meta_pixel
Tapesearch Logo
Log in
Quick to Listen

J.I. Packer’s Mission Field: the United States

Quick to Listen

Christianity Today

Religion, Christianity, Religion & Spirituality

4.3622 Ratings

🗓️ 22 July 2020

⏱️ 55 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Transcribed highlights of the show can be found in our episode summaries. Despite the fact that the widely esteemed theologian J. I. Packer never lived in the United States, the theologian greatly influenced American evangelicals. One key way this transpired occurred through Packer’s longstanding relationship with Christianity Today. Packer’s first piece—a lengthy article on the opportunity and challenges for evangelicalism—was published in 1958. After the publication of his best-known work, Knowing God, he became contributing editor at Christianity Today in 1983 and then senior editor in 1985. He continued to serve the magazine in similar roles for the next three decades. In 1992, he wrote about how he envisaged his relationship with the publication: One role of CT, which is a features-news-and-thought journal anchored in the historic faith, is to keep you posted, one way and another, on the theological front. I suppose I should see myself as a kind of point man for this purpose. But most of all, I want to be a plumber and sewage man, as I said when I started, and most of all, I want CT always to be showing how head and heart should be joining in mature discipleship today. Head-without-heart journals and heart-without-head journals make for misshapen and underdeveloped Christians. It is important that we should find and follow the better way. Timothy George, distinguished professor of divinity at Beeson Divinity School, was a contemporary of Packer’s at CT.  “I would say his role at CT was a mentor to the whole enterprise, especially to all the editors,” said George. “For me and others that worked with him constantly in those days, we respected him and looked to him as someone who was a pioneer in the very thing that we were giving our lives to.” George joined global media manager Morgan Lee and editorial director Ted Olsen to discuss Packer’s CT legacy, the controversy he sparked over his convictions of the Bible’s inerrancy, and who is following in his footsteps today.  Take Quick to Listen’s survey! Read our JI Packer coverage What is Quick to Listen? Read more Rate Quick to Listen on Apple Podcasts Follow the podcast on Twitter Follow our hosts on Twitter: Morgan Lee and Ted Olsen Music by Sweeps Quick to Listen is produced by Morgan Lee and Matt Linder The transcript is edited by Bunmi Ishola Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0

This episode is brought to you in part by The Apologetics Guy Show, the podcast that helps you find clear answers to tough questions about Christianity.

0:11.1

Learn to explain your faith with courage and compassion.

0:14.5

Join Moody Bible Institute professor Dr. Mikhail del Rosario at Apologeticsky.com.

0:21.9

Last Friday, the widely esteemed evangelical theologian, J.I. Packard, died at age 93.

0:29.1

As a young man, the future English, Christian thinker, and leader was educated to Oxford,

0:34.0

where he heard lectures from C.S. Lewis, though the two were never personally acquainted.

0:39.3

Over the course of his ministry, he moved from the UK to Canada and served us various times as

0:44.0

pastor, professor, author, and speaker. Despite the fact he never lived in the United States,

0:49.5

Packer greatly influenced American evangelicals. One key way as transp transpired, occurred through Packer's long-standing

0:55.7

relationship with Christianity Today. He wrote a lengthy article in the opportunity and challenges

1:00.5

for evangelicalism in one of its first issues in 1958. This was as he was publishing his landmark

1:06.5

book Fundamentalism and the Word of God. After the publication of his best-known work, knowing God,

1:12.3

he became a contributing editor at Christianity Today in 1983,

1:16.0

and then senior editor in 1985.

1:18.7

He continued to serve the magazine in similar roles for the next three decades.

1:23.0

In 1982, he wrote about how he envisioned his relationship with the publication.

1:27.2

One role of CT, which is Features, news, and thought journal anchored in the historic faith,

1:32.3

is to keep you posted one way and another on the theological front.

1:36.3

I suppose I should see myself as a kind of point person for this purpose.

1:40.3

But most of all, I want to be a plumber and sewage man, as I said when I started, and most of all, I want C.T.

1:45.6

always to be showing how head and heart should be joining a mature discipleship today.

1:50.4

Head without heart journals and heart without head journals make for misshapen and underdeveloped Christians.

...

Please login to see the full transcript.

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from Christianity Today, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of Christianity Today and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.

Copyright © Tapesearch 2025.