27
July 2011 A.D. Anglican
Churchman and Pastor, Mr. (Rev.Dr.) John Stott, dies.
The Rev. Dr. James Innes Packer
Preaches the Memorial Service, 5 Aug 2011, in Vancouver for the Rev. Dr. John
Stott, Due for Burial 8 Aug 2011 from All Souls, London
This sermon was preached as a
memorial service for the late Rev. Dr. John R. W. Stott (April 27, 1921 - July
27, 2011). The Rev. Canon Dr. James I.
Packer preached.
A scholarly Anglican, Dr. Packer, who
knew Dr. Stott for years, offered his sage insights.
As an aside, a digression, even the
New York Times eulogized Dr. Stott as an honorable Evangelical Anglican rather
than an “Evangelical Blowhard” [read: American evangelical] See. http://reformationanglicanism.blogspot.com/2011/07/nyts-kristoff-on-rev-mr-john-stott.html
Part 1 of 3 from Dr. Packer’s sermon:
The biblical text: Hebrews 13:7-8. Over 3 parts, the sermon is almost 34
minutes.
The youtube post is dated 5 Aug
2011. It was posted by the Anglican
Network Church of the Good Shepherd, Vancouver, BC, Canada. This parish is in the Anglican Network in
Canada, a split-off from the liberal Anglican Church of Canada.
Two quick take-ways from Part 1.
A side note, in the Anglican
tradition, Dr. Packer is vested as an Anglican in cassock, surplice and stole
with a clerical collar…standard vestments for centuries. As such, we are
reminded of our Anglican heritage.
Architecturally, the pulpit is to the left, again, a consciousness of
our great past when order and decency was prescribed for worship and
music. Dr. Packer speaks with careful
measure and thought—no enthusiasm. No
crudity or enthusiasms like American blowhards. We are thankful for
deliberative, cautious and common sense
exposition. While insignificant to most,
given American enthusiasm, these minor side notes represent long bridges to the
wider matters of Anglicanism with deep taproots deep in history and common
sense.
On a different and superior note than
the above, important as it is, Dr. Packer offers a worthy exegetical and
expository on the biblical text…a commendable interplay between the biblical
text and Dr. Stott’s life. May this
style and approach never be forgotten.
Faithful Anglican Churchmen are a Bible-people. Our thoughts are
registered at: http://reformationanglicanism.blogspot.com/2011/08/getting-oriented-to-bible-reading-and.html. Some excellent
comments are offered by Dr. Packer on the intransigency of liberalism, pride and
obstinacy of unbelief in the mainline churches.
We are long acquainted with it.
In context, as Dr. Packer informs us, Dr. Stott stood as a faithful
witness in the liberal Anglican context.
As such, Dr. Stott reminded us of our great Bible heritage. An Anglican heritage…of standing in
theological storms like Cranmer, Ridley, Hooper, Rogers, Bilney, Coverdale and
others.
Dr. Stott advocated for serious
worship that was not sloppy or casual.
Little might Dr. Stott have known in modern America with the
moderns. Dr. Stott lived a life of quiet
discipline. Dr. Stott was constant in
Bible study, prayer, self-discipline, love, patience, and the extension of
encouragement to others. Dr. Stott spent
25 years in the pastorate at All Souls, Langham, resulting in well-trained
parishioners as well as salutary influences in the Church of England. We are not sure to what degree Dr. Stott advocated
old Prayer Book Churchmanship, but this is an aside.
Dr. Packer calls Dr. Stott an
“unconsecrated Bishop” with world-wide influence in the Anglican communion as
well as the wider, non-Confessional,
Revivalist and non-liturgical evangelical world [Ed. “American” sense of
evangelical, e.g. Billy Graham, Anabaptists, Christianity Today] .
Dr. Stott influenced, by turns,
GAFCON 2008, an international gathering of Anglican Bishops, and the coming to
life of Confessional Anglicanism. The
fruits of GAFCON remain to be seen. We do
notice an uptick of interest in the Protestant and Reformation Articles, the Thirty-nine Articles of Religion. Dr. Stott had an “enlarged vision of the
Church.” Dr. Packer calls auditors to
“pick up the torch” and “carry on” what John began. We concur.
1. We list some resources on the Rev.
Dr. John Stott (1921-2011) whose recent passing has invoked numerous
comments. (Put in Memorial service URL
here after that’s posted)
2. 50th Anniversary of John
Stott's “Basic Christianity” is explored at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pzoWx534yGE
Takeways:
a.
“Basic Christianity” began as an
evangelistic set of lectures at Cambridge University, his alma mater. The book is quite basic. So basic, for this scribe, that it was
quickly read and dismissed. After all,
Dad gave me Hodge’s 3-volume Systematic Theology and Berkhof’s Systematic
Theology at age 18, gently commending 10 pages per day with 10 chapters from
the OT and 10 chapters from the NT for daily reading, atop my science major in
university.
b.
Dr. Stott published 50 volumes with
Inter-varsity Press.
c.
True to Anglican Churchmanship, Dr.
Stott wore a “dog collar,” or, the Anglican collar. We understand that in his later ministry, he
merely wore a suit, no collar and no vestments.
d.
Dr. Stott and Dr. Packer influenced
evangelicalism.
e.
The “Brits,” like Dr. Stott and Dr.
Packer, advocated careful thinking.
3. John Stott on "When I Feel Most Alive” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MDPqw-LAuaU&feature=related
a.
Take-aways:
b.
“I feel most alive in worship.”
c.
Dr. Stott speaks “Prayer Book language” from the
Holy Communion, a language that informed his worship.
d.
“THEREFORE with Angels and Archangels, and with all the company of
heaven, we laud and magnify thy glorious Name; evermore praising thee, and
saying,
e.
“HOLY,
HOLY, HOLY, Lord God of, hosts, Heaven and earth are full of thy glory: Glory be to thee, O Lord Most High.
Amen.”
f.
Given the widespread worship disorders,
we wish that Dr. Stott might have been known for advocacy of old school Prayer
Book worship, doctrine, and piety…pointing to better ways for the
in-disciplined and indecorous elements in evangelical enthusiasm.
4. The London Institute for Contemporary
Christian is site with a wealth of information on Dr. Stott—with an
introduction, tribute, biography, “remembrance book,” resources, and “John
Stott Memorial Website” (hosted by Langham Partnership). http://www.licc.org.uk/tribute
5. Dr. Stott’s funeral will be held at
All Souls Church in Langham Place on 8 Aug 2011 at 1215 P.M.. http://www.allsouls.org/Publisher/Article.aspx?ID=273577
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