We’re honored to learn from Dr. Alister E. McGrath about his latest book on the life, theology and faith of J.I. Packer in this week’s podcast.
J. I. Packer was one of the most influential evangelical theological and spiritual writers of the twentieth century, best known for his classic work Knowing God. In the 1990s Christianity Today readers named him one of the most influential theologians of the twentieth century, second only to C. S. Lewis.
Dr. McGrath’s biography “J.I. Packer: His Life and Thought” focuses on J.I. Packer’s thinking on theology, spirituality and vocation to serve the church.
Alister McGrath is a scholar and writer who is presently the Andreas Idreos Professor of Science and Religion at Oxford University.
After initial work in the natural sciences, McGrath moved into the field of Christian theology. He is best known for his definitive and widely used textbooks on Christian theology and his authoritative biography of C. S. Lewis. As a former atheist, McGrath is fascinated by the interaction of faith, science, and atheism, and writes regularly on these themes.
You can subscribe or download this show on iTunes, Spotify, Google Podcasts or Stitcher. You can also subscribe to the video series on YouTube.
Here’s an overview of our conversation:
EP19: The Life & Faith of J.I. Packer
Alister E. McGrath discusses why he decided to write a biography on Packer’s life and faith and his process for telling his fascinating story. He discusses Packer’s thoughtful decision to teach at Regent College, why his book “Knowing God” became a bestseller and helped many Christians, why Packer loved reading the Puritan writers, his thoughts on theistic evolution, inspiration vs. inerrancy, why he signed the evangelical and catholics together document and his views on aging and losing sight due to macular degeneration.
Listen or download the full podcast here:
Video conversation:
Dr. Alister E. McGrath
Alister McGrath (DPhil, DD, Oxford University) is the Andreas Idreos Professor of Science and Religion at Oxford University and fellow of Harris Manchester College, Oxford. After initial academic work in the natural sciences, Alister turned to the study of theology and intellectual history, while occasionally becoming engaged in broader cultural debates about the rationality and relevance of the Christian faith. He is the author of many academic and theological works, as well as the international bestseller The Dawkins Delusion, the acclaimed C. S. Lewis—A Life and A Theory of Everything (That Matters).
