Knowledge of the Holy
A. W. Tozer wrote The Knowledge of the Holy out of alarm at what he saw as the diminished vision of God pervading mid-twentieth-century evangelicalism. Published in 1961, this work emerged from Tozer's conviction that Christianity had grown comfortable with a domesticated deity—manageable, predictable, and safely contained within human categories. As pastor of Southside Alliance Church in Chicago and editor of Alliance Weekly, Tozer witnessed firsthand how theological poverty had drained worship of its wonder and reduced discipleship to technique.
The book systematically explores the attributes of God, moving through concepts like divine self-existence, self-sufficiency, eternality, immutability, omniscience, and holiness. Rather than offering abstract theological analysis, Tozer writes with the urgency of a preacher calling believers back to authentic encounter. Each chapter pairs doctrinal exposition with devotional reflection, consistently pressing beyond intellectual understanding toward transformative knowledge. His central argument is that right thinking about God must lead to right worship, right living, and right relationship. Tozer insists that knowing God's attributes is not an academic exercise but the foundation of spiritual health, arguing that a low view of God inevitably produces low living.
The Knowledge of the Holy became one of the most influential evangelical devotional works of the late twentieth century, remaining in continuous print across multiple publishers and translations. Its enduring appeal lies in Tozer's ability to make systematic theology personally urgent while maintaining intellectual rigor. The work bridges the gap between academic theology and popular piety, offering accessible treatment of classical Christian doctrine without sacrificing depth.
Who should read this: Christians seeking to deepen their understanding of God's nature and character will find Tozer's combination of theological substance and devotional warmth compelling. Those comfortable with a casual or purely emotional approach to faith may find his emphasis on the transcendence and otherness of God challenging rather than comforting.