Reformed Churchmen

We are Confessional Calvinists and a Prayer Book Church-people. In 2012, we remembered the 350th anniversary of the 1662 Book of Common Prayer; also, we remembered the 450th anniversary of John Jewel's sober, scholarly, and Reformed "An Apology of the Church of England." In 2013, we remembered the publication of the "Heidelberg Catechism" and the influence of Reformed theologians in England, including Heinrich Bullinger's Decades. For 2014: Tyndale's NT translation. For 2015, John Roger, Rowland Taylor and Bishop John Hooper's martyrdom, burned at the stakes. Books of the month. December 2014: Alan Jacob's "Book of Common Prayer" at: http://www.amazon.com/Book-Common-Prayer-Biography-Religious/dp/0691154813/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1417814005&sr=8-1&keywords=jacobs+book+of+common+prayer. January 2015: A.F. Pollard's "Thomas Cranmer and the English Reformation: 1489-1556" at: http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Cranmer-English-Reformation-1489-1556/dp/1592448658/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1420055574&sr=8-1&keywords=A.F.+Pollard+Cranmer. February 2015: Jaspar Ridley's "Thomas Cranmer" at: http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Cranmer-Jasper-Ridley/dp/0198212879/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1422892154&sr=8-1&keywords=jasper+ridley+cranmer&pebp=1422892151110&peasin=198212879

Friday, July 24, 2009

Dr. James I. Packer at Oak Hill College, London

It was an excellent development that Dr. Packer was thrown--tossed--out of the Anglican Church of Canada. He was thrown overboard in heavy seas. Suffering for the faith brings out depths of faith that previously were weaker or less expressed.

He now has a "purple heart," but so do many of my friends in real life. I have one too.

He also discusses "schism" as Romanists called it during the Reformation; he draws a parallel to his minor problem in Canada. The comparison of division over homosexuality to the plethora of Reformation issues appears to have a whiff of narcissism. Tell me about Luther holed-up in Wartburg Castle or William Tyndale at the stake, but not Packer's witness about homosexuality or any comparison of his issues to our fallen Warriors of the past, e.g. the English Reformers. Sheesh!

Nothing of depth or significance is offered here.

An interesting sidenote is Packer's requirement that students exegete Ephesians from the Greek in preparation for service; he excellently challenges a believer to read Ephesians ten times in a row--during one sitting. This is commendable.

He reminds me of a skilled nuclear technician aboard a nuclear submarine (I served ten of them, "fast attack" boats) or aboard an aircraft carrier. Brilliant, a good Chief, a writer of manuals for the enlisted troops, but not a Field Commander (e.g. a USMC or Army General) or Fleet Admiral. His eye is not on the strategic level.

A strategic leader, we feel and fear, Jim is not--especially after signing ECT and given his editorship of and the downward drift of Christianity Today, which we call Christianity Adrift. Given his technical knowledge, he, of all people, should not have signed ECT or presided over the drifty CT.

James also has not been clear on Anglo-Papalism in worldwide Anglicanism; that has been nothing more and nothing less than allowing the Vatican into Canterbury. Again, no leadership.

An analysis of the generational sins of Anglicanism over 150-years is entirely lacking in this lecture, yet, the second commandment points us to generational sins that are judged and generational blessings that are offered. Without a ruthless, Biblical, Confessional and honest evaluation of Anglican failures...with repentance, we are not impressed.

We learn grand lessons here from Nehemiah 1.5-11, notably, who weepingly prayed, "...and confess the sins of the children of Israel which we have sinned against You. Both my father's house and I have sinned. We have acted very corruptly against You, and have not kept the commandments, the statues, nor the ordinances which You commanded Moses." [emphasis added] Nehemiah appeals to the transcendent and immanent God, LORD God of heaven, O great and awesome God..." (1.5)

For one who wrote Knowing God, James needs to come to terms with this publicly in terms of his leadership failures. There has been far too much praise of the Anglican "tradition" (and it is rich and I share it) and the pufferies about the Canterbury Trail for Anglican novitiates, but far too few--if any--summons to individual and corporate repentence for the Church of England and it's historic failures.

His comments on homosexuality are fitting. But his comments on Anglicanism appear to be an ad hoc and a recent phenomenon. There is a 150-year history of issues that need to be tabled, evaluated and fixed. We won't be hearing that from him

Having listened to the audio in full, we do not recommend wasting your time here. It's better spent reading the old masters; Jim is not one of those. We do not recommend James Packer's Knowing God despite its international popularity. It would be better to master Calvin's Institutes of the Christian Religion or, if an Anglican, read the Parker Society series.

The audio clip is at the following URL. There are seven parts to the lecture which you can see at:

http://www.oakhill.ac.uk/downloads/video/packer/index.html

The transcript of the lecture is at:

http://www.oakhill.ac.uk/downloads/video/packer/media/jim_packer_oak_hill.pdf

We refuse discouragement as sin. We look to our Majesty in life and death.

On a better note of Divine fidelity, Great is Thy Faithfulness. God's fidelity will forever inspire us to duty.

These brothers and sisters get at it with http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kabwrNk3JAQ

http://www.youtube. com/watch? v=zvkgz80C3_ 8&NR=1

Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father;
There is no shadow of turning with Thee;
Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not;
As Thou hast been, Thou forever will be.

Refrain

Great is Thy faithfulness!Great is Thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see.
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided;
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!

Summer and winter and springtime and harvest,
Sun, moon and stars in their courses above.
Join with all nature in manifold witness;
To Thy great faithfulness, mercy and love.

Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth
Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide;
Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,
Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!

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