“Hey James–I like your hat,” declared Henry Clifford as he sauntered up to the smaller boy on the playground.
James’ heart began to pound.
“I need a hat,” Henry continued, and the bully reached for it.
James dodged and began to run. Unfortunately, the direction away from Henry took him toward the street. James didn’t see the bread truck coming; parked cars blocked his vision. Neither did the driver see the boy.
James crashed into the vehicle with his head, denting his forehead like an eggshell hit with a spoon.
The surgeon warned James’ parents before attempting to remove bone fragments. “Prepare yourselves; there’s a strong possibility of brain damage.”
But the boy surprised everyone, sustaining no loss of function.
James endured three weeks in the hospital, followed by six months of recuperation at home.
He was fitted with an aluminum plate to wear over the wound, held in place with an elastic band. The doctor told him his head would remain dented, and he’d need to wear the protective head-gear for the rest of his life.
Of course, sports were out of the question, and as James grew up in the village of Twyning, England, he became increasingly withdrawn. He spent his leisure hours reading and writing stories.
James had always loved books; his mother taught him how to read before he started school. He especially enjoyed Agatha Christie. The year of the accident, 1933, James read all nine mysteries she’d written thus far. He was seven years old.
At age eleven, James balked at his parents’ continued protectiveness. Granted, he couldn’t play sports, but couldn’t he at least ride a bicycle? All the other boys his age had them. And why wear the protective plate (which generated plenty of teasing) if he couldn’t do anything anyway?
James was sure his arguments would win his parents over. The morning of his birthday he expected to come downstairs to shiny chrome spokes and gleaming Whizzer Maroon fenders.
Instead, sitting atop the dining room table was a second-hand typewriter. James’ mother stood in the kitchen doorway, a pained expression on her face.
“Please understand, son. If you injured yourself again, it could be even more serious. We just can’t take that chance.”
James’ father helped him heft the machine to his room where curiosity soon got the better of him. He began to type one of his stories[1]. And . . .
“It proved to be his best present and the most treasured possession of his boyhood”[2].
At age fifteen James refused to wear the protective head-gear any longer. If he was injured again, so be it.
James excelled in school and won a scholarship to Oxford University.
One evening he attended a church service nearby. Though James had read C. S. Lewis’ Mere Christianity and The Screwtape Letters, James realized he didn’t know Jesus. At the speaker’s invitation, he went forward to ask Christ into his life.
After graduation James taught at a college in London, but after two years, felt the need of further education and returned to Oxford.
James earned his master’s degree and was ordained deacon in the Church of England. He also wrote his first published article for the Evangelical Quarterly.
In 1954 James earned his doctorate from Oxford and married Kit Mullett, a nurse he’d met two years before. They would subsequently adopt three children.
Over the next twenty-five years James served in academic positions at three colleges, including Oxford, and as superintendent of an evangelical research center.
Always he was writing–publishing essays, articles, pamphlets, and dozens of books.
In the 1960s an editor asked James to write articles for Evangelical Magazine. He wrote 720 of them over the next five years. Some of those articles became his most popular book, published in 1973, with more than a million and half copies sold.
James and Kit relocated to Vancouver, Canada in 1979, for James to teach at Regent College. The next year James became senior editor of the magazine, Christianity Today while still maintaining his position at Regent.
Regent College today. Photo by Ken McAllister.
In 1997, Crossway Books invited James to serve as general editor of The English Standard Bible, published in 2001. He felt this was the most important work of his life.
Upon James’ death in 2020, “readers of Christianity Today identified him as second only to C. S. Lewis among the most influential theological writers of the twentieth century”[3]. No doubt many of them had read that best seller, Knowing God.
And the influence they spoke of surely began to take root with that typewriter James hadn’t wanted.
But look what God did for J. I. (James Innell) Packer. Look what God did through him.
https://www.azquotes.com/author/17128-J_I_Packer
(Keep scrolling, please–important news below!)
[1] This story based on fact. Our pastor shared a brief version last Sunday; curiosity led me to learn more. See https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/justin-taylor/j-i-packers-11th-birthday-the-tale-of-the-bicycle-and-the-typewriter/
[2] Alister McGrath, J. I. Packer: A Biography, 6.
[3] https://www.samstorms.org/enjoying-god-blog/post/the-life-of-j-i-packer–1926-2020-
Additional source: https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/justin-taylor/j-i-packer-1926-2020/
Image credits: http://www.wallpaperflare.com; http://www.flickr.com (3); http://www.wallpaper.com; http://www.commons.wikimedia.org; http://www.azquotes.com.
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Thanks so much, Nancy, for introducing us to James Packer and recounting his many achievements for the Lord in spite of ( or, perhaps because of) his accident in early childhood. What an amazing man and Christian he was. I hadn’t realized until you wrote about it here that he founded Christianity Today. Wow! Blessings!
I didn’t know J. I. Packer’s backstory either, Martha, but am thankful to say I know about him now. God used him to impact countless lives! Btw, Billy Graham is the one who founded Christianity Today magazine in 1956. Packer became senior editor in 1980.
Thanks for clarifying that fact for me, Nancy. Billy Graham was, and still is, a giant as is his son, Franklin.
You’re welcome, Martha. I agree–Billy Graham was a stellar example to us all. And what God has done and continues to do through Franklin Graham amazes me!
Wow! Nancy this is so awesome. What an amazing story. He is one of our pastor’s favorites though I’ve yet to read him, I’m ashamed to say. I will now! Thank you for your wonderful articles.
Deb
You’re welcome, Deborah. I’m so glad you enjoy these mini-biographies. Knowing God is a worthy read–he was a wise, discerning, and articulate writer. Though it’s been a number of years since I read it, the notes I took are still in my files.
Thank you for introducing me to J. I. Packer. His story is captivating. It’s a good example of how God uses chllenges in our lives to point us in the right direction. 🙂
Exactly, Nancy. Our Heavenly Father is so good to do that! From now on when things unfold in disappointing ways, I want my first thought to be: Maybe this is a typewriter-moment! That should help turn discontent into hope.
Good idea! 😁👍
Inspirational and encouraging story of how God can take challenges and difficulties and turn them into positive results.
So glad you found inspiration and encouragement from Packer’s story, Cathy. I did too!
Thank you for sharing this amazing story! I have read “Knowing God” and so thankful for this man!
I’d never heard or read Packer’s story either. It was a pleasure learning about him this week. As for Knowing God, it’s a modern classic for a reason! So much wisdom. I read it years ago; ‘still have the notes I took. ‘Need to pull out those notes and review them!
Your story of J.I. Packer reminds me that God wastes nothing. His use of a head injury, the resulting inability to participate in sports, and his decision to write and study the Word of God have led to some very remarkable works of literature. I had no idea this was his story. His ministry in the lives of many through his writing is huge. Thanks for sharing this, Nancy. It reminds me that God’s goodness shines through all situations if I will wait and watch and see what God will do.
I too was unaware of Packer’s circumstances growing up. Your “point-of-the-story” summary is spot on. Praise God his goodness does indeed shine through all situations (Romans 8:28). When we get to heaven, we’re going to be super-surprised to learn what God did behind the scenes of history–even those events that appeared catastrophic to us.
What an amazing story! Thank you for sharing it, Nancy. Packer may be a hero of the faith, but God is the hero of this story, using a terrible circumstance for His own glory! To God be the glory–always.
I’m so glad you found Packer’s story to be meaningful. Indeed, GOD was the hero of his story! Thank you for adding that insight to the conversation, Linda!
What an amazing story of what God did with that unwanted gift. Beautiful, Nancy!
Thank you, Wynne. As mentioned in the first footnote, our pastor briefly told the typewriter-story in his sermon last Sunday. I wanted to know more, and the research became this post. My hunch was others would also appreciate the story!
Amazing back story for the author of one of my fav books
Would that favorite book be Knowing God? I read a church-library copy years ago; still have my notes, but not the book. There’s a reason why it continues to be a well-read volume, given Packer’s wisdom, insight, and practical application.
Yes
Nancy, what an inspiring story. I’ve been hearing more about J.I. Packer’s life and this biography sounds intriguing.
Thank you~
You’re welcome, Jody!
I fully expected this person to be revealed as somebody famous that most of us would recognize. But honestly, it’s more fulfilling to be reading and learning about J.I. for the first time. His life story is inspirational for that reason alone. Never seeking fame or fortune but instead a life with Christ as the foundation and giving back as the goal. It’s remarkable how the briefest turn of events becomes the beginning of a life with purpose.
You are so right about J. I. Packer, Dave–a humble man who never sought fame or fortune, just as you’ve said!
I never heard this story before and wow how God can use a twist of fate to lead us to just the right path. Amazing. Why am I always surprised? God is so good. Thanks for a great story!!!
“Why am I always surprised?” Indeed–I feel the same, Jean! Then again, amazement is a delightful emotion–I’m glad that even at my age I can still experience wonder and awe and what our God can do! So glad you enjoyed this story, my friend!
What a lovely story. Thanks for sharing it. A good true story was just the thing for me to read today. The way that God turns a tragedy into triumph is both encouraging and inspirational.
I agree–these kinds of stories uplift my spirit too!
Nancy,
I love James never gave up. We have so many excuses not to try. In Christ,
Gary
Gary Avants Forbear Productions * *garyavants66@gmail.com garyavants66@gmail.com
Perseverance is one of the traits that all heroes of the faith demonstrate!
I love your biographies that you research and share with us! Thank you so much for taking the time to do this. The stories are so impacting to me!
Thank you, Patty. I greatly enjoy doing the research and writing of these stories, so it works out well that folks like you enjoy reading them!
Nancy, I feel blessed to learn about the literary and faith journey of James Packer. Your narrative was an exciting read, as he is a new Christian voice to me. Quite a testament of God’s invisible grace at work.
I’m so glad you were blessed by James Packer’s story, Richard. His book, Knowing God, is a worthy read!