A well written biography that explores the life and theology of evangelicalism's most influential Christians of the twentieth century.

Familiar with a few of his works, mainly Knowing God, I embraced this opportunity to learn more about the man who has been and influential figure for so many years. This book tells of his early years and his calling to serve in theological academia, as well as takes the time to explore his more defining interpretations throughout his life. I think that I was surprised to learn that his passing was more recent than I had previously believed, and thought that tit was amazing how the author had been able to sit down and talk with him before his passing.

There are probably more in depth books out there, but I think that this book's relatively shorter length and concise style is a strength. Hitting the highlights of his impact throughout his career, as well as his takes on a Biblically conservative view-respectful of tradition but willing to improve as well.

A wonderful read, that left me feeling more educated about J. I. Packer's life and beliefs.


I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Alister McGrath is known for his excellent biographical skills. He has not disappointed us! This book is an excellent account of the life, ministry and theology of J.I Packer. Packer is a giant of a man, his impact on modern day reformed evangelicals is incalculable. One cannot talk about our age without talking about J.I Packer. McGrath helps us see this man for who he truly was and be encouraged by this great example.

f you are interested in the life of Packer, please pick up this short yet all-encompassing biography. I found this book very encouraging! Highly recommended!

J. I. Packer His Life and Thought by Alister McGrath – Learn about this influential Christian Thinker


Following the death of J. I. Packer in 2020, I was interested in reading J. I. Packer His Life and Thought by Alister McGrath. I wanted to know more about this well-respected man who had impacted Christians through his writing, most notably through Knowing God.

This book is not your typical biography, instead, the author focused on J. I. Packer’s Christian faith, theology, writing, and influence within the Christian community. I appreciated learning about what was happening within Christianity during Packer’s life and career and his commitment to the authority of Scripture and defense of the faith.

My favorite part of this book was learning how J. I. Packer came to faith in Jesus Christ and seeing God’s hand direct this young man and use him as a strong defender of the Christian faith. I would have liked to hear more about the personal aspects of Packer’s life and have a fuller picture of this man of God.

If your faith walk has been influenced by J. I. Packer’s writing, or you would like to learn more about this man who influenced Christian thinking during his lifetime and beyond, I encourage you to read J. I. Packer His Life and Through by Alister McGrath.

I would like to thank InterVarsity Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read a complimentary copy of J. I. Packer His Life and Thought by Alister McGrath. I was under no obligation to give a favorable review.

An excellent and thorough book on Packer's life. I enjoyed how McGrath crafted this biography, and I really really enjoyed learning about the life of J.I. Packer. I truly didn't know much about Packer, other than some of his influential books. Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to read and review this book!

This was an interesting book. I enjoyed learning about J.I.’s journey to becoming a Christian and how his theology developed.

I will say this wasn’t what I was expecting though. It really was more of a biography then anything else. I guess I should have read the backcover copy better.

It was still interesting just not what I was expecting. You want to learn more about this strong believer you will enjoy this read.


A copy of this book was given to me through Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

J.I. Packer’s passing was one of the great losses of 2020. If you are looking for a short primer on his life and works, but aren’t quite ready for a full biography, *J.I. Packer: His Life and Thought* by Alister McGrath is the perfect book for you. McGrath does an excellent job of alternating short biographical sketches with what Packer was working on at the time and the impact it had on the church.

McGrath points out in the introduction that many think of Packer as a North American theologian and don’t know much about his impact on evangelicalism in the United Kingdom. He writes:

> This book focuses on Packer’s origins, education and ministry in the United Kingdom, which were an essential part of his formation as a Christian and as a theologian.

McGrath begins with the quintessential Packer origin story. Packer was apparently always a bookish child, but a childhood accident that prevented him from being able to roughhouse made him even more so, which really set the course of his life.

The book follows Packer through key moments and phases in his life. McGrath zooms in on important time periods, like Packer coming to faith and stumbling upon the Puritans when he needed a practical theological framework. He goes into detail around the writing of Packer’s important works and some of the controversies that he dealt with. And then he zooms back out to summarize periods of teaching and serving in ministry.

As the title suggests, McGrath weaves chapters between the biographical narrative to explain Packer’s theological thoughts. McGrath includes just enough details to keep the narrative flow of the book, while also giving a taste of Packer’s theology and writing. And then he brings right back into the biographical narrative. As previously mentioned, the book focuses on his time and work in the UK, while only spending a few chapters at the end to summarize his popular time in North America.

*J.I. Packer: His Life and Thought* made me want to read more Packer. In just a short book, it made it clear that Packer had a deep love for the practical aspect of theology. It wasn’t just abstractions and theory to him. He wanted to know how to live out his faith in a deep way, and that’s what he studied, taught, and wrote about.

He also had a love for the local church and people. He knew very earlier that he wasn’t being called to just academics. He was to serve God’s people as a “theological educator.” Throughout his career in the UK, he was always concerned with teaching “how to do theology,” rather than just giving people the final product. Even into his retirement years, Packer emphasized the churches need to rediscover the “lost art of catechesis.”

Packer states:

> Christians who know their faith, can explain it to enquirers and sustain it against skeptics, and can put it to work in evangelism, church fellowship, and the many forms of service to God and man for which circumstances call.

*J.I. Packer: His Life and Thought* packs a lot into a short read. You can’t help love Packer’s humble desire to help people know God and live out their faith in practical ways. It’s a great introduction into his work. You can get a copy here.

To many Christians around the world, he is known as the author of the bestselling book, "Knowing God." To North American evangelicals, he is known as the Puritan evangelical from England. To students at Tyndale, he was remembered as the theologian who impacted their ministry and preaching. For those in Regent College, he was their beloved professor, a friend of Regent's co-founder, James Houston, a scholar who is passionate about equipping the layperson for ministry. For budding authors, he was always willing to contribute a preface, a foreword, or a brief commendation about a book waiting to be published. In a richly informative and inspirational biography of Dr James Innell Packer, Oxford scholar Alister McGrath has written a beautiful tribute. It is a story of the life of a man that simply needs to be told, for the benefit of anyone considering ministry or theological education. In it, McGrath gives us wonderful snippets of Packer's life and most interestingly, some of Packer's most famous quips. His reminder about the value of old books as well as the three ways to engage tradition with theological reflection is worth the price of the book.
Going all the way back to November 1991, McGrath remembers meeting Dr Packer in a bus from Oxford to Cambridge. From that point on, he would take mental notes of the life, spirituality, and wisdom of the learned man. Reading this book reminds me that Packer is more than what the popular magazines or newspapers write about him. We learn about how his mentor, David Gwynn Williams, stirred his theological career. We read about his love for learning and his appetite for classical literature as well as spirituality writings from prominent writers like John Calvin, Martin Luther, George Whitefield, CS Lewis, the Puritans like John Owen, etc. Readers also get a glimpse of his early years prior to conversion and his conversion experience. Through his life, we also learn about the value of old books, and the importance of supplementing our regular reading not only with the latest bestselling books but the old ones, especially the classics. Packer is thoroughly convinced about the value of old books and wisdom of the past. Not only has he developed a penchant to read the old classics regularly, the emphasizes this practice for those he meet, especially his students.

For those preparing for ministry, Packer's decision to be ordained should be an inspiration to follow after 1 Timothy 3:1. He decided on pursuing the ordination path as early as 1946 and was eventually ordained in 1952. McGrath skillfully interspersed Packer's journey through ministry and marriage, education and achievements, and more succinctly the desire of one man to excel in serving God as a theological educator. Packer is a minister, a teacher, and a reader, all rolled into one. As McGrath traces Packer's life chronologically, he carefully weaves together how Packer's personal life and his spirituality. There is no doubt that Packer lets his conviction in the Word of God drives his entire lifestyle. From Gloucester to Oxford; from Oxford to Birmingham; Bristol to Vancouver; Packer's calling to ministry is essentially an integration among Church Ministry, Theological Education, and the Equipping of the saints. He reads old books and encourages others to do the same. He lives in the Word. He teaches the Word and he practices it. Many of his themes and teachings were published in his bestselling book, "Knowing God."

McGrath also gives readers a deeper understanding of the struggles of Packer. When Packer was Principal of Tyndale Hall in Bristol, his support for dialogue and a "Growing into Union" with Anglo-Catholics led to the parting of ways with evangelical preacher, Dr Martyn Lloyd-Jones. Packer's openness to working with the Roman Catholic counterparts also puts him at odds with the conservative evangelicals in North America. Meanwhile, the ongoing discussion of mergers among struggling theological colleges led to a blessing in disguise for Packer, who found time to write his international bestseller, Knowing God.

My Thoughts
For the general reader, many would be interested to know the contexts leading up to the writing of the popular book, Knowing God. Many had came to Regent College on the strength of this book, just to learn under the teachings of Packer. Mention J.I. Packer and people would think of Regent. Mention Regent and many would remember Packer. This marriage helps propel Regent College into one of the most well-known evangelical colleges in North America, and arguably the world. For conservatives in general, Packer is well respected and honoured. For those extra more conservative, Packer is not "conservative" enough. For example, while Packer was willing to engage dialogue with Catholics, he is not so willing to compromise on his stand regarding the ordination of women.

For students who had sat under his teachings, they would remember Packer fondly for his personal touch, especially through the community group meetings at their home. Packer is also one of the most consistent presence as a professor at Regent, teaching regularly even after his retirement in 1996. He continues to minister at Church, regularly teaching Bible classes or preaching over the pulpit. He remains to faithful to both Church and School. As a past student, I missed Dr Packer and his gentle, clear, and wise teachings. I can reminisce those moments that he would either share an inspirational thought from the Puritans, or a gentle answer to some of the mysteries of the faith. Being asked a lot of questions, Packer is one who is patient to answer all. However, if a student manages to ask a great question, it would unleash Packer who would then launch into an entirely different lecture in itself. That would give students a fantastic two-in-one deal!

I really enjoyed reading this biography. It brings back lots of memories about my past days as a student at Regent, especially when I was listening to the Packer lectures. McGrath gives a lot more background about how Packer cultivates his spiritual thoughts and the contexts in which Packer develops his theological views. One does not need to agree with everything Packer stands for. What we would all agree would be Packer's faithfulness to the teaching of the Bible, and his eminent achievements as one of the world's most foremost evangelical thinkers and teachers.

This book should be required reading for anyone contemplating ministry and theological education.

Alister McGrath (DPhil, DD, Oxford University) is the Andreas Idreos Professor of Science and Religion at Oxford University and fellow of Harris Manchester College, Oxford.

Rating: 5 stars of 5.

conrade
This book has been provided courtesy of InterVarsity Press and NetGalley without requiring a positive review. All opinions offered above are mine unless otherwise stated or implied.

If you want to know about Packer, this is the book for you. Before reading this book, I was only familiar with his theology and didn't know anything about his life, but McGrath does a great job painting the picture of Packer.