J.I. Packer grows up

I've complained about the fluff 'n stuff, cotton candy diet of "Christian Living" books and sermons, where "it's all about me" seems to be the center of the faith. So I was surprised (or maybe not) to read this account of the early Christian walk and faith of 20th century giant, J.I. Packer.

"Having come to faith in my first term at Oxford, in 1944, I was nurtured in a fellowship where zeal for Christ and evangelism, and fortitude in face of criticism, were magnificently present, but where the operative theology was limited to a few Bible-based, surface-level ideas about God, Christ, the Holy Spirit, and personal faith and faithfulness. The accepted view of theological inquiry was that it was an unspiritual and dangerous distraction from the real demands of discipleship, unfruitfully muddling the mind and hardening the heart. In my foreword to Bruce Milne's fine little handbook of theology, Know the Truth, I recounted what a fool I made of myself by explaining to my college chaplain that theology (not bad theology, but theology as such) is poison to the soul. I was at that time a very young convert, naively regurgitating what those teaching me to love and serve my Lord had told me. Though I soon saw the stupidity of thus rubbishing theology and started profiting from the Puritans, who were theologians to their fingertips, I never realized how theologizing can sanctify the mind and heart and deepen one's doctrine, devotion, and doxology all together till I read the Institutes [Calvin] and found it happening to me as I followed Calvin's argumentation."

From Packer's account of the importance of Calvin's Institutes in his faith walk found in Indelible Ink; 22 prominent Christian leaders discuss the books that shape their faith, Scott Larsen, ed., Waterbrook Press, 2003, p. 81. This title is in the UALC library of The Church at Mill Run (although not at the moment, since I have it checked out).

Easy listening

This morning I checked a CD out of the church library called, "Listening to Luther," published by Concordia Publishing House, $14.99. It is delightful. I recommend it for your public library, church library, or your personal library. I wasn't confirmed in the Lutheran Church, so I didn't have the privilege of using Luther's Small Catechism, until a few years ago when it was used in one of our adult classes. We joined our congregation (formerly ALC, now ELCA) in 1976 and the catechism book we used was a mish-mash, rewrite with trendy 70s illustrations and photos. What a waste when we could have used the real thing!

Product Description
A wonderful devotional or personal study aid, this recording includes the Six Chief Parts from Luther's Small Catechism, Daily Prayers, Table of Duties, and the Christian Questions with Their Answers and the six catechetical hymns by Martin Luther. Also included is Luther's hymn, "Lord, Keep Us Steadfast in Your Word."

A 12-page booklet explains the history of the Small Catechism and Luther's hymns, and lists complete text for all hymns.

Written by Martin Luther in 1529 in question and answer format, the Small Catechism explores Six Chief Parts of Christian Doctrine: The Ten Commandments, the Apostles’ Creed, the Lord’s Prayer, the Sacrament of Holy Baptism, Confession, and the Sacrament of the Altar. Also included are daily prayers, a table of duties for Christians in their various callings in life, and a guide for Christians to use as they prepare to receive Holy Communion. Luther intended the catechism to be a prayer book for individuals and families and a powerful tool for the Christian life because it provides a brief, clear summary of God’s Word on the essentials of the Christian faith.