Comments on: Infallible J.I. Packer

By: Chris Brady

Chris Brady — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 17:20:42 +0000

I assume Packer is referring to the process of redaction that most scholars assume occurred with the composition of most biblical books. Most clearly seen in the Pentateuch, we also find it in the Deuteronomic History and so on…

By: Sue

Sue — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 21:20:45 +0000

I started off more or less in agreement with the majority, lead by the clergy and Packer. But eventually I was able to see the whole thing in context and I was uncomfortable with it.

I especially wonder if you could comment on Packer’s phrase “preparing the material for publication” Is he refering to some aspect of scribal practice?

By: Lee McCardle

Lee McCardle — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 16:10:47 +0000

Inerrancy and jots and tittles are small potatoes when compared to the huge work of re-interpreting holy writ to meet the needs of each new generation. I yam what I yam!

By: Chris Brady

Chris Brady — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 14:04:29 +0000

Does the Roman Catholic church not follow Jerome’s teaching, as cited in the Book of Common Prayer (ECUSA)?

And the other Books (as Hierome saith) the Church doth read for example of life and instruction of manners; but yet doth it not apply them to establish any doctrine;

The implication of Jerome’s statement, it seems to me, is that the Deuterocanon/Apocrypha are not viewed as having the same level of inspiration/authority.

By: Chris Brady

Chris Brady — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 14:01:40 +0000

Sue you are certainly closer to the matters, far closer, than am I. Thank you for sharing your insight.

By: Sue

Sue — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 04:16:21 +0000

I chose to leave the congregation. I was all too aware that Packer’s criticism of the TNIV and the translators of the TNIV was not grounded on fact. I was uncomfortable with that.

In addition, the Anglican Church of Canada had ordained women since 1976, which was long before Packer came to Canada and came to this congregation. For the last 15 years, Packer and the leadership of this church has held a view which was in contradistinction to the Anglican Church of Canada.

It was during my observation of Packer’s leadership in the split from the ACC, that I decided that I no longer wanted to be a part of the evangelical movement as defined by Packer.

By: Drew Tatusko

Drew Tatusko — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 14:14:04 +0000

i have always thought that it’s a big semantic leap to go from infallible to inerrant to inspired, but when push comes to shove it does end up into the inspired category. you cannot have an infallible text without an infallible editorial process or else you are simply lying to suggest that the text is infallible when we know from all evidence that it is surely not.

i suspect that if you push packer to revise the former statement in terms of the latter it would get confusing which raises your question. why do we not include the didache, why do other inerrantists not include intertestamental literature as most christians in the world do. why not include the first letter of clement which clearly predates other canonized material? and so on…