A. W. Tozer: Three Spiritual Classics in One Volume: The Knowledge of the Holy, The Pursuit of God, and God's Pursuit of Man

by A.W. Tozer

Encounter God. Worship more.

What Tozer lacked in formal education, he more than made up for in experiential wisdom.  Tozer was a man who really knew God, and it showed. People came from all over to hear his sermons because they knew they would go home more in awe of God.  That’s why millions keep coming back to his writings, but particularly these three books.

Considered to be Tozer’s greatest works, Knowledge of the Holy, The Pursuit of God, and God’s Pursuit of Man are now available in a single volume.  In 3 Spiritual Classics, you will discover a God of breathtaking majesty and world-changing love, and you will find yourself worshipping through every page.  Encounter Tozer and the God worth worshipping today.

Genres: Christian, Theology, Faith, Nonfiction, Christian Non Fiction, Christianity, Christian Living

480 pages, Hardcover

Published April 3, 2018

About the author

Aiden Wilson Tozer was an American evangelical pastor, speaker, writer, and editor. After coming to Christ at the age of seventeen, Tozer found his way into the Christian & Missionary Alliance denomination where he served for over forty years. In 1950, he was appointed by the denomination's General Council to be the editor of "The Alliance Witness" (now "Alliance Life").

Born into poverty in western Pennsylvania in 1897, Tozer died in May 1963 a self-educated man who had taught himself what he missed in high school and college due to his home situation. Though he wrote many books, two of them, "The Pursuit of God" and "The Knowledge of the Holy" are widely considered to be classics.

A.W. Tozer and his wife, Ada Cecelia Pfautz, had seven children, six boys and one girl.

Reviews

[Ben House · Rating 5 out of 5]

August 8, 2019 by punicwars55
A. W. Tozer–Three Spiritual Classics


A. W. Tozer (1897-1963) remains one of the most popular devotional Christian writers of our time. Moody Press, which has long promoted Tozer’s work, has combined three of his best known works into one fine hardback edition. Three Spiritual Classics in One Volume contains The Knowledge of the Holy, The Pursuit of God, and God’s Pursuit of Man.

First of all, the well-known Tozer and the many editions of his books means that I am not having to acquaint many readers with him or convince many to read him. I have, since getting this review book, come across numerous new and used copies of his books and an untold number of quotes. I would venture to say that Tozer ranks second only to Charles Spurgeon in being quotable and quoted.
The key selling point of this publication is that it contains three books and is hardbound. It is not bulky or hard to navigate. I read the first book, then the third one, and finally the middle one. Typically, Tozer’s chapters average ten pages, so it is a great length for morning reading.
Second, I can see why some Christians would not prefer to read Tozer. He is not theologically rigorous or technical. If you are wanted to be grounded in systematic, biblical, or dogmatic theology, his books would not satisfy. Nor is he exegetical, so that if you are wanting insight into the meaning of passages or books of the Bible, his books would not satisfy. Nor is he polemical, so that if you are wanting to watch theological jousting and combat, his books would not satisfy. And one might find the gist of his books to not give enough emphasis on church, covenant community, and weekly worship. Certainly, those of us who love a Kuyperian embracing of every area of life and thought will find Tozer silent on those matters.
Third, but what Tozer does and does well is to focus on the Christian’s devotional and meditative life. He rarely quotes other writers, but when he does, he is usually quoting more Medieval and mystic writers. (No, he is not enough close to being Roman Catholic!) He is not monastic; in fact, he is critical of any attempt to escape the world as some forms of monastic life emphasized.
He seeks to push Christians toward meditative and intense contemplation of God. I was surprised at his theological accuracy contained in his otherwise layman-centered writings. It is obvious that Tozer wants the believer to be grounded and well read in the Bible, for his is not a searching of the inner man for peace and wisdom. But what he abhors is a sense that we can do our religious duties and rites and then close the book and go about our secular lives.
This personal intensity explains why he is quoted so often. These three volumes could be reformatted into a book titled The Quotable Tozer and little content would have to be sacrificed.
Fourth, I would not have preferred to have read three Tozer books in a row. I was compelled to do so for the sake of getting this review done. It is somewhat like rushing through a meal for whatever reason. But I do need a dose of Tozer here and there. Yes, the Puritans are stronger. Yes, Spurgeon has more with and anecdotes. Yes, J. I. Packer is a more powerful writer. But none of that detracts from the reminders and the pressing urgency with which Tozer calls on us to seek after God.
Fifth, I recently read a comment where a friend and theologian referred to Tozer as one of his favorite non-Calvinistic Calvinist writers. Tozer was careful to sidestep the old Calvinist-Arminian debates. In my cage-stage years, I would have gnashed my teeth. But reading him now, I see the sheer beauty of what we call Calvinism in Tozer’s discussion of God’s work in pursuing us, in changing us, in giving us His Holy Spirit. I figure my non-Calvinist friends would read him and enjoy those parts and others as well.
So, I recommend that you pull one of your neglected Tozer volumes off the shelf. Read or reread the whole book, or just read a chapter–any chapter. Even better, buy this book and have the best of his work all bound together. Maybe you have a Christian friend who just isn’t going to tackle Calvin’s Institutes or Augustine’s City of God. Here is a gift for them, but get two copies so that you have one as well.

[David Gunkel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Each of these books was so very encouraging to grow into a deeper, more intimate relationship with the God of the Bible. The Knowledge of the Holy is an excellent book, filled with thoughtful facts of God’s nature and attributes, which I would’ve cherished as a new believer but still found wonderful tidbits of perspective-correcting wisdom in its pages. Concerning The Pursuit of God and God’s Pursuit of Man, I think they would read better if God’s Pursuit of Man came before The Pursuit of God as Tozer speaks more directly of the Holy Spirit’s role and place in the salvation and indwelling of the believer. These last two books were very convicting, and encouraging to grow out, of a complacent relationship with the Holy Spirit as the person and God that He is (along with many, many other things concerning my walk of following Jesus). Overall, these books were each faith-stirring, wisdom-imparting, and prayer-inspiring books that I recommend to any who desire to grow in their personal pursuit of God.

[Tanner Stogner · Rating 5 out of 5]

“The Pursuit of God” brought my walk with Christ to the forefront of my mind. It revealed and reaffirmed many Christian beliefs in so many varied, convicting, and beautiful ways. This book is encouraging to the modern Christian. I look forward to reading “The Knowledge of the Holy” and “God’s Pursuit of Man” next.

[Sarah Willoby · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Knowledge of The Holy = 5/5 (completely changed the way I view God)
The Pursuit of God = 5/5 (this was my second time reading and I get so much out of it every time)
God's Pursuit of Man = 3.5/5 (really wrestled with this one, but grew a lot as a result)

Tozer truly has a gift for writing and explaining faith in a way that is so often lacking. Highly recommend the read at some point in your life!

[Evelyn Fonseca · Rating 5 out of 5]

What's better than having 3 of Tozer's most beloved classics in ONE volume?! Absolutely nothing tops it! This volume includes: The Knowledge of the Holy, The Pursuit of God, and God's Pursuit of Man. Many Christians are familiar with these books or at least have heard of them or run across quotes taken from these. But for those who haven't, I'll include the brief summaries of each located on the inside of the book jacket.

The Knowledge of the Holy

Published in 1961, approx. 191 pages

"...a much-much needed corrective to our small, unassuming thoughts about God. In this timeless study on the attributes of God, Tozer reacquaints us with His majesty, reminding us again what it truly means to encounter God and be in awe of Him."

The Pursuit of God

Published in 1948, approx. 118 pages

"...teaches us how to reclaim God's presence in a clamoring world. With prophetic vigor and flowing prose, Tozer decries the hustle and bustle of modern life and demonstrates that those who wish to experience God's closeness must first learn to be still."

God's Pursuit of Man

Approx. 132 pages

"...explains what it means to be truly saved-to be conquered by the Almighty God and invaded by His Spirit. To be saved is to be transformed, to be overcome. But as we are conquered by God, we become who we were always meant to be."

I have read each book several times, The Pursuit of God being the first Tozer book I read years ago. And I completely loved it! hands down, it's one of my favorite Christian books of all time.

Tozer's writings are easy to understand and follow. They are short, for the truth doesn't require many words. He gets to the point and sticks with it. Tozer was definitely a man of much prayer as it can be witnessed in the way he was led by the Holy Spirit through writing. Tozer is the man whose books you want to read if you ever need a reminder of what it is to be drenched in the Holy Spirit and what it requires to establish an unbreakable relationship with God.

The physical aspects of this volume are simple. The book is not too big or tall nor bulky considering that it's a 3 in 1. The total pages are 471 which is not a lot. It has a nice hardback cover with a dust jacket. It makes a great gift for a graduation or a birthday.

I highly recommend this book! 15 stars out of 10!

[Amanda Erdman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nothing wrong with this book just super boring, I always felt I’d be much better off reading my Bible. 🤣🩷

[Joan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tozer was concerned that the church no longer had right thinking toward God. Modern Christians had lost a sense of the majesty of God. He wrote The Knowledge of the Holy to help Christians know the character of God and His attributes. My favorite section was on the eternity of God. “[God] has no past and no future.” (73) “For Him everything that will happen has already happened.” (74) His explanation of the immutability of God was very understandable too. He also has a good chapter on living in light of God's attributes. (Originally published in 1961.)

Tozer saw a lack in the pulpits of his day. People were hungry for God Himself and preachers were not helping people in The Pursuit of God. Tozer identifies the paradox, seeking hard after God even after being found by Him. He encourages fervently seeking God. “Complacency is a deadly foe of all spiritual growth.” (225) He reminds us that this is a spiritual pursuit, not an intellectual one. God is ready to manifest Himself to us and we must have an inward habit of beholding His presence. This book is as applicable today as it was when published in 1948.

The third book in the collection, God's Pursuit of Man, is the one that impressed me the most. Tozer argues that true spirituality is essentially internal. Most Christians have settled for intellectual and emotional changes rather than a genuine encounter with God. He refers to 1 Thess. 1:5 and says some accept the word only but never experience the power. There is no internal change. He likens it to trimming a hedge but the hedge remains one of thorn bushes. (362) This section of the book helped me a great deal to understand the current state of Christianity in America. People have an intellectual and emotional change but do not experience that radical change becoming new creatures.

I highly recommend this collection of Tozer's books. Modern readers might be put off by the KJV language but the truths contained make it worth working through the text. It was enlightening to read these books from a generation ago. Tozer's encouragement to pursue an internal spiritual transformation make today's Christian books look anemic and powerless. Tozer's books clearly point out the “present state of spiritual weakness.” (376) Reading this collection will certainly encourage readers to a more intimate experience with God and a more powerful Christian life and witness. It would be a great book for pastors and church leaders to read too.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.

[James Evans · Rating 5 out of 5]

"The Knowledge of the Holy", "The Pursuit of God", and "God's Pursuit of Man" by A.W. Tozer were all excellent books within this one volume. It was very convenient having these within a single volume and each of these classics fit so well together. I appreciated so much what Tozer had to say in these books and found his style to be very smooth. He challenged me in these volumes to consider the truths that he presented in regard to the triune God. Yet, he also wrote in a manner that allowed me to follow his presentation and not be lost in the depth of confusion. I would recommend these volumes and believe that they are books that would be valuable to read on more than one occasion. As Tozer stated - "What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us."

[Loretta · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to my Granddaughter and her fiancé for gifting this book to me at Christmas.

These three works by Tozer, though written in the 1940s, are just as relevant to today’s Christian as during that era, probably more so. He felt that mainstream religion of his day was lacking in knowledge of God and the power of God.

I would recommend all three of these books to any Christian who desires a more intimate walk with God. It certainly challenged me!

[Diana · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book over 30 years ago and still I remember clearly learning the aspects of God and his nature and making a list of 10@ things of God that I had not thought of before reading this book. It is thin yet powerful.

[Jimmy Reagan · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s hard for me to find the words for how outstanding this volume is! Count me as one of those people who finds A. W. Tozer as one of the most penetrating, spiritual writers of all time. This beautiful, hardback collection of three of his spiritual classics can’t be missed. These titles have mostly been available as paperbacks in the past, but now we have something a little more worthy of these treasures. I wouldn’t be surprised if people call this one of the great publishing events of the year.

The first title, The Knowledge of the Holy, must be included in any list of the greatest Christian books of all time. It is, out of an impressive list, Tozer’s greatest work. This book impacted me several years ago, and it was a joy to go through it again. In conversational language he presents God Almighty in a way few ever have before. The theology is incredibly deep yet perfectly accessible. He astutely feels that so much of what’s wrong with Christianity today is our misunderstandings of God Himself. The attributes of God are shorn of any sort of dry, academic language and are presented in a way that makes you love, respect, and be in awe of God more.

The second title, The Pursuit of God, is another of his best-known works. He disdains our resting on the laurels of our conversion and pushes us to go hard after really knowing God. This book makes us thirst after our Lord and is a true masterpiece.

The third title, God’s Pursuit of Man, might fall slightly below the two mountain peak titles above, but it is a true sequel to The Pursuit of God. It moved me as well.

Not only is this volume with its three incredible titles worthy of the reading time of every Christian, I imagine it would change Christianity itself if it were widely read.

I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

[Jon Mellberg · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow.

This is the quickest and easiest way to summarize this three-volume set, but it doesn’t do it any justice. Though each book is “short” they aren’t quick or easy to read. Tozer is a writer whose words need to be slowly and thoughtfully digested. I’m neither used to that nor generally willing to go slower and deliberately, so this collection revealed a spiritual learning curve (for me).

Tozer is inspiring on many levels; deep is his well of understanding and application of Scripture. And as a man with no formal education, he is all-the-more impressive! I can appreciate the great amount of time, energy, and study that goes into many professions and the degrees so many achieve in their pursuits, but I also greatly enjoy coming across those who show remarkable aptitude and discipline in their own self-education; it gives me great hope in my own reading and studies!

“Knowledge of the Holy” is an excellent primer on some of the attributes of God (it is not an exhaustive list, as God is inexhaustible). Understanding who and what God is (and isn’t) is essential, foundational, and vitally important. The other two volumes in this compilation, “The Pursuit of God” and “God’s Pursuit of Man” are equally great and distinctly different in the best of ways. How Tozer teaches and reveals the nature of the Holy Spirit is so very valuable.

The author is hard on the current culture and leanings of the American church, of which I also appreciate. To call Tozer prophetic would be inaccurate; he simply and correctly interprets and applies what the Bible already thoroughly teaches about heresy and false teaching invading the church and corrupting (and turning away) the hearts of believers. His diagnosis is sharply accurate now, despite these three original books having copyrights in 1948, 1950, and 1961.

This volume is a theological treasure trove, and I enjoyed it greatly!

[Matt Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

Modern day Christianity is lacking a true connection with God. These three works by A.W. Tozer show us this need. Tozer does a masterful job articulating deep, Bibilical principles in a very simple way. I could not help but be flooded with awe and reverence of God as well as a desire to know Him more as I read.

As I finished the book, I began to read a chapter a day as a devotional. The chapters are short enough to make them easily readable as part of daily devotions. This worked wonderfully. I was able to digest the material in small quantities and combine it with my Bible reading to provide a deeper study.

I cannot emphasize how much I recommend this book. I plan to reread it as part of my devotions in the near future.

I read a compilation of these three works published by Moody Publishers. This is why I review them in one post. I highly recommend this hardback edition. It has good margins for notes and will survive multiple readings.

*This book was provided to me for free to review, however all opinions are my own.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

*I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Click here to read my review.

[Stefan Johnsson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great book that provides simple explanations of the Christian faith that I would recommend for anyone to read. Simple chapters can be read as part of a devotional for each day and it'll help you to grow your faith and love for God.

[Stacy Griffith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jason Leist recommended as I was preparing/researching for MCC women’s fall retreat. Speaker. Three sessions. Topic “Practical Discipleship”. This book was very helpful indeed. Quoted it often.

[Tara Cunningham · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you really want to develop a deeper meaning and understanding of the Bible's teachings, Tozer is the best teacher.

[Josh Sweeney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Deeply impactful

[Jorden Melson · Rating 5 out of 5]

All 3 books were incredible

[Kyle Beaty · Rating 5 out of 5]

The best series of Theology books I have ever read. Connected and challenged me in my relationship with God and challenged me as well. I would recommend any Christian to give it a shot. Very insightful