J.I. Packer: A Life Devoted to the Glory of God

"I think I can boil it down to four words: Glorify Christ every way." — J.I. Packer's final message to the church

A Shepherd's Heart in a Scholar's Mind

In the myriad of twentieth-century evangelical leaders, few figures cast as long and luminous a shadow as James Innell Packer. Known affectionately as "J.I." to friends and admirers worldwide, this gentle giant of the faith embodied a rare combination of intellectual rigor and pastoral warmth, theological precision and spiritual devotion. His life stands as a testament to what God can accomplish through a heart wholly surrendered to Christ and a mind consecrated to the service of His truth.

From his humble beginnings in a small English village to his final days as a revered elder statesman of the global church, Packer's journey was marked by an unwavering commitment to the ancient paths of biblical orthodoxy and the pursuit of genuine godliness. He was, in every sense, a modern-day Puritan—a man who sought to wed the deepest theological insights with the most practical expressions of Christian living.

Providential Foundations (1926-1944)

The story of J.I. Packer begins on July 22, 1926, in the village of Twyning, near Gloucester, England. Born into a lower-middle-class family of nominal Anglican faith, young James entered a world where religious observance was more cultural habit than heart conviction. His parents, Percy and Dorothy Packer, attended church regularly but spoke little of personal faith in their home, creating an environment where Christianity was present but not passionate.

Yet even in this modest setting, the hand of divine providence was at work, preparing a vessel for extraordinary service. When James was seven years old, an incident occurred that would profoundly shape his destiny. While fleeing a schoolyard bully, he ran into the street and was struck by a bread delivery van, suffering a severe head injury that left a permanent dent in his forehead and required emergency surgery. This traumatic event, which could have ended his life, instead became the means by which God began to set him apart.

Forbidden from vigorous physical activity during his long recovery, young Packer turned increasingly to books and writing. What seemed like a limitation became liberation—liberation into the world of ideas and words that would become his lifelong domain. His parents, perhaps sensing their son's intellectual gifts, gave him an old Oliver typewriter for his eleventh birthday. Though initially disappointed (he had hoped for a bicycle), this typewriter became what he would later call "his best present and most treasured possession," the instrument through which he would eventually bless millions.

Even as a youth, Packer displayed the quiet thoughtfulness and scholarly disposition that would characterize his entire ministry. He excelled academically, winning a scholarship to The Crypt School in Gloucester—the same institution where George Whitefield had studied two centuries earlier. Though Packer was not yet converted, God was clearly preparing him for future service, allowing him to walk the same halls where one of history's great evangelists had received his education.

During his teenage years, spiritual stirrings began to manifest in young Packer's heart. He read C.S. Lewis's The Screwtape Letters and Mere Christianity, works that helped crystallize a basic Christian worldview in his mind, though true conversion remained elusive. At fourteen, he underwent Anglican confirmation without understanding the gospel, having "never heard about conversion or saving faith" in his church. Yet God was drawing him, preparing his heart for the decisive moment that lay ahead.

The Great Awakening (1944-1952)

In 1944, eighteen-year-old Packer arrived at Oxford University's Corpus Christi College, describing himself as an "awkward, shy, intellectual oddball" carrying a single suitcase. He had come to study classics, but God had arranged for him to receive something infinitely more valuable—eternal life.

Just three weeks into his first term, on October 22, 1944, Packer attended an evangelistic service at St. Aldate's Church in Oxford. The sermon initially left him bored, but as the preacher described what it meant to truly know Christ, conviction seized Packer's heart. When the congregation sang "Just As I Am," this young scholar responded by committing his life to Jesus Christ in repentance and faith. Remarkably, he stood only yards from the spot where George Whitefield had been converted in 1735—a poetic reminder of the continuity of God's grace across the centuries.

This conversion experience transformed Packer's life entirely, giving him not only assurance of salvation but a clear sense of calling to Christian ministry. He immediately immersed himself in the vibrant Christian fellowship at Oxford, joining the Oxford Inter-Collegiate Christian Union and devoting himself to Scripture, prayer, and evangelism.

Providence arranged another life-changing encounter just weeks after his conversion. When an aging clergyman donated a library of Puritan writings to the Christian Union, Packer—already known as a "bookworm"—was asked to help sort the volumes. In that musty basement, he made a discovery that would shape his theology for life: an unopened set of the complete works of John Owen, the great seventeenth-century Puritan theologian.

Packer "devoured" Owen's treatises on The Mortification of Sin and On Indwelling Sin, finding in these works a depth of spiritual insight that liberated him from the shallow "victorious life" teachings popular at the time. The Puritans' Scripture-soaked understanding of sin and sanctification provided answers to questions that had frustrated him as a new believer. "I owe more, I think, to John Owen than to any other theologian," Packer would later reflect.

This encounter with Puritan theology marked what Packer called "a major watershed in his spiritual development." From that point forward, he embraced the robust, grace-driven spirituality of the Puritans, considering himself "a latter-day Puritan" who aimed to wed scholarship with personal piety just as they had done.

The Making of a Theologian (1952-1961)

After completing his Bachelor's degree in classics with first-class honors in 1948, Packer prepared for Anglican ministry at Wycliffe Hall, Oxford. He was ordained as a deacon in 1952 and as a priest in 1953, beginning his ministerial career as a curate at St. John's Church in Harborne, Birmingham—a working-class parish that instilled in him a lifelong love for ordinary church members and a conviction that theology must serve the souls of God's people, not merely academic circles.

During these formative years, Packer also completed his Doctor of Philosophy at Oxford, writing a 400-page dissertation on the theology of Puritan pastor Richard Baxter. This scholarly work, completed in 1954, demonstrated his growing mastery of historical theology and his particular expertise in Puritan thought.

That same year brought personal joy when Packer married Kit Mullett, a Welsh nurse whom he had met at a Christian conference. Their union, which would span over 65 years, exemplified the biblical ideal of Christian marriage and provided Packer with the stable foundation necessary for his far-reaching ministry.

The 1950s also brought Packer under the powerful influence of Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, whose Sunday evening preaching at Westminster Chapel, London, came with "the force of electric shock." Lloyd-Jones's preaching gave Packer a profound "sense of God" greater than any other human influence, and the two men developed a close friendship that led to their co-founding of the annual Puritan Conference in 1950—a gathering dedicated to studying and applying Puritan insights that they led together for nearly two decades.

The Emerging Voice (1958-1970)

In 1958, at the age of thirty-one, Packer published his first book, "Fundamentalism" and the Word of God, a bold defense of biblical authority against liberal theology. This work established him as a rising theological leader and became a "morale-boosting rallying cry" for evangelicals committed to the historic Protestant view of Scripture. The book's success—selling 20,000 copies in its first year—marked the beginning of Packer's career as one of the most influential theological writers of his generation.

From 1961 to 1970, Packer served as warden of Latimer House in Oxford, an evangelical Anglican study center he helped establish with John Stott. Latimer House became a "clearinghouse for evangelical interests in the Church of England," producing literature and research that strengthened the doctrinal backbone of Anglicanism and equipped many pastors to uphold Reformation theology in an increasingly liberal church environment.

During this period, Packer also wrote Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God (1961), a masterful treatment of the relationship between divine sovereignty and human responsibility in evangelism. This brief work became a modern classic, helping countless Christians understand that God's sovereignty fuels rather than hinders evangelistic efforts.

The Test of Friendship (1966)

Packer's commitment to evangelical unity within mixed denominations faced a severe test in October 1966, when his close friend Martyn Lloyd-Jones publicly urged evangelicals to separate from doctrinally compromised denominations. Though not present at the meeting where Lloyd-Jones made this call, Packer sided firmly with John Stott's opposing vision of staying within existing churches to renew them from within.

This disagreement led to the painful rupture of Packer's partnership with Lloyd-Jones, who subsequently removed Packer from leadership in their Puritan Conference. Despite the personal cost, Packer remained convinced that evangelical unity did not always demand separation, and that as long as the fundamental truths of the faith were not officially denied, working within existing structures could be more beneficial than schism.

Though this controversy brought great personal pain, it demonstrated Packer's principled commitment to what he believed was right, even when it cost him a treasured friendship. He continued to speak of Lloyd-Jones with the highest admiration, calling him "the greatest man I have ever known" while maintaining his own convictional stance.

The Masterwork: Knowing God (1973)

In 1973, Packer published what would become his signature work and arguably one of the most beloved Christian books of the twentieth century. Knowing God originated as a series of monthly magazine articles designed to guide readers in foundational truths about God's character. When compiled into book form, it gained worldwide acclaim, eventually selling over 1.5 million copies and profoundly shaping evangelical spirituality.

Knowing God exemplified Packer's genius for making profound theological truths accessible to ordinary believers. Christianity Today ranked it fifth on their list of "Top 50 books that have shaped evangelicals," noting that "Packer was magisterial in substance, but adopted the tone of a fellow traveler," convincing a generation that "the study of God is the most practical project anyone can engage in."

The book's central thesis—that many problems in the church stem from ignorance of God—resonated deeply with readers hungry for authentic spiritual depth. "Ignorance of God lies at the root of much of the church's weakness today," Packer wrote, proceeding to expound God's attributes in ways that led readers from knowing about God to truly knowing God personally.

Knowing God also demonstrated Packer's broader contribution of reuniting theology and doxology—truth and worship. He lamented that Christians too often discussed church programs or controversies while speaking "rarely of their daily experience of God." His book modeled a theology that led straight to awe and adoration, helping countless believers understand what it means to be God's adopted children.

The Steadfast Defender (1970s-1990s)

Throughout the 1970s and beyond, Packer continued to champion orthodox Christianity against various challenges. In 1978, he played an instrumental role in founding the International Council on Biblical Inerrancy, working alongside theologians like R.C. Sproul and Norman Geisler to defend a high view of Scripture. He was a key participant in the 1977 inerrancy summit and signed the landmark Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy.

Packer's commitment to "holding the line" for conservative evangelical doctrine extended to numerous other issues. Whether defending the reality of hell, the uniqueness of Christ, traditional sexual ethics, or the sanctity of life, he consistently upheld classical, Bible-based orthodoxy when it was challenged by modern trends. He was, as one observer noted, "a traditionalist who looked to the past for truth," finding in the "ancient paths" of Jeremiah 6:16 the guidance the church needed.

In 1990, Packer published A Quest for Godliness: The Puritan Vision of the Christian Life (titled Among God's Giants in the UK), a collection of essays that introduced modern readers to the devotional richness of Puritan theology. This work further cemented his reputation as the premier interpreter of these "Redwoods of the Christian faith" for contemporary evangelicals.

The Canadian Years and Continuing Influence (1979-2020)

In 1979, Packer moved to Vancouver, Canada, to join the faculty of Regent College as Professor of Theology. This international graduate school of Christian studies provided him with a platform to shape young pastors and scholars from around the globe, extending his influence through countless students who carried his theological vision to churches and ministries worldwide.

During his Canadian years, Packer faced another significant test of his convictions when the Anglican Church of Canada began moving toward the blessing of same-sex unions. In 2002, when his diocesan synod approved such ceremonies, Packer joined a dramatic walkout, declaring that the decision "falsifies the gospel" and abandons scriptural authority. This principled stand led to the suspension of his ministerial license for "violation of discipline"—essentially for upholding historic Christian morality.

In 2008, at the age of eighty-two, Packer and his congregation left the Anglican Church of Canada to help form the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA), a new orthodox Anglican denomination. Even in his advanced years, Packer devoted himself to developing a new catechism for the ACNA, seeing this as his "last crusade" for renewing systematic instruction in the faith.

The Bible Translator's Legacy

Near the end of his ministry, Packer undertook what he considered perhaps his most important contribution to the global church: serving as General Editor for the English Standard Version of the Bible. This translation project, completed in 2001, sought to combine accuracy with literary excellence. Packer not only guided the translation process but even suggested the ESV name.

Looking back on this work, Packer reflected that this Bible translation might be "the most important thing I ever did for the Kingdom." The ESV's widespread adoption by churches around the world means that Packer's influence continues to echo whenever Scripture is read in that translation.

The Character of a Saint

Those who knew Packer personally consistently testified that he embodied the Christian virtues he preached. Colleagues described him as remarkably humble, gracious, and unpretentious—"the classic example of a modest, Christian gentleman." Despite his towering intellect and international fame, he had a way of relating to common people, never losing the "common touch" from his working-class origins.

Packer's character was marked by joy and kindness. Friends recalled his "irrepressible smile" and hearty laugh that could "bring light to the most somber of meetings." Yet beneath his gentle demeanor lay deep spiritual seriousness. Those close to him saw "saintly character" with spirituality that ran deep, a man who truly practiced what he preached in prayer, patience, and love.

His devotional life remained consistent throughout his long ministry. Most remarkably, he read John Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress in its entirety every year of his Christian life until his eyesight failed—a practice that spoke to his love for classic Christian literature and his identification with the pilgrim journey of faith.

The Pastoral Theologian

Even while serving primarily as a theologian and professor, Packer never ceased to think like a pastor. In every teaching post, he involved himself in local church life, preaching and assisting congregations. He believed firmly in the importance of the parish and the pew, not just the classroom.

Packer often said his aim was "to do theology for the people of God," indicating that his scholarly work was ultimately in service of strengthening the church. He had little patience for academic pride or theological fads that confused the faithful. Instead, he helped Christians focus on what matters most: "the Bible, the church, correct theology, holiness in life, and vocation."

His pastoral heart shone through particularly in his later advocacy for catechesis—basic doctrinal training that would ensure ordinary believers were firmly rooted in the faith. He wanted every Christian, not just theologians, to grasp the richness of doctrine and the practices of godliness.

The Bridge Builder

Throughout his ministry, Packer demonstrated an remarkable ability to maintain firm convictions while building bridges across denominational lines. His participation in Evangelicals and Catholics Together in 1994, though controversial among some evangelical friends, exemplified his commitment to Christian unity grounded in shared core truths.

This irenic spirit, combined with his theological depth, made him a unifying figure across the evangelical spectrum. He was simultaneously Reformed yet warm, scholarly yet accessible, convictional yet charitable. John Piper aptly described him as "bold, yet balanced... a man of conviction and cooperation" who "fought for orthodoxy, with gentleness and patience."

The Final Chapter (2016-2020)

Packer's final years were marked by physical decline faced with characteristic grace. In 2016, advanced macular degeneration robbed him of his eyesight, forcing him to stop traveling and speaking publicly. Ever the servant, he accepted this providence with simple faith: "God knows what he's doing."

Even when he could no longer read, Packer continued serving through any means available, having his wife Kit read manuscripts aloud so he could offer final input on projects. His last major contribution was the Anglican catechism To Be a Christian, published in 2017 as a legacy gift to the church he had served so faithfully.

On July 17, 2020, just five days before his 94th birthday, James Innell Packer went home to be with the Lord he had served so devotedly. He died peacefully in Vancouver, with his beloved wife by his side, ready to meet the Savior he had spent a lifetime helping others to know.

The Enduring Legacy

Packer left the church a rich legacy that continues to shape believers globally. His books remain in wide circulation, with Knowing God continuing to introduce new generations to the depth and joy of classical Christian faith. Through his writings, "Packer's life still stands as a tribute to the power of the written word," demonstrating how faithful publishing can influence millions for Christ.

His role in Bible translation ensures that whenever Scripture is read in the ESV, Packer's influence echoes. The Anglican catechism he labored on continues to disciple believers in the growing ACNA and beyond. Countless pastors, theologians, and missionaries who studied under him or read his works carry forward his theological vision.

Perhaps most importantly, Packer's life provides a model of holiness and humility for future generations. In an age when Christian leaders sometimes stumble into pride or scandal, his example shines as one of integrity, consistency, and Christ-centeredness. He demonstrated that one can be deeply convictional while remaining genuinely charitable, that profound scholarship can walk hand-in-hand with childlike faith.

The Final Word

When asked near the end of his life how he wanted to be remembered, Packer characteristically deflected attention from himself to his Savior. He wished to be remembered simply as "a voice"—"a voice that focused on the authority of the Bible, the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the wonder of His substitutionary sacrifice... a voice calling Christian people to holiness and challenging lapses in moral standards."

Shortly before his death, when asked for a final message to the church, Packer distilled his life's teaching into four profound words: "Glorify Christ every way." These words, now etched in the memory of those who heard them, encapsulate his hagiographic legacy.

J.I. Packer glorified Christ with his mind by writing and teaching truth. He glorified Christ with his heart by loving the Savior and pursuing holiness. He glorified Christ with his life by serving the church selflessly for nearly seventy years. And now, having joined the "great cloud of witnesses," his life continues to point others to the Savior he adored.

In remembering J.I. Packer, the global church gives thanks to God for this faithful servant—a man who truly "knew God" and spent his life making Him known. His legacy stands as proof that a life wholly surrendered to Christ, however humble its beginnings, can touch eternity and bless countless souls across the world.

Soli Deo Gloria.

END NOTES

• Leland Ryken, J. I. Packer: An Evangelical Life (Wheaton: Crossway, 2015).

• Alister McGrath, J. I. Packer: A Biography (Grand Rapids: Baker, 1997).

• Justin Taylor, “J. I. Packer (1926–2020),” The Gospel Coalition, July 17, 2020.

• Leland Ryken, “J. I. Packer, ‘Knowing God’ Author, Dies at 93,” Christianity Today, July 17, 2020.

• Timothy George (ed.), J. I. Packer and the Evangelical Future: The Impact of His Life and Thought (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2009).

• Sam Storms, Packer on the Christian Life: Knowing God in Christ, Walking by the Spirit (Wheaton: Crossway, 2015).

• “James Innell Packer,” Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, updated 2021.

• J. I. Packer, Knowing God (Downers Grove: IVP, 1973).

• J. I. Packer, Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God (Downers Grove: IVP, 1961).

• J. I. Packer, Concise Theology (Wheaton: Tyndale, 1993).