Summary of The Knowledge of the Holy by A. W. Tozer
Tozer analyzes the characteristics of God in The Knowledge of the Holy, where an attribute is defined as everything that God has disclosed in any form as becoming the truth of Himself. His justification for this assessment is straightforward – since people are God’s creation. It means that all human issues and their remedies are theological. People’s conception of God shapes who they are; hence for Christians, having the right conception of God is crucial. Humans are God’s creatures, and everything they do in life should be centered on praising Him. Despite this, they frequently skip learning about him and instead form their own opinions using reasoning or imagination.
Then, for theologians, understanding God’s qualities is sometimes a challenging undertaking. One can approach the problem in a variety of ways. According to Tozer, whenever one tries to picture what God is like, they should, by necessity, start with which is not God. As a result, whatever they perceive God to be, He is not because they have built their image of Him out of what He has created, which is not God. Tozer claims that God is a whole being, and the characteristics people attach to Him cannot be considered divisions but rather categories invented by humanity to describe Him.
Evaluation
In addition to offering good teaching, Tozer wants to make this concept meaningful by articulating the qualities of God. Tozer explains the practical significance of immanence, omniscience, and the trinitarian character of God for man. He shows readers why they are to care that God is ubiquitous and precisely how this understanding should impact their daily walk and life as a whole. This seems to distinguish this exploration of God’s qualities from many others. In the context given, I see no reason to disagree with Tozer. For me, he is right that faith should be founded on our feeling of God but not his “scientific” justification.
Application
True, a lot of human knowledge and expertise runs counter to God-given biblical faith. Since Tozer places a lot of stress on the incomprehensible and non-communicable qualities and character of God, our intellect cannot bring us to an understanding of Him; only He can. For me, such an approach enhances my faith and sheds light on my path to God without preconceptions, which is essential for my ministry.