What defines the Church of England? Are the Thirty-nine Articles of any relevance today?Anglicanism, according to Jim Packer, possesses "the truest, wisest and potentially richest heritage in all Christendom" with the Thirty-nine Articles at its heart. They catch the substance and spirit of biblical Christianity superbly well, and also provide and excellent model of how to confess the faith in a divided Christendom. In this Latimer Study, Packer aims to show how the sixteenth century Articles should be viewed in the twenty-first century, and how they can enrich the faith of Anglicans in general and of Anglican evangelicals in particular. He demonstrates why the Articles must once again be given a voice within the church, not merely as an historical curiosity but an authoritative doctrinal statement. A thought-provoking appendix by Roger Beckwith offers seventeen Supplementary Articles, addressing theological issues which have come into prominence since the original Articles were composed.
This booklet, first published more than twenty years ago, remains much in demand and as timely as ever. It has proved on of the most popular and enduring Latimer Studies, and is now issued in a second edition.
Jim Packer is Board of Governors' Professor of Theology at Regent College, Vancouver. Amongst his many best-selling books are 'Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God' (1961), 'Knowing God' (1973), 'Keep in Step with the Spirit' (1984), and 'Among God's Giants' (1991).
Roger Beckwith was librarian and warden of Latimer House, Oxford, for more than thirty years. His recent books include 'Elders in Every City' (2003) and 'Calendar, Chronology and Worship' (2005).