Editing J. I. Packer (section)

==Theological views==
Packer held to the [[Soteriology|soteriological]] position known as [[Reformed Christianity|Calvinism]].<ref>{{Citation | last = Packer | type = book | title = Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God}}.</ref>

Packer had signed the ''[[Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy]]'', affirming the conservative evangelical position on [[biblical inerrancy]].<ref name=":0" />

On gender roles, Packer was a [[complementarianism|complementarian]] and served on the advisory board of the [[Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood]]. He thus subscribed to a view of gender roles such that a husband should lovingly lead, protect and provide for his wife and that a wife should joyfully affirm and submit to her husband's leadership. Complementarians also believe the Bible teaches that men are to bear primary responsibility to lead in the church and that as such only men should be elders.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.cbmw.org/Online-Books/Recovering-Biblical-Manhood-and-Womanhood/A-Vision-of-Biblical-Complementarity |title=A vision of biblical complementarity |access-date= 4 April 2017 |url-status=dead | publisher = CBMW |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20160303201037/http://www.cbmw.org/Online-Books/Recovering-Biblical-Manhood-and-Womanhood/A-Vision-of-Biblical-Complementarity |archive-date= 3 March 2016}}</ref><ref>{{Citation | title = Fifty crucial questions | work = CBMW | date = January 1992 | type = book | edition = online | url = http://www.cbmw.org/Online-Books/Fifty-Crucial-Questions/Fifty-Crucial-Questions}}.</ref> In 1991 Packer set forth his reasons for this in an influential yet controversial article called "Let's Stop Making Women Presbyters".<ref>''Christianity Today'', 11 February 1991.</ref>

Packer endorsed and supported books that have advocated for [[theistic evolution]],<ref>{{Citation | url = https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1854247468/ref=sib_rdr_dp | at = front cover | title = Creation or Evolution}}.</ref><ref>{{Citation | url = http://www.lionhudson.com/detail.php?product_id=2732639 | title = Reclaiming Genesis | first = Lion | last = Hudson | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100823070347/http://www.lionhudson.com/detail.php?product_id=2732639 | archive-date= 23 August 2010}}</ref> but also expressed caution towards the validity of evolution.<ref>{{Citation | url = http://www.sydneyanglicans.net/media/audio/creation_evolution_problems/ | type = talk | last = Packer | title = Evolution and creation problems | publisher = Sydney Anglicans | at = 19 min | access-date = 5 December 2009 | archive-date = 1 October 2009 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20091001162406/http://www.sydneyanglicans.net/media/audio/creation_evolution_problems/ | url-status = dead }}.</ref>

In recent years, he had supported the [[Christian ecumenism|ecumenical movement]], which drew criticism from other evangelicals. Specifically, Packer's involvement in the book ''[[Evangelicals and Catholics Together|Evangelicals and Catholics Together: Toward a Common Mission]]'' (ECT) was sharply criticised,<ref name=":4" /> but he defended ECT by arguing that believers should set aside denominational differences for the sake of winning converts to Christianity.<ref name=":4" />

Packer took the side of evangelical ecumenism in opposition to [[Martyn Lloyd-Jones]] in 1966, then co-authored a work with two [[Anglo-Catholicism|Anglo-Catholics]] in 1970 (''Growing into Union'') that many evangelicals felt conceded too much biblical ground on critical doctrinal issues.<ref name=":4" /> The publication of that work led to the formal break between Lloyd-Jones and Packer, bringing an end to the Puritan Conferences.<ref name=":4" />