Why I Re-Read Pink and Tozer on the Attributes of God every year.
Two books worth your time.
“What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.”
— A.W. Tozer, The Knowledge of the Holy
This is the opening line of Tozer's phenomenal book The Knowledge of the Holy. When I was a freshman in college, I had been a believer for close to two years and was still playing catch-up for the missed years of discipleship and growth. It was also one of the darkest seasons of my life, a time when depression seemed to cloud every thought and day. Looking back, one of the paths of light God used to lead me toward freedom was giving me a deeper and greater understanding of who He is and what He is like. During that season, the Lord led me to several books that have since become staples in my repeat reading rotation.
This is the second article in my Re-Read series. You can find the first article [here], where I introduce the concept. I believe a few things firmly when it comes to books. First, if a book isn’t worth re-reading, it probably wasn’t worth reading to begin with. Mortimer Adler put it well when he said, “The person who says he knows what a book means after one reading is either extraordinarily gifted or, more often, deceiving himself. No book worthy of being read once deserves to be read only once.”
In this article, I want to highlight two authors and two works that have shaped the way I think about God: A.W. Tozer’s The Knowledge of the Holy and A.W. Pink’s The Attributes of God. Both books center on the same theme—understanding who God is—but they approach it in different ways and from different theological angles. I’m convinced every believer would benefit from reading (and re-reading) both.
A.W. Tozer: A Brief Introduction
Aiden Wilson Tozer (1897–1963) was a pastor, preacher, and writer known for his devotional style and hunger for the presence of God. Tozer spent much of his ministry in the Christian and Missionary Alliance and became widely respected for his ability to stir the heart toward worship and awe. The Knowledge of the Holy is one of his most beloved works, written to help ordinary Christians think rightly about God.
A.W. Pink: A Brief Introduction
Arthur Walkington Pink (1886–1952) was a British theologian and author whose influence grew after his death. Known for his sharp mind and strong theological convictions, Pink spent much of his life in relative obscurity, writing and ministering in small settings. His work The Attributes of God reflects his commitment to clarity and biblical depth, offering a concise yet rich exploration of God's character.
What’s Great About Tozer’s Work?
Tozer is both devotional and eloquent. He writes in a way that reflects the majesty of God. His sentences carry weight, his words stir affection, and his tone reminds the reader that theology is never cold or detached. The Knowledge of the Holy doesn't just fill your head with facts about God; it fills your heart with worship.
What’s Great About Pink’s Work?
Pink is sharp, clear, and unapologetically biblical. His work may lack the poetic flair of Tozer, but it makes up for that with precision and depth. Pink helps the reader slow down and think carefully about what Scripture reveals concerning God's nature. His writing is concise, which makes it accessible, but it also demands reflection. You can’t rush through Pink—you have to chew on every page.
Why Study the Attributes of God?
To know God—truly know Him—not only theologically but devotionally and experientially, is the deepest need of every person. We were made to know our Creator. The attributes of God are not abstract ideas for seminary classrooms. They are the foundation for how we live, worship, suffer, and hope. Knowing that God is sovereign steadies the heart in uncertainty. Knowing that He is good comforts the weary soul. Knowing that He is holy humbles the proud.
Why You Should Read Both
Though Tozer and Pink come from opposite ends of the theological spectrum—Tozer leaning more toward the mystical and devotional, Pink firmly rooted in Reformed theology—they are united in their desire to help the reader know God. And both succeed.
Reading Tozer will stir your affections. Reading Pink will sharpen your understanding. Together, they remind us that loving God with heart, soul, mind, and strength requires all of those parts working together.
If you're in a season of spiritual drought or even wrestling with doubt, I can say from personal experience that turning your eyes toward God—His greatness, His goodness, His unchanging nature—can be the beginning of healing. These books helped me when I couldn’t see a way forward, and they still help me today as I seek to know God in the midst of all of my families trials and tribulations. God is still God when your child is in the hospital. God is still God when you are battling through the discouragement of watching your autistic child regress.
So, I commend them to you. Read them. Re-read them. Let them remind you of who God is, and in doing so, remind you of who you are.
Both of these books are extremely affordable.
Free copies of Pink’s Attributes here and here. (Chapel Library will send you a free copy but they let you know what it cost them if you would like to donate.)
Here is a link to find a copy of Tozer’s Knowlege for 99 cents.
I did not realize that A.W. Pink was more well-known after his death than during his life.