and lectured widely in Great Britain, America and Canada. He is well known by his writings, among which are: Knowing God, 1973; God's Words, 1982; Hot Tub Religion, 1987; and Rediscovering Holiness, 1992. He is a Senior Editor and Visiting Scholar of Christianity Today and is currently working on a number of books.

CBL:As you can see, Dr. Packer, we are concerned about the crisis of Biblical illiteracy in the Church and society today. How would you estimate, or evaluate this condition? Do you see a problem?

Packer:I certainly think there is a problem. In our churches there is little emphasis on the importance of getting to know your Bible. Whatever else people do in between church services, they don't "soak" themselves in the Bible in order to get to know it well. I think it gets worse year by year; that is people are reading the Bible less and less as each year passes.

CBL:.Where would you put the blame for this problem? Is it in the ministry, the seminaries, the congregation?

Packer:I hesitate to allocate the blame specifically on one group alone. But I would start by saying Christian parents simply haven't stressed to their children the importance of the Bible being their favorite book. That's where it starts. Then, in the churches I'd blame pastors who are not stressing the fact that if you are to be a Christian, you should, as I like to say, have the Bible 'running out of your ears'. Most people only read a certain number of verses for some devotional thoughts, not to know what the book is actually saying.
And then I'd blame modern culture which aggressively distracts the people from becoming really literate in anything, not just the Bible. It is partly due to modern life being filled with so many things, you know, but also the attitude that you can get by in this world with only a smattering of knowledge about anything. As Christians, we are to be different than the world around us. In particular, we are to attain a fuller knowledge of the Word of God, whereas the world around us hasn't got a fuller knowledge of anything.

CBL:It is not difficult for us to diagnose the real problem of Biblical illiteracy in our modern culture. Do you have any recommendations as prescriptions for a cure?

Packer:The idea of a fuller knowledge simply doesn't register in the minds of a majority of believers. Comprehensive Bible study is difficult to start today. It draws a negative reaction. Yet, it is so very important that all of the books of Scripture, particularly all of the books of New Testament, are meant to be read as units.
The epistles of Paul, for instance, are actual letters written personally to

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