This April marks the 100th anniversary of the birth of A.W. Tozer, a preacher and writer whose works have been a great inspiration to evangelical Christians for the best part of the 20th century.
The subject of personal spirituality has been given a higher profile in society over recent years. It has been generally recognised that the devotional life of evangelicals has not matched the wealth of rich biblical doctrine. In pursuit of 'spirituality', many have drifted from their evangelical roots. Against this background, the life of A.W. Tozer is important. Here is a man who relentlessly pursued the 'practice of the presence of God' while at the same time holding fast to the Bible.
Aiden Wilson Tozer was born on April 21 1897, the third of six children. The Tozer farm was situated in the hilly, rural area of western Pennsylvania. His mother seems to have been a Christian, but not his father. He received a grammar school education. Following a fire at the farm, the family moved to the bustling city of Akron, Ohio, where there was work at the Goodyear tyre company. Here Tozer was converted.
