The Incalculable Impact of Dr. J.I. Packer: Giant of the Faith - HIRD

 

(July 22^nd 1926 to July 17^th 2020)

By Rev. Dr. Ed & Janice Hird

-an article for the Light Magazine

 

Canada has been blessed to have the late Dr JI Packer in our own backyard since 1979.  Although born in the UK, he became a Canadian citizen after becoming a Regent College professor.  His generosity of spirit has transformed countless Christian leaders.  How is it that so many of us have experienced such a personal connection to a global leader?

Dr Darrell Johnson insightfully noted, “One of the Lord’s humble giants has been called home. J.I. Packer is what a theologian is called to be: first a forgiven sinner who then gratefully loves the Saviour, and then a sacrificial servant who uses his massive giftedness to equip the church to live for the glory of Christ. I can never repay the debt I owe Dr. Packer for the gift of “Knowing God.” And now he does as never before!”

Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby commented, “Dr James Packer’s death ends a wonderful service to God by a disciple of learning, wisdom and holiness. A giant of his time.”  Geoff Tunnicliffe, former Secretary-General for the World Evangelical Fellowship agreed, saying, “Dr. J.I Packer was a giant of the Faith.  Jim had a huge influence in personal journey.” Rev Dr Chris Sugden from Oxford commented that John Stott, Michael Green, and Jim Packer were key framers of the Keele Statement which reaffirmed that evangelicals could remain in the Church of England with integrity.  Pastor Dave Carson of Hope Vancouver knew Dr Packer from the 1960s in London, commenting that Packer’s highlighting of George Whitefield’s preaching was foundational in his own life. Archbishop Yong Ping Chung of South-East Asia (ret) said “I had the privilege of getting to know him a little better when he firmly and courageously stood up for the truth of the Gospel against the false teachings, especially during the very difficult and controversial time in our Anglican Communion.”

Many famous people become inaccessible and pompous.  But not Dr Packer.  His friend Dr George Egerton of UBC noted that “he was famous and revered for his best-selling books, but was utterly without pretensions.  He had time for anyone.  If you needed an article for a journal, or a review, he was always happy to oblige.” Rev Ron Corcoran stated he was so delighted and humbled that Dr Packer took the time to read and endorse his book.  We are grateful that he wrote the foreword to two of my own books, as he did for so many others.

Packer’s many Regent students appreciated how deeply he invested in their lives.  Rev Peter Falk remembered that every class they sang the Doxology.  Dr Packer was fond of saying, ‘Theology is for doxology.’ Pastor Macintosh of Heritage Alliance Church rejoiced when Packer taught him that election (being chosen) is about overflowing thankfulness for God’s gracious action on our behalf. Bishop Felix Orji feels a deep sense of loss, “He was like a father to many of us.  At a personal level, Jim helped me with doctoral thesis - the outline for my doctoral Thesis was hashed out by Dr Packer in his living room one afternoon I went to see him.”

Dr. Packer helped redeem the concept of theology, making it accessible and practical.  Rev. Dr. John Roddam observed that many theologians are in the ozone but Jim’s writings were accessible to the “average Joe.” Brian C Stiller, Global Ambassador for The World Evangelical Alliance, commented, “James Packer was uncommon in his ability to digest a wide assortment of complex and wide-ranging   theology and reduce it to its elementary and essential issues. He is a prime example of how those of us in the wider and more popular level of Gospel witness, benefit so greatly from those brilliant in scholarship and at the same time, care so much about and deeply love the Gospel.”  Dr Rod Wilson, past Regent College President, stated, “I will remember Jim Packer as a man who had a unique ability to link theology with the mere Christian, and the academy with the church. These gifts were bathed in an irenic spirit that made him a gracious man even when dealing with his critics. Intertwined with these strengths was an outrageous sense of humour that endeared him to so many.”

Many are grateful for Dr. Packer’s humanity, humour and playfulness, especially around meals.  Rev Ken Shigematsu of Tenth Church commented, “JI Packer inspired me to choose play that gives life, ennobles, and draws me to God.” Rev. Calvin Weber of UCM BCIT was struck by Packer’s love for six Hunan peppers on his Hunan Gung Pao Chicken. Dr. Jeff Greenman, Regent College President, spoke of Dr. Packer as both his teacher and friend, regularly making time to share beef curry together at a local Chinese restaurant.  Packer, said Greenman “was not only a brilliant thinker and amazing writer, but fundamentally a deeply godly, Christ-loving Christian gentleman, who gave his life to serving the God he loved.”

His book “Knowing God”, which sold millions, has had the greatest impact of all of Dr Packer’s many writings.  Dr Axel Schoeber of West Vancouver Baptist Church commented, “His book Knowing God was hugely formative for me as a young Christian and shaped my approach to ministry once I became a pastor.” Rev Robin Guinness, fellow co-signer of Dr JI Packer’s Montreal Declaration of Anglican Essentials, observed, “I go back again and again to his monumental work Knowing God.   It is also through him that I have been encouraged to rediscover the depth and riches of the great Puritan leaders.”  

Bishop Peter Klenner said, “The Rev. Dr. J I Packer was—in the very best sense of the word—a Puritan. He was a man of the Word. He loved and lived the bible. Dr. Packer was also a Pastor—in the best sense of the word. He cared for people; remembered their names.  He loved people and was willing to walk alongside as a pilgrim.” David Bornman, West Coast Christian Fellowship, commented, “I am grateful for JI Packer’s lifelong dedication to the defense of scripture which has been a strength to the church worldwide. In person and in writings JI Packer approached scripture with a wonderful expression of reverence and joy that welcomed each listener to enter his joyful discovery of the glory of God.”

When asked late in life by Christianity Today what his final words to the church might be, Packer replied, 'I think I can boil it down to four words: Glorify Christ every way.'"

 

Rev Dr. Ed and Janice Hird

-Co-authors of the Blue Sky novel

p.s. It seems very fitting that the Lord had us do a trilogy recently on Dr. JI Packer and his mentor Richard Baxter in the Light Magazine.

Dr JI Packer: Knowing God

Richard and Margaret Baxter

Dr JI Packer and Richard Baxter

Dr JI Packer and Richard Baxter: God's Essential Workers

By Rev. Dr. Ed & Janice Hird

We hear a lot about essential workers and essential services in these COVID-19 times.  At 7 pm each night, many of us have been cheering for them, as we bang on our pots and pans.  Dr. JI Packer, God’s essential worker, helps us rediscover Richard Baxter’s essential writings, not just for mortal life but more importantly for eternal life.  What might it be like to cheer for God’s essential workers, including our theologians, pastors, evangelists, and missionaries?  Both Baxter and Packer knew from personal experience that physical death is not the worst thing that can happen to us.  Both faced sickness and possible death early in life, but fixed their gaze on Jesus Christ in those difficult times.  Packer, who did his Oxford doctorate on Baxter, has helped us rediscover Baxter’s brilliant emphasis, derived from Rupertus Meledenius: “In Essentials, unity; in non-essentials, diversity; and in all things charity.” 
Many believe that J.I. Packer, born in 1926, will be remembered as the principal theologian of the 21st Century.  Packer and Baxter each had the same puritan passion for knowing truth, seeing it as our first duty. Both represent the best of Puritanism without being ‘puritanical’.  Baxter in the 17th century commented: “I never discover a Truth in my studies, but it is as sweet to my mind as a feast to my body…I spend my time, and strength and spirits in almost nothing but studying after Truth.”  Many people nowadays dismiss theology as non-essential ivory-tower speculation. We live in an anti-rationalist culture that worships one’s feelings and denies any objective truth.  Both men believed that the mind actually mattered, that reason and thinking were gifts from God that helped us discern truth.  Their love for truth gave them a respect for the arts, sciences, history, as well as theology.  In Baxter’s day, theology was seen as the Queen of the sciences.
For both men, knowing God with our head and heart was essential. It is not enough to just know about God academically.  Baxter held that “he is the best scholar who hath the readiest passage from the ear to the brain, but he is the best Christian who hath the readiest passage from the brain to the heart.”   Dr J.I. Packer also warned against “hardness of heart and cynicism of the head.”  Being heavenly-minded for Baxter and Packer is the key to making the most lasting impact on planet Earth.
Recognized by Time Magazine as one of the twenty-five most influential evangelicals, Dr Packer is best known for his most popular book Knowing God.  In reading Dr Packer’s doctoral thesis, I discovered that Packer’s Knowing God classic is an unpacking of the wisdom of Richard Baxter.
Jesus prayed in John 17:21 that we would be one as the Father and Son are one that the world may believe.  While Baxter and Packer were both ordained Anglican clergy, they had a deep love for the wider body of Christ.  That is part of the reason that Packer has served since 1979 at Regent College, a interdenominational college. Baxter called himself ‘a mere Christian’, expressing the truth that God’s people go beyond the bounds of any one denomination.  Both have shown us that unity in the Essentials of the Gospel is essential to reach the world for Christ, such as the creed, the Lord’s Prayer, and the Ten Commandments.  Are we willing to repent over our division and arguments over non-essentials?  We can all agree to the full deity and humanity of Jesus, his virgin birth, his death for our sins, his physically rising from the grave.  By contrast, the precise way that we baptize, celebrate communion, organize our church leadership, or sing worship songs are not essentials worth splitting over.  Both men knew that not every Christian congregation has to be exactly the same, as sameness crushes creativity and spiritual intimacy.
After the heart-rending English civil war of 1647, Baxter felt called to be a peacemaker.  All his writings sought to promote “in all things, charity (love).”   As Packer put it, Baxter “meddled much with Controversies...to end them.” It was Baxter’s respect for truth that kept him from ‘undignified wrangling’.  Even though he was often banned from preaching and forced out of town, Baxter stayed gracious and Christ-centered.  Both Packer and Baxter have been deeply charitable and humble in times of great controversy. While neither liked controversy, both had the courage to take a stand for gospel truth when waves of conflict occurred. Even when recently needing to say no to false teachers, Packer spoke the truth in love.  He never became vindictive and negative. At age 93, he is finishing well, staying focused on the goodness of the gospel essentials.
Our prayer is that in this COVID-19 pandemic, that we like these brave Christian men, Baxter and Packer, might rediscover what is essential, how to celebrate diversity, and the urgency of charitable love in all circumstances.

Rev.  Dr. Ed and Janice Hird
Co-author, Blue Sky novel
-published in the June 2020 Light Magazine
-Readers are invited to read the first two Academia.edu articles of the JI Packer & Richard Baxter Trilogy:
1) Analyzing the Global Impact of Dr. J.I. Packer
2) An Evaluation of Richard & Margaret Baxter’s Lasting Contribution in 17th Century England

Richard & Margaret Baxter: the Fire of Love in Difficult times -HIRD

By Rev. Dr. Ed and Janice Hird

-an article published in the May 2020 Light Magazine

In 1665, Richard and Margaret Baxter survived the Black Plague in London where 15% of Londoners perished that summer.  King Charles II and most wealthy people fled London.  The poor people were not allowed to leave.  Only a small number of London pastors and doctors remained to cope with the overwhelming onslaught.  Plague houses, quarantined by guards for 40 days, were marked with a red cross on the door with the words ‘Lord Have Mercy Upon Us”. Richard commented: “The sense of approaching death so awakened both preachers and hearers, that multitudes of young men and others were converted to true repentance.”

Richard and Margaret, who had only been married three years earlier, were a powerful team caring for the sick and leading many to Christ.  As a confirmed bachelor, 47-year-old Richard had surprised many by marrying Margaret who was twenty years younger than him.  Because of his dedication to renewing the Anglican Church, he, along with 2000 other Anglican clergy, were ejected from their churches and forbidden to preach within ten miles of a local town.  As the 17^th Century’ most visible pastor, Richard had been leading a spiritual revival in Kidderminster with his 800-strong congregation of weavers.  Margaret, as an upper-class dilletante, was an unlikely convert.  Richard observed that she had in her youth been tempted to doubt the life to come and the truth of the Scripture.  Margaret didn’t think much of Baxter or the people of Kidderminster, merely attending church to humour her godly mother.  But God reached her and changed her life.  As a new Christian, she almost died from tuberculosis, but the humble weavers prayed and fasted for her.  God heard their prayers, giving her a miraculous recovery. 

As a wealthy heiress, Margaret loved to serve the poor and invest in her husband’s ministry to the lost.  In a neglected part of London, she founded a free school where poor children were taught and learned about Jesus.  In one rented facility, over 800 gathered to hear Richard preach. Suddenly the building began to collapse. Margaret ran outside, immediately hiring a carpenter to put an extra support in the building so that the congregants would not die.  It worked.  The memory of this near disaster left Margaret with nightmares.  She was both very fearful and very courageous simultaneously.  Her father, Francis Charlton, Esquire, was a wealthy leading justice of the peace.  One of the traumas of her early childhood was the demolition of her home Apley Castle by Royalist troops in 1644, during the Civil War.  Men were killed right in front of five year old Margaret. Three times more, Margaret faced death, leaving her with PTSD symptoms for the rest of her life.

Her husband, Richard, was often fined and then sent to jail for preaching the gospel.  When Richard was thrown in prison, she cheerfully joined him there, bringing her own bedding.  After building a church building for her husband, jealous neighbours had the visiting minister arrested, thinking that they had captured her husband.  After being forced ten miles out of town in 1669 for preaching the gospel, the Baxters had to live in a dilapidated farm where “the coal smoke so filled the room that we were even suffocated with the stink. And she had ever a great constriction of the lungs that could not bear smoke or closeness.”

The Baxters entered marriage with their eyes open.  Packer commented: “Vividly aware of each other’s faults, they loved each other just the same, ever thankful for having each other and ever eager to give to each other.”  Marriage for them was more about spiritually maturing than getting their own way. Richard commented “If God calls you to a married life, expect…trouble…and make particular preparation for each temptation, cross, and duty which you must expect.  Think not that you are entering into a state of mere [pure and unmixed] delight, lest it prove but a fool’s paradise to them.”

Richard wrote 168 books, many after his ejection from the Kidderminster pulpit. Even though Baxter’s books were largely forgotten after the Great Eviction of 1662, they were later rediscovered by John Wesley, William Wilberforce, and most recently by Dr. JI Packer.  Margaret, who spoke her mind, informed her husband that he should have written less books, spending more time writing each book.  She also told him that because of his prolific writing and extensive ministry, he was not spending enough time in secret prayer with her.  Margaret was a passionate prayer warrior who often out-prayed her academic husband.

Richard, who suffered from chronic pain in his later years, regretted how it sometimes affected his temper and communicativeness around Margaret.  He was convinced from age 20 that he would not be long for this life. So, he preached “as a dying man to dying men.”  Baxter’s physical ailments included “a tubercular cough; frequent nosebleeds and bleeding from his finger-ends; migraine headaches; inflamed eyes; all kinds of digestive disorders; kidney stones and gallstones.” Because Margaret was very sensitive to loud noise, Richard worked hard to modify his sometimes, hasty way of speaking. He greatly loved and admired Margaret, saying that she was “a woman of extraordinary acuteness of wit, solidity, and judgment, incredible prudence and sagacity and sincere devotedness to God, and unusual strict obedience to him...”

In their nineteenth year of marriage, Margaret took a turn for the worse and died.  The bloodletting by doctors had only hastened her demise.  Richard was heartbroken.  As part of his grieving process, he wrote a book Breviate about his dear wife.

J.I. Packer believes that Baxter’s book (renamed Grief Sanctified) can transform our marriages in the 21^st century.  The Baxter’s marriage represented a commitment to covenant relationship that brings a course-correction to our self-indulgent culture.  Richard, in grieving the loss of Margaret, focused on the goodness of God in time of tragedy. Rather than being resentful and bitter he was grateful for the time that God graciously gave him with his wife. They show us how to make it till death do us part.  God used the fire of the Baxters’ love to transform many lives for eternity. May we too, in this difficult time of COVID-19, trust that the fire of God’s love will strengthen and revive our families and marriages.

Rev. Dr. Ed and Janice Hird

Co-authors, Blue Sky novel