Society of the Burning Heart and a Passion For God - The Spiritual Journey of AW Tozer

"I've had a lonely life." This is a statement made by Dr.men, but his motives were "to know God and make
Aiden W. Tozer not long before he died in 1963, agedHim known," not make money.[10] Above all "he
66. The truth is he "kept almost everyone he knew atbecame magnificently obsessive about the shaping of
a personal distance" all his life.[1] It is only by tracingthe soul into Christlikeness."[11]
back his heritage that we gain but a glimpse of whyTozer loved children and routinely met with the children
he was so distant.in the Sunday School after services instead of fielding
He grew up in the tough mountain territory ofplastic platitudes from well-meaning parishioners after
Pennsylvania in the foothills of the Alleghenies. Hishis weekly sermons. Many a mother was delighted
father Jacob was a hard working, uncompromisingthat their famous pastor sowed into their son's and
man, completely estranged to sentimentalism. Althoughdaughter's lives in this way.
he was always very thankful of his heritage, AidenTozer's prayer life was astonishing in anyone's
shouldered a huge burden for the family from aboutlanguage. He would pray kneeling or prostrate on the
the age of ten, after a fire tragically burned down thefloor often moaning or weeping as he bathed in the
family home. Educationally, the McGuffey ReadersPresence each day. Unflinchingly inerrant in his view of
played a huge role in the Tozer children's educationScripture he would use only the Bible in much of his
giving strong, Christian-based, moral direction. The firedaily reflections and meditation. His prayer life was the
that significantly interrupted much of the family dynamicmajor feeder for his preaching as he sought to know
the Tozer's had, was later seen as something thatthe will of God through personal experience rather
brought good, but only after some major pain ofthan write a 'self-made' sermon. He strongly desired to
adjustment. The fire marked the end of an era and"experience [truth] before proclamation [of it]."[12]
Aiden was never a boy again.[2]Tozer's not-so-good points were probably surprisingly
Some books are refreshingly spritely in theirnumerous -- which is a huge encouragement to the
representation of truth, and Lyle Dorsett's portrayal ofrest of us -- in sum, the ill-equipped, which is all of us.
the 20th Century prophet, Aiden Wilson Tozer, a.k.a.He had the gift of discernment, but using this gift often
A.W. Tozer, is abundant in its accuracy and thoroughlyleft Tozer depressed, as he lamented destructive
researched.[3] This article is based upon, andinfluences affecting the Church and individuals. He
summarises, Dorsett's book.often warned his associate pastor Raymond McAfee,
The "Society of the Burning Heart," and "meeting God"If you want to be happy, don't ask for the gift of
in adoring silence" were always what captivated Dr.discernment."[13]
Tozer. He quintessentially loved his Lord Jesus Christ,Althought Tozer was capable in the home, he was
first and foremost in his life. Wrapping the mysticism ofanything but an affectionate husband and father. None
God with inerrancy of the biblical Word regarding theof his children, with the possible exception of his last,
theology of the Godhead, Tozer was as spirituallyRebecca, could say they enjoyed any real sense of
fervent and complete a minister anyone could find.intimacy with their father; Tozer saved his affection for
Attracted to Christianity when he heard Matthewhis Lord. On marrying again after Tozer's eventual
11:28-30 preached, he was burdened and weary fordeath in 1963, Ada Tozer said, contrasting husbands,
Christ and he found an early encourager to invest"Aiden loved Jesus Christ, but Leonard Odam loves
spiritually from his soon-to-be mother-in-law, ame."[14] A summarisation of Aiden and Ada's
Spirit-filled zealot for worship.[4] This released withinrelationship revealed they both lived lonely, emotionally
him a call of God that would endure faithfully for theseparate lives. Aiden would often travel and preach,
next forty five years.leaving Ada behind. Dr. Tozer also never encouraged
Even though he was called and very soon responded,fraternisation with his family or Ada's and even actively
he and his new wife Ada were caught seriously shortdiscouraged it; family holidays were also not his
by World War I, with Aiden being conscripted in bizarrething.[15]
circumstances that would have proved to be a majorDr. Tozer, it's already been mentioned, was not a
test of his calledness. This part of the story is trulypastoral carer. He was an opinionated prophet, and
bewildering -- an inspiration of faithfulness.[5]even could be called separatist at times.[16] He sensed
His ordination on 18 August, 1920 was marked for thea "sharp spiritual contradiction" between most pastors
reason that he did not celebrate with others afterward;and believer's heads and hearts; that in fact they were
he sought "his Saviour in the secret place" preferring tonot 'seekers still.' "They seek and find and seek no
be alone to pray and seek God's face.[6] His Prayermore," he said. This was a hideous dichotomy for Dr.
of a Minor Prophet[7] reflects his ardent desire toTozer, and it irritated him no end. He simultaneously
follow his 'awful, wonderful, entrancing' God. He praysheld biblical inerrancy and spiritual experience like no
for protection against the "curse of compromise, ofother. He had nothing but "disdain [for ministers] for
imitation, of professionalism." He said in it, "I am amaterialism, consumerism, and worldliness." He freely
prophet, not a promoter, not a religious manager." Hecriticised ministers and churches for any evidence he
asked for God instead to "drive [him] to the place ofsaw of this.
prayer." [8]Far above all, Dr. A.W. Tozer stands out as the
Notwithstanding the assertion he was one of the mostprophetic light of the middle 20th Century; his legacy
highly regarded pastors of the 20th Century it's ironichas been felt very personally and indelibly through
that Tozer was "no example of how to do pastoralChicago, Illinois, and through the surrounding States
work."[9] Yet he was a tower for all ministers, youth,within the U.S. Dorsett's offering is remarkably well
and college-aged people he mentored. His teachingresearched and written. It's a book hard to put down.
and preaching ministry were said to be of the highestThe book is also a resource; I've gone back to it at
class. Young people saw him as an authoritative figurevarious stages.
because he lacked ambition and never pushed his ownCopyright © 2008, S.J. Wickham. All Rights
barrow; he was dignified to an inch.Reserved Worldwide.
One of the toughest critics of his own 'profession,' heENDNOTES:
made his share of enemies both in ministry and[1] Lyle W. Dorsett, A Passion For God: The Spiritual
beyond. He seriously lamented the decay he saw inJourney of A.W. Tozer, (Chicago, Illinois: Moody
the then modern-day church and its compromisePublishers, 2008), p. 17.
regarding biblical principles. Dr. Tozer attributed the[2] Ibid, pp. 33-38. Again, Aiden was aged 10 when the
'personality boys' penchant for spiritual compromise asfire occurred.
'nervousness,' and too subject to the world.[3] This book is heavily cited.
Tozer's strong points were many. First, he was an[4] Ibid, p. 51.
anointed lover of the Godhead. He loved Jesus Christ[5] ibid, p. 57.
more than anything or anyone. He worshipped him in[6] The full Prayer of a Minor Prophet is widely
truth and spent as much as five or six hours a day (hisavailable and is printed verbatim on pages 65-68 of
entire morning six days a week) praying and readingDorsett's book.
the Bible. He was also quite fiercely ecumenical[7] This work was finally published in the Alliance
provided other denominations and leaders supportedWeekly in 1950.
biblical inerrancy and didn't compromise biblical ideals[8] Ibid, pp. 65-68.
for worldly ones.[9] Ibid, p. 135. This quote is from Rev. Ed J. Maxey
He was a voracious reader, powering through morewho assisted Tozer for two years during the
books and authors in a week than some people wouldmid-1950s.
in a lifetime. He also read very broadly into the[10] Ibid, p. 94.
sciences, history, poetry, philosophy, the arts, and ethics,[11] Ibid, p. 21.
as well as the early Church Fathers, influences in[12] Ibid, p. 136.
Church history, and theologians. Second-hand[13] Ibid, p. 134.
bookstores and libraries were frequent haunts. He took[14] Ibid, p. 160.
literally the wonder of Psalm 8 and believed strongly in[15] Ibid, p. 143-4. This reference applies to the two
learning all he could about creation. The clichéprevious sentences.
"All truth is God's truth" was no cliché for A.W.[16] Ibid, p. 138-9.
Tozer, and "he was every bit as driven" as secular