered one of the most influential evangelicals in North America.
Biography
Born in Gloucester, EnglandEngland
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, the son of a clerk for the Great Western Railway
Great Western Railway
The Great Western Railway was a British railway company that linked London with the south-west and west of England and most of Wales. It was founded in 1833, received its enabling Act of Parliament in 1835 and ran its first trains in 1838...
, Packer won a scholarship to Oxford University. He was educated at Corpus Christi College
Corpus Christi College, Oxford
Corpus Christi College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom...
, obtaining the degrees of Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
(1948), Master of Arts
Master of Arts (Oxbridge)
In the Universities of Oxford, Cambridge and Dublin, Bachelors of Arts of these universities are admitted to the degree of Master of Arts or Master in Arts on application after six or seven years' seniority as members of the university .There is no examination or study required for the degree...
(1952), and Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as Ph.D., PhD, D.Phil., or DPhil , in English-speaking countries, is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities...
(1955).
It was as a student at Oxford that he first heard lectures from C. S. Lewis
C. S. Lewis
Clive Staples Lewis , commonly referred to as C. S. Lewis and known to his friends and family as "Jack", was a novelist, academic, medievalist, literary critic, essayist, lay theologian and Christian apologist from Belfast, Ireland...
, whose teachings would (though he never knew Lewis personally) become a major influence in his life. In a meeting of the Oxford Inter-Collegiate Christian Union, Packer committed his life to Christian service.
He spent a brief time teaching Greek
Greek language
Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
at Oak Hill Theological College
Oak Hill Theological College
Oak Hill College is a theological college located on Chase Side in Southgate, London, England. It is one of the largest seminaries in the UK....
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, and in 1949 entered Wycliffe Hall, Oxford
Wycliffe Hall, Oxford
Wycliffe Hall is a Church of England theological college and a Permanent Private Hall of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom. It is located on the Banbury Road in central North Oxford, between Norham Gardens and Norham Road.-Overview:...
to study theology. He was ordained a deacon
Deacon
Deacon is a ministry in the Christian Church that is generally associated with service of some kind, but which varies among theological and denominational traditions...
(1952) and priest
Priest
A priest is a person authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities...
(1953) in the Church of England
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
, within which he was associated with the Evangelical movement. He was Assistant Curate of Harborne Heath
Harborne
Harborne is an area three miles southwest from Birmingham city centre, England. It is a Birmingham City Council ward in the formal district and in the parliamentary constituency of Birmingham Edgbaston.- Geography :...
in Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
1952-54 and Lecturer at Tyndale Hall, Bristol 1955-61. He was Librarian of Latimer House, Oxford 1961-62 and Principal 1962-69. In 1970 he became Principal of Tyndale Hall, Bristol, and from 1971 until 1979 he was Associate Principal of Trinity College, Bristol
Trinity College, Bristol
Trinity College Bristol is a Christian college affiliated to the Church of England, though students come from different denominations. It is located in Stoke Bishop in Bristol, England, next to the University of Bristol's residential halls...
, which had been formed from the amalgamation of Tyndale Hall with Clifton College and Dalton House-St Michael's.
In 1979, Packer moved to Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
to take up a position at Regent College, eventually being named the first Sangwoo Youtong Chee Professor of Theology, a title he held until his retirement. He is a prolific writer and frequent lecturer, but he is best known for his book, "Knowing God
Knowing God
Knowing God is a book by British-born Canadian Christian theologian J. I. Packer, and is his best-known work, having sold over 1,000,000 copies in North America alone...
". He is a frequent contributor to and an executive editor of Christianity Today
Christianity Today
Christianity Today is an Evangelical Christian periodical based in Carol Stream, Illinois. It is the flagship publication of its parent company Christianity Today International, claiming circulation figures of 140,000 and readership of 290,000...
.
Packer served as General Editor of the English Standard Version
English Standard Version
The English Standard Version is an English translation of the Christian Bible. It is a revision of the 1971 edition of the Revised Standard Version...
, an Evangelical revision of the Revised Standard Version
Revised Standard Version
The Revised Standard Version is an English translation of the Bible published in the mid-20th century. It traces its history to William Tyndale's New Testament translation of 1525. The RSV is an authorized revision of the American Standard Version of 1901...
of the Bible, and Theological Editor of the Study Bible version.
As of 2008, Packer is associated with St. John's Shaughnessy Anglican church in Vancouver, which in February 2008 voted to leave the Anglican Church of Canada
Anglican Church of Canada
The Anglican Church of Canada is the Province of the Anglican Communion in Canada. The official French name is l'Église Anglicane du Canada. The ACC is the third largest church in Canada after the Roman Catholic Church and the United Church of Canada, consisting of 800,000 registered members...
because the St. John's church believes that the ACC is no longer teaching in accordance with Scripture. So, they joined the Anglican Province of the Southern Cone of America. Packer, on 23 April, handed in his licence from the Bishop of New Westminster. In December 2008 Dr Packer was appointed an honorary Clerical Canon of St Andrew's Cathedral in Sydney in recognition of his long and distinguished ministry as a faithful teacher of Biblical theology.
A sample of his work:
"The unceasing activity of the Creator, whereby in overflowing bounty and goodwill, He upholds His creatures in ordered existence, guides and governs all events, circumstances, and free acts of angels and men, and directs everything to its appointed goal, for His own glory".
Inerrancy
In 1978, he signed the Chicago Statement on Biblical InerrancyChicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy
The Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy was formulated in October 1978 by more than 200 evangelical leaders at a conference sponsored by the International Council on Biblical Inerrancy, held in Chicago. The statement was designed to defend the position of Biblical inerrancy against a perceived...
, which affirmed a conservative position on Biblical inerrancy
Biblical inerrancy
Biblical inerrancy is the doctrinal position that the Bible is accurate and totally free of error, that "Scripture in the original manuscripts does not affirm anything that is contrary to fact." Some equate inerrancy with infallibility; others do not.Conservative Christians generally believe that...
.
Gender roles
Packer is a ComplementarianComplementarian
Complementarianism is a theological view held by some in Christianity and other world religions, such as Islam, that men and women have different but complementary roles and responsibilities in marriage, family life, religious leadership, and elsewhere. The word ‘'complementary’' and its cognates...
and serves on the advisory board of Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood
Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood
The Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood is an evangelical Christian organization promoting a complementarian view of gender issues. CBMW's current president is Dr...
. He thus subscribes to a traditional view of gender roles - that a husband should lovingly lead, protect and provide for his wife and that a wife should joyfully affirm and submit to her husband's leadership. Complementarians also believe the Bible teaches that men are to bear primary responsibility to lead in the church and that as such only men should be elders. In 1991 Packer set forth his reasons for this in an influential yet controversial article called 'Let's Stop Making Women Presbyters'.
Evolution
In 2008 Packer wrote an endorsement for a book called 'Creation or Evolution: Do We have to Choose?' by Denis Alexander. The book advocates theistic evolutionTheistic evolution
Theistic evolution or evolutionary creation is a concept that asserts that classical religious teachings about God are compatible with the modern scientific understanding about biological evolution...
and is critical of Intelligent Design
Intelligent design
Intelligent design is the proposition that "certain features of the universe and of living things are best explained by an intelligent cause, not an undirected process such as natural selection." It is a form of creationism and a contemporary adaptation of the traditional teleological argument for...
. Packer said of the book: 'Surely the best informed, clearest and most judicious treatment of the question in its title that you can find anywhere today.' This perhaps reveals Packer's current position in the evolution/intelligent design debate.
However, he has also expressed caution as to whether the theory of evolution is actually true, 'its only a hypothesis... its only a guess... so as science, in terms of philosophy of science... evolution is by no means proven and as a guess it is very strange and contrary to all analogies...' He also said, 'the biblical narratives of creation... don't obviously say anything that bears one way or another on the question of whether the evolutionary hypothesis might be true or not...'
The most recent information on Packer's position on evolution comes from his foreword to Reclaiming Genesis by Melvin Tinker. Reclaiming Genesis is a 'pro-evolution' book with the subtitle 'The Theatre of God's Glory - Or a Scientific Story?' in it Packer writes "Melvin Tinker is fully on wavelength in this lively and enlivening series of expositions. His book is wise, popular, and powerful. I heartily commend it."
Ecumenism
In recent years, he has supported the ecumenical movement but believes that unity should not come at the expense of abandoning orthodoxOrthodoxy
The word orthodox, from Greek orthos + doxa , is generally used to mean the adherence to accepted norms, more specifically to creeds, especially in religion...
Protestant doctrine. Nonetheless, his advocacy of ecumenicism has brought sharp criticism from some conservatives, particularly after the publication of the book Evangelicals and Catholics Together
Evangelicals and Catholics Together
Evangelicals and Catholics Together is a 1994 ecumenical document signed by leading Evangelical and Roman Catholic scholars in the United States. The co-signers of the document were Charles Colson and Richard John Neuhaus, representing each side of the discussions...
: Toward a Common Mission (ed. Charles Colson
Charles Colson
Charles Wendell "Chuck" Colson is a Christian leader, cultural commentator, and former Special Counsel for President Richard Nixon from 1969 to 1973....
, Richard J. Neuhaus
Richard John Neuhaus
Richard John Neuhaus was a prominent Christian cleric and writer. Born in Canada, Neuhaus moved to the United States where he became a naturalized United States citizen...
) in which Packer was one of the contributors. Some conservatives also feel that Packer's views on Mother Teresa are quite liberal.
Packer took the side of evangelical ecumenism in opposition to Martyn Lloyd-Jones
Martyn Lloyd-Jones
David Martyn Lloyd-Jones was a Welsh Protestant minister, preacher and medical doctor who was influential in the Reformed wing of the British evangelical movement in the 20th century. For almost 30 years, he was the minister of Westminster Chapel in London...
in 1966, then co-authored a work with two Anglo-Catholics in 1970 (Growing into Union) that many evangelicals felt conceded too much biblical ground on critical doctrinal issues. The publication of that work led to the formal break between Lloyd-Jones and Packer, bringing an end to the Puritan Conferences.
Works
- Fundamentalism and the Word of God (1958; reprinted 1984) ISBN 0-8028-1147-7
- Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God (1961 by Inter-Varsity Fellowship) (reprinted 1991) ISBN 0-8308-1339-X
- Our Lord's Understanding of the Law of God (1962)
- The Church of England and the Methodist Church: Ten Essays (1963)
- God Speaks To Man: Revelation and the Bible (1965)
- Tomorrow's Worship (1966)
- Guidelines: Anglican Evangelicals Face the Future (1967)
- What did the Cross Achieve? The Logic of Penal Substitution (1973)
- Knowing GodKnowing GodKnowing God is a book by British-born Canadian Christian theologian J. I. Packer, and is his best-known work, having sold over 1,000,000 copies in North America alone...
(1973, reprinted 1993) ISBN 0-8308-1650-X - I Want To Be A Christian (1977) ISBN 9780842318426
- The Ten Commandments (1977) ISBN 9780842370042
- The Evangelical Anglican Identity Problem: An Analysis (1978) ISBN 9780946307005
- The New Man (1978) ISBN 9780802817686
- For Man's Sake! (1978) ISBN 9780853642176
- Knowing Man (1979)
- God Has Spoken (1979) ISBN 9780877846567
- Beyond the Battle for the Bible (1980) ISBN 9780891071952
- Freedom and Authority (1981: International Council on Biblical Inerrancy)
- A Kind of Noah's Ark? : The Anglican Commitment to Comprehensiveness (1981) ISBN 9780946307098
- God's Words: Studies of Key Bible Themes (1981) ISBN 9780877843672
- Freedom, Authority and Scripture (1982) ISBN 9780851104454
- Keep In Step With The Spirit: Finding Fullness In Our Walk With God (1984, reprinted 2005) ISBN 0-8010-6558-5
- The Thirty-Nine Articles: Their Place and Use Today (1984)
- Through the Year with J. I. Packer (1986) ISBN 9780340401415
- Hot Tub Religion (1987) ISBN 9780842318549
- Among God's Giants: Aspects of Puritan Christianity (1991) ISBN 9780860654520
- A Passion for Holiness (1992) ISBN 1-85684-043-3
- Rediscovering Holiness (1992) ISBN 0-89283-734-9
- A Quest for Godliness: The Puritan Vision of the Christian Life (1994) ISBN 0-89107-819-3
- Knowing Christianity (1995) ISBN 9780877880585
- A Passion for Faithfulness: Wisdom from the Book of Nehemiah (1995) ISBN 9780891077336
- Decisions - Finding God's Will: 6 Studies for Individuals or Groups (1996) ISBN 9780851113760
- Truth & Power: The Place of Scripture in the Christian Life (1996) ISBN 9780877888154
- Life in the Spirit (1996) ISBN 9780340641743
- Concise Theology: A Guide to Historic Christian Beliefs (2001) ISBN 0-8423-3960-4
- Meeting God (2001) ISBN 9781859994801
- God's Plans for You (2001) ISBN 9781581342901
- Divine Sovereignty and Human Responsibility (2002)
- Faithfulness and Holiness: The Witness of J. C. Ryle (2002) ISBN 9781581343588
- The Redemption and Restoration of Man in the Thought of Richard Baxter (2003, based on his 1954 Oxford dissertation) ISBN 1-57383-174-3
- Knowing God Through The Year (2004) ISBN 9780830832927
- 18 Words: The Most Important Words You Will Ever Know (2007)
- Praying the Lord's Prayer (2007) ISBN 9781581349634
- Affirming the Apostles' Creed (2008) ISBN 9781433502101
- Collected Shorter Writings in four volumes
In the Anglican Agenda Series
- Taking Faith Seriously (2006) ISBN 9780978165307
- Taking Doctrine Seriously (2007) ISBN 9781897538005
- Taking Repentance Seriously (2007) ISBN 9780978165345
- Taking Christian Unity Seriously (2007) ISBN 9780978165369
Collections
- The J. I. Packer Collection, edited by Alister McGrathAlister McGrathAlister Edgar McGrath is an Anglican priest, theologian, and Christian apologist, currently Professor of Theology, Ministry, and Education at Kings College London and Head of the Centre for Theology, Religion and Culture...
(1999) ISBN 9780830822874 - Collected Shorter Writings of J. I. Packer
- Volume 1: Celebrating the Saving Work of God (1998) ISBN 9780853648963
- Volume 2: Serving the People of God (1998) ISBN 9780853649045
- Volume 3: Honouring the Written Word of God (1999) ISBN 9780853648826
- Volume 4: Honouring the People of God (1999) ISBN 9780853649052
Co-authored
- The Spirit Within You: The Church's Neglected Possession with Alan Stibbs (1979) ISBN 9780801081422
- The Bible Almanac with Merrill C. TenneyMerrill C. TenneyMerrill Chapin Tenney was an American professor of Old Testament and Greek and author of several books. He was the general editor of the Zondervan Pictorial Bible Dictionary, and served on the original translation team for the New American Standard Bible-Background and education:Tenney was born in...
and William White (1980) ISBN 9780840751621 - Christianity: The True Humanism with Thomas HowardThomas Howard (writer and scholar)Thomas Howard is a highly acclaimed writer and scholar. A convert to Roman Catholicism, he is known for his studies of C.S. Lewis, and Charles Williams, as well as for books such as his Christ the Tiger and Evangelical is Not Enough ....
(1985) ISBN 1-57383-058-5 - New Dictionary of Theology with Sinclair B Ferguson and David F Wright (1988) ISBN 9780830814008
- Knowing and Doing the Will of God with LaVonne Neff (1995) ISBN 9780892839278
- Great Power with Beth Feia (1997) ISBN 9780854768363
- Great Grace with Beth Feia (1997) ISBN 9780854768370
- Great Joy with Beth Feia (1999) ISBN 9780854768387
- Never Beyond Hope: How God Touches and Uses Imperfect People with Carolyn Nystrom (2000) ISBN 9780830822324
- Knowing God Journal with Carolyn Nystrom (2000) ISBN 9780830811854
- Hope, Never Beyond Hope: Six Studies for Individuals or Groups with Leader's Notes with Carolyn Nystrom (2003) ISBN 9780851113555
- One Faith: The Evangelical Consensus with Thomas Oden (2004) ISBN 0-8308-3239-4
- Battle for the Soul of Canada: Raising up the Emerging Generation of Leaders (2006) ISBN 9780978202200
- Praying: Finding Our Way Through Duty To Delight with Carolyn Nystrom (2006) ISBN 9780830833450
- Guard Us, Guide Us: Divine Leading in Life's Decisions with Carolyn Nystrom (2008) ISBN 9780801013034
- In My Place Condemned He Stood: Celebrating the Glory of the Atonement with Mark Dever (2008) ISBN 9781433502002
Works about
- Alister E McGrath, To Know and Serve God: A Life of James I. Packer (1997) ISBN 9780340565711
- Alister E McGrath, J. I. Packer: A Biography (1997) ISBN 9780801011573
- Roger Steer, Guarding the Holy Fire: The Evangelicalism of John R. W. Stott, J. I. Packer and Alister McGrath (1999) ISBN 9780801058462
- Don J Payne, The Theology of the Christian Life in J. I. Packer's Thought: Theological Anthropology, Theological Method, and the Doctrine of Sanctification (2006) ISBN 9781842273975
- Timothy F George, J. I. Packer and the Evangelical Future: The Impact of His Life and Thought (2009) ISBN 9780801033872
External links
- Interview with J.I. Packer about his work on the English Standard Version Bible
- Extensive list of published works and online articles from Monergism.com
- What did the Cross Achieve? The Logic of Penal Substitution by J.I. Packer, on www.theologynetwork.org
- Penal Substitution Revisited by J.I. Packer, on www.theologynetwork.org