For many evangelicals today J. I. Packer is a household name. His best-selling Knowing God is a classic of evangelical spirituality. Through his popular writings, Packer -- perhaps more than any other evangelical writer of his generation -- has drawn ordinary people into a deepened understanding of their faith and its spiritual riches. But many who are acquainted with Packer are unaware of the true scope of his writings and his engagement with theological issues of the past fifty years.The J. I. Packer Collection is the single best introduction to Packer's thought, as well as a remarkably comprehensive introduction to evangelical theology in the Reformed vein. Readers will be struck by Packer's uncanny ability to penetrate to the heart of an issue, the crystalline clarity of his writing, the breadth of his learning and the warmth of his devotion. He is truly one of the great evangelical theologians of our time.
Each of the sixteen hand-picked essays in this collection is introduced by Alister McGrath, a leading evangelical theologian in his own right and author of Packer's biography. Spanning the years 1954-1998, these essays cover a full breadth of topics, many of them recognized landmarks in the past five decades of evangelical theology in the English-speaking world.
Alister Edgar McGrath is a Christian theologian and apologist, who holds both a PhD (in molecular biophysics) and an earned Doctor of Divinity degree from Oxford. He is noted for his work in historical, systematic and scientific theology. He was formerly an atheist.
In his writing and public speaking, he promotes "scientific theology" and opposes antireligionism. McGrath was until recently Professor of Historical Theology at the University of Oxford, but has now taken up the chair of Theology, Religion and Culture at King's College London since September 2008. Until 2005, he was principal of Wycliffe Hall.
McGrath is a prolific writer. His work often refers both to the early Church Fathers and to contemporary evangelical stalwarts such as Thomas Torrance and J. I. Packer. His areas of expertise include doctrine, Church history, the interaction of science and faith, and evangelical spirituality.
In 2005 he resigned as Principal of Wycliffe Hall, whilst remaining President of the Oxford Centre for Christian Apologetics which was based there.
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