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To Be a Christian: An Anglican Catechism (Approved Edition) Hardcover – January 28, 2020
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Catechesis is an ancient practice of Christian disciple making that uses a simple question-and-answer format to instruct new believers and church members in the core beliefs of Christianity. To Be a Christian, by J. I. Packer and a team of other Anglican leaders, was written to renew this oft-forgotten tradition for today’s Christians. With over 360 questions and answers, plus Scripture references to support each teaching, this catechism covers the full range of Christian doctrine and life, drawing from the Apostles’ Creed, the Lord’s Prayer, the Ten Commandments, and other important doctrinal summaries. Clear, concise, and conversational, this resource was written for all believers who seek to be grounded more deeply in the truth of God’s Word.
- Print length160 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- PublisherCrossway
- Publication dateJanuary 28, 2020
- Dimensions5.38 x 0.63 x 7.5 inches
- ISBN-10143356677X
- ISBN-13978-1433566776
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From the Publisher
More Books by J. I. Packer from Crossway
J. I. Packer (1926–2020) served as the Board of Governors’ Professor of Theology at Regent College. He authored numerous books, including the classic Knowing God. Packer served as general editor for the English Standard Version Bible and as theological editor for the ESV Study Bible.
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| Customer Reviews |
4.5 out of 5 stars 588
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4.8 out of 5 stars 208
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4.7 out of 5 stars 159
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4.6 out of 5 stars 206
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4.8 out of 5 stars 100
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4.8 out of 5 stars 40
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| Price | $9.57$9.57 | $32.49$32.49 | $32.99$32.99 | $8.49$8.49 | $12.78$12.78 | $9.99$9.99 |
| Binding | Paperback | Hardcover w/ Jacket | Hardcover w/ Jacket | Paperback | Paperback | Paperback |
Editorial Reviews
Review
“Memorization has fallen on hard times. To Be a Christian rightly bucks that trend. Only stored treasures can be recollected, and so this Anglican catechism aims to teach the contents of the faith through 368 brief and memorable questions and answers. Centered on Christ from beginning to end, this catechism retrieves the ancient practice of teaching the Creed, the Lord’s Prayer, and the Ten Commandments. To Be a Christian should find its way into every Anglican church, home, and heart.”
―Hans Boersma, Chair, Order of St. Benedict Servants of Christ Endowed Professorship in Ascetical Theology, Nashotah House Theological Seminary
“At a time when it seems as though most of North American Christianity majors in the minors and minors in the majors, To Be a Christian revives the art of pedagogical Christian instruction by ‘speaking newly without speaking new things’ (St. Vincent of Lerins). Every evangelization movement needs a missional and educational witness, and any ecclesial enculturation that looks to remain relevant must aid believers and nonbelievers alike in grappling with a way of being Christian in the world today. To Be a Christian interconnects instruction and spirituality in a way reminiscent of the Christian monastic tradition and thus calls believers to make Christian spiritual belief and practice viable!”
―Emilio Alvarez, President, Institute for Paleo-Orthodox Christian Studies
“As our culture increasingly becomes less familiar with the basic story of Christianity, the need for catechetical resources can scarcely be overstated. To Be a Christian: An Anglican Catechism is a gift to the church. An astounding work of church unity, it brings together different parties and camps within Anglicanism around one clear yet broad teaching. It succinctly outlines essential Christian doctrine in an accessible and digestible way, and its Christological and Trinitarian focus guides us again and again to the center and source of our faith.”
―Tish Harrison Warren, Anglican Priest; Writer in Residence, Church of the Ascension, Pittsburgh; author, Liturgy of the Ordinary: Sacred Practices in Everyday Life
“With Anglican churches filling with people who know little about orthodox and Anglican thought and practice, we need catechesis more than ever. This catechism will help our churches learn and walk in the beautiful Anglican way of living in the triune God.”
―Gerald R. McDermott, Former Anglican Chair of Divinity, Beeson Divinity School
“Basic Christian instruction has seldom been more necessary than it is today, and this catechism provides a well-rounded foundation for Anglicans who want to acquire a good grasp of their faith and its implications. It will be of great value in parishes and will appeal to young and old alike.”
―Gerald Bray, Research Professor, Beeson Divinity School
“To Be a Christian is indeed an Anglican catechism and serves well the discipling task of this great, worldwide Christian communion. But it is also a gift to the entire church, presenting with elegance and clarity the rudiments of the historic Christian faith. May it have a very long shelf life and unbounded success!”
―Timothy George, Distinguished Professor of Divinity, Beeson Divinity School, Samford University; General Editor, Reformation Commentary on Scripture
“To Be a Christian is a Christ-centered catechism that communicates everything a disciple-in-the-making needs to know in order to become theologically literate and begin living out his or her citizenship of the gospel.”
―Kevin J. Vanhoozer, Research Professor of Systematic Theology, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School
“To Be a Christian is a true gift to today’s church. Robust catechesis is one of the most important practices we can retrieve from the early church as we navigate the complexities of discipleship and disciple-making today. This catechism offers a treasure trove of wisdom, deeply rooted and saturated in Scripture, informed by the understanding and practices of our historic faith, with an eye toward encouraging faithful Christian living in the present. With so many people asking questions about how to faithfully form disciples to live the Christian life, this rich resource can and should be used far and wide―from one-on-one discipleship relationships to small groups, Sunday schools, and college and seminary classrooms.”
―Kristen Deede Johnson, Dean and Vice President of Academic Affairs and Professor of Theology and Christian Formation, Western Theological Seminary
About the Author
J. I. Packer (1926–2020) served as the Board of Governors’ Professor of Theology at Regent College. He authored numerous books, including the classic bestseller Knowing God. Packer also served as general editor for the English Standard Version Bible and as theological editor for the ESV Study Bible.
Joel Scandrett (PhD, Drew University) serves as assistant professor of historical theology and director of the Robert E. Webber Center at Trinity School for Ministry.
Product details
- Publisher : Crossway
- Publication date : January 28, 2020
- Language : English
- Print length : 160 pages
- ISBN-10 : 143356677X
- ISBN-13 : 978-1433566776
- Item Weight : 2.31 pounds
- Dimensions : 5.38 x 0.63 x 7.5 inches
- Best Sellers Rank: #85,147 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #16 in Anglican Christianity (Books)
- #43 in Catechisms
- #1,661 in Christian Theology (Books)
- Customer Reviews:
About the author

J.I. Packer currently serves as the Board of Governors' Professor of Theology at Regent College in Vancouver, British Columbia. An ordained Anglican minister, he hold a D.Phil. from Oxford University. Dr. Packer's many published works include "Rediscovering Holiness, Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God," and the best-selling "Knowing God."
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- Reviewed in the United States on November 20, 2020Format: HardcoverVerified PurchaseIn all candor, I'm not Anglican nor Episcopalian. I'm a Presbyterian by conviction. But I did earn my doctorate at a conservative Episcopal/Anglican seminary in Pennsylvania (Trinity School for Ministry) and am fairly well versed on that tradition and many of its peculiarities. So I was pleased to open the pages of "To Be A Christian: An Anglican Catechism (Approved Edition)" and peruse fully the nicely bound 160 pages of this hardback. The print is easy on the eyes, and the content does good for the soul. A catechism is an ancient pattern of programmed questions and answers, and in the Christian setting, they are questions that systematically work through key areas with biblically shaped answers, which is exactly what happens in this volume.
After the front-matter (that includes an introduction by J.I. Packer), the catechism breaks out into four sections: beginning in Christ; believing in Christ; belonging to Christ; and becoming like Christ. I deeply appreciate the gospel-centeredness echoed in the section headings, and clearly laid out in the ensuing material. Each of the larger and smaller segments are peppered with ancient-but-contemporized prayers. There are explanatory introductions to each portion that guide the uniformed. And every answer has it's biblical roots listed. The ending substance includes supplemental prayers, a rite for admission of students to the study of the faith, creeds and a few other items. It is well crafted, and made to be used and reused for decades to come.
I admired the emphasis on our bodies being good and that because of Christ being risen from the dead physically, we are to anticipate our own physical resurrection. Also, the explanations of the Lord's Prayer are thoughtful, devotional and theological. Further, the way the Ten Commandments are handled is beautiful, not only looking at what is prohibited but also into what is promoted in God's Law. Finally, the compilers of the catechism have been very clear about the value of human life at every stage, the singularity of marriage between one man and one woman for life, and the beauty of celibate singleness. There is much to commend this work, even to non-Anglicans!
One of my main squabbles with the work is that it is very Anglican, even down to the point of including seven sacraments instead of only the two Christ directed. But in this regard, what else should I have expected? It says it is Anglican right on the cover! My other beef is that it is light on justification, and heavier on sanctification. These two doctrinal categories should have at least been balanced out more, especially defining what justification is and isn't. But at least it is Protestant in it's understanding of justification.
For all of my Anglican and Episcopal friends, "To Be A Christian" is light-years ahead of any other catechism in your tradition, in my experience. It is enjoyable to read through, and the Collects (prayers) that pop up at just the right moment keeps the volume devotional while it is being doctrinal. I happily and highly recommend the work.
- Reviewed in the United States on December 19, 2025Format: HardcoverVerified PurchaseAs a lifelong Episcopalian who is questioning my church’s core values, I found this book to be quite informative on the beliefs of the Anglican Church. It’s written in a catechism format and was very easy to read and understand.
- Reviewed in the United States on June 8, 2025Format: HardcoverVerified PurchaseLong ago, when I joined a church we had a membership class and it went over the basics of the faith. This catechism is much more detailed and in some parts of it the language it uses can only be described as lovely. I especially appreciated the explication of the ten commandments and additional prayers and early creeds. Really well done.
- Reviewed in the United States on January 14, 2026Format: HardcoverVerified PurchaseVery interesting read.
- Reviewed in the United States on August 19, 2025Format: HardcoverVerified PurchaseThis book is informative with a lot of example backed up by Scripture.
- Reviewed in the United States on January 24, 2021Format: HardcoverVerified PurchaseExcellent conservative Evangelical Anglican Catechism. I have its predecessor as well, but this approved edition is set up a bit better, and should serve ACNA parishes for decades to come. A new Christian, or one who has been away from the Church for a while, or even one who has been in good standing for quite awhile, will benefit from going through this catechism. Martin Luther recommended studying the the Catechism regularly. His advice can also be applied to this Anglican Catechism.
Note: One reviewer who left a one star review declared this catechism to be for Catholics, not Protestants. I wonder if that reviewer just downloaded the Kindle sample, looked at the question and answer format, and assumed it was an Anglican Catholic catechism. Had that reviewer actually gone through the questions and answers, it would have been clear that the doctrine is Catholic in that it agrees with the Creeds, yet Protestant in distinctive doctrines. Not only Anglicans, but Lutherans, Presbyterians, and others have Creeds and Confessions to define their faith.
- Reviewed in the United States on October 9, 2025Format: HardcoverVerified PurchaseExcellent product
- Reviewed in the United States on August 2, 2024Format: HardcoverVerified PurchaseThis book explains the three creeds (Apostles, Nicene, and Athanasian), the Lord's Prayer, and the Ten Commandments. It includes many references to parts of the Bible to support the explanation.
While it was prepared by the Anglican Church in North America, this book should be known by every Christian, regardless of denomination.
Top reviews from other countries
Kindle CustomerReviewed in Italy on January 16, 20255.0 out of 5 stars highly recommend
Format: HardcoverVerified PurchaseBeautiful edition. Simple yet comprehensive. Highly recommend !
Amazon CustomerReviewed in the United Kingdom on March 26, 20265.0 out of 5 stars Good read
Format: HardcoverVerified PurchaseA very good read
Katie56Reviewed in Germany on April 5, 20265.0 out of 5 stars Guidance for those new to the Anglican Faith
Format: HardcoverVerified PurchaseGeneral information about Anglican faith, interesting to those who are new to Anglicanism.
The catechism is written in questions and answers, about the ten commandments and the Apostolic Creed. The book contains also beautiful prayers for different situations (e.g. before reading Holy Scripture, to the Holy Spirit, etc.).
rlReviewed in the United Kingdom on November 14, 20255.0 out of 5 stars Excellent
Format: HardcoverVerified PurchaseOne of those small books with a ton of information in. You will keep referring to it and learn. Must have really.

























