A few notes on Mr. (Rev. Dr. Prof.) James I. Packer’s "Prefatory" notes (1977) on Mr. (Rev. Dr. Prof.) W. H. Griffith Thomas’ Principles of Religion: An Introduction to the Thirty-nine Articles.
Mr. Thomas’ manuscript was developed but unpublished at Mr. Thomas’ death in 1924. It was published posthumously by Mr. (Rev. Canon) Dyson Hague of Wycliffe College, University of Toronto.
Thomas, W. H. Griffith Thomas. The Principles of Theology: An Introduction to the Thirty-nine Articles (7th Ed.) Philadelphia, PA: PTS Series of The Reformed Episcopal Church, 1996. We’re quite delighted to point you to “another publisher” other than PTS-REC group so that the profits might go to them, to wit, to Wifp and Stock. That, rather than them, is available at: http://www.amazon.com/
Mr. Packer notes that Mr. Thomas served parishes at St. Aldgate’s, Oxford and St. Paul’s, Portman Square, London. He served as a Professor of Systematic Theology and as a Principal at Wycliffe Hall, Oxford. He served as a Principal of Wycliffe College, University of Toronto.
Mr. Dyson Hague says of Mr. Thomas:
“The late Dr. Griffith Thomas was remarkable as a teacher and leader. His outstanding characteristic was clearness and forcefulness…singular conciseness of order and method. From his early days at King’s College, London and Christ Church, Oxford, he lived a life of the most strenuous industry and was ever the prodigious toiler….” His volume was “almost an Anglican encyclopedia.”
We now cull a “few gems” directly from Mr. Packer’s "Prefatory" comments in 1977 along with our musings:
• Mr. Thomas’ volume was a “regular textbook on the Articles in evangelical Anglican theological colleges; and it holds its place as the most thorough historical exposition of the Anglican confessional basis that has ever been produced. As such, it stands by merit alongside Hardwick’s History of the Articles, itself more than a century old.”
Based on the above, we ask Mr. Packer, who still uses Mr. Thomas? And, while watching all the Anglican “hand-wringing" over the words “confessional” and denials of the word "confessional," do Anglicans really “confess” these Articles? Or, Mr. Hardwick, where’s he been? Or, what American seminary uses this volume? Sewanee? General? Nashotah House? This much: Mr. Packer is high and approving of Mr. Thomas’ volume. Ever seen any articles or references to Mr. Thomas over at Virtue's hothouse?
• Mr. Packer notes this comparison: “Hardwick, goaded by Newman’s sleight-of-hand with the Articles, offers specialist research; Thomas’s 250,000 terse words…exact thought at maximum comprehension…displays `the essential Anglican doctrine’…he excludes any request for originality.”
We ask Mr. Packer, who, pray tell, believes that the Articles express “essential Anglican doctrine?” Did Misters Duncan, Iker, Ackerman and Sutton get this memo?
If Packer believes this, he must be out of sorts with the American leaders? And what ACNAer will talk “openly” of “Newman’s sleight-of-hand?” This much, the historians do.
We would add that Mr. Hardwick is available at: Hardwick, Charles. A History of the Articles of Religion: To which is Added a Series of Documents from A.D. 1536 to A.D. 1615. No location: BiblioBizarre, 2009. Available at: http://www.amazon.com/
• Mr. Packer then goes on glowingly: “The Principles of Theology may be said to have rounded off a four-hundred year era of Protestant Anglicanism…it addressed Rome’s Trojan horse in the Church of England…to vindicate historic Protestantism as authentically Anglicanism.”
We engage Mr. Packer again. Sir, did you say “Protestant Anglicanism?” Mr. Packer, is that not an oxymoron according to 20th-21st century Western Anglicans? What will the Nashotah House denizens, graduates, and men like Mister Iker and Ackerman say to this issue of “Protestant Anglicanism?” And your use of the term “Roman Trojan horse?” Will Mr. (ABP) Duncan say this to Misters (Bps.) Iker and Ackerman? Agents of the "Roman virus?" "Roman Trojan horses?" Did you really write this? Or, did some crypto-Protestant assistant furtively slip this into your manuscript? Do you still stand by this?
• Mr. Packer then speaks of a cadre of men in Mr. Thomas’ league and of similar sentiments and skills: William Goode (worth reading). George Cornelius Gorham (whom Bp. Philpott of Exeter tried to “gore”), T.P. Boultbee, T.S.L. Vogan, Nathaniel Dimock, E.A. Litton, Henry Wace, Handy C.G. Moule, J.T. Tomlinson, W. Prescott Upton, and Charles Sydney Carter. Litton’s Introduction to Dogmatics (1882, 1892, 1912) and Boultbee’s Commentary on the Thirty-nine Articles: Forming an Introduction to the Theology of the Church of England (1871, 5th edition of 1880) was replaced by Mr. Thomas’ volume.
We would add: Boultbee is available at: Boultbee, T.P. A Commentary on the Thirty-Nine Articles: Forming an Introduction to the Theology of the Church of England. Eugene, OR: Wipf & Stock Publication, 2005. Available at: http://www.amazon.com/
For Litton, see below.
• And now for this “gem:” “The whole corpus of anti-Tractarian writing stands behind the Principles of Theology…”
And, Mr. Packer, have you buried the hatchet with the Tractarians? What say you, Sir? Word on the street says you've buried that hatchet?
• Or, “…the Protestant Evangelical tradition…”
Mr. Packer, and what the heck is this? There you go again with those swear words.
• “Thomas wrote his Protestant exposition of basic Christianity, Prayer Book style, and he called it The Catholic Faith.”
Mr. Packer, there you go again, using that swear word “Protestant.” Tell the Continuers this, would you. Or, Mr. Duncan.
Mr. Packer, are you saying that Protestant Anglicans are Catholics? No, it cannot be!
• Mr. Thomas’ Principals is the “theological Rock of Gibraltar.”
• Mr. Thomas displaced Litton’s and H.C.G. Moule’s Outlines of Christian Doctrine (1889, 1919). We would add availability at: http://www.amazon.com/
• Mr. Packer says, “The Articles retain their place as the Anglican Confession…”
Mr. Packer, in what Western Anglican body is this claimed? Perhaps, in Kenya or Nigeria, but the UK, US, or Canada? Perhaps in Sydney, in pockets, but where else? Or, is this a “wish” only? Nonetheless, Sir, you have made your point and it is noted.
To provide a round-up and summary, we would say that Mr. Packer’s recent volume on the Thirty-nine Articles expresses his general lamentation that no one really takes them seriously or confessionally anymore.
Mr. Packer's jeremiad and lamentation is available.
Packer,
James I. and Beckwith, R.T. The
Thirty-nine Articles: Their Place and Use Today. Vancouver, BC,
Canada: Regent College Publishing,
2007. Available at: http://www.amazon.com/The-Thirty-nine-Articles-Their-Place/dp/1573834130/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1377144118&sr=8-1&keywords=Thirty-nine+Articles
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