For sometime now I've been interested in Anglican theology but was slow
to investigate my interest. So when the opportunity to review
The Heritage of Anglican Theology
by J. I. Packer appeared, I jumped at the chance. Who better to explore
and explain the history of the Anglican church than by J.I. Packer?
Almost immediately I was drawn into the web of Anglican history, the
good and the bad, the ebb and flow, and the main players down through
time. Beginning in the early 1500's, Packer takes us all the way through
today's current standing in the Anglican church. As with any
theological persuasion or denomination, there is both the bad and the
good, the mainstream and the fringe, the conservative and the liberal.
Theology and worship, true worship of God, can be messy and so it was in
Anglican history.
The writing style was most pleasant; an easy read. Complex terms and
ideas are explained for the unfamiliar with Anglicanism. Of course, the
worship of God, church history, and theology never operate in a vacuum.
When, and it was often necessary, British history, culture, and politics
are explained. Though this was a work on Anglican history, Packer
always explained the correct method of worship and Biblical
understanding.
To get a flavor of of the book, below is a list of chapter titles
1 Taking the Measure of the Anglican Mainstream
2 The English Reformation
3 Puritan Theology
4 Richard Hooker
5 The Caroline Divines
6 Rational Divinity
7 Revival Theology
8 The Oxford Movement and Anglo-Catholicism
9 Nineteenth-Century Broad Church Theology
10 Anglican Modernism
11 Early Twentieth-Century Anglican Theology
12 Concluding Thoughts on Anglican Theology
Afterword: Further Thoughts on the Anglican Concept of Doctrine
Recommended Reading
Index
Overall the reader will get a thorough understanding of the state of Anglicanism both past and present.
I would give this five out of five stars! Excellent book. I enjoyed it thoroughly.
For more on Packer's theological thought check out his work, Knowing God.
Crossway has graciously provided a copy of this book. Thoughts and opinions are my own. There are paid links on this page.