Let me lend a few textual observations as a precursor to the paragraph I wish to observe. This piece, quoted from the chapter entitled, "The Speaking Voice" in Tozer's Pursuit of God is a very strange piece for Tozer indeed. In general, Tozer speaks with great authority, only covering topics in which he would claim a certain assurance. This text, obviously, is a statement interjected as one with a liberty of being passed over by the reader. This is the only time I have ever personally stumbled upon this type of statement from Tozer, and it is interesting that the subject matter should be concerning the world of art and aesthetics, in which I hold much personal vested interest. He speaks here more specifically on the subject of human artistic revelation and the divine aspect he sees apparent.

It is my own belief (and here I shall not feel bad if no one follows me) that every good and beautiful thing which man has produced in the world has been the result of his faulty and sin-blocked response to the creative Voice sounding over the earth. The moral philosophers who dreamed their high dreams of virtue, the religious thinkers who speculated about God and immortality, the poets and artists who created out of common stuff pure and lasting beauty: how can we explain them? It is not enough to say simply, `It was genius.' What then is genius? Could it be that a genius is a man haunted by the speaking Voice, laboring and striving like one possessed to achieve ends which he only vaguely understands? That the great man may have missed God in his labors, that he may even have spoken or written against God does not destroy the idea I am advancing. God's redemptive revelation in the Holy Scriptures is necessary to saving faith and peace with God. Faith in a risen Saviour is necessary if the vague stirrings toward immortality are to bring us to restful and satisfying communion with God. To me this is a plausible explanation of all that is best outside of Christ. But you can be a good Christian and not accept my thesis.

- A. W. Tozer

I must admit I heartily agree with this proposition. Tozer's statement stands that artistic and philosophic endeavors are always in response to or questioning further the truth of current state of being or desired alternatives. Man is always expressing his opinion about what is, but all that he interacts with flows forth from the Voice which is constantly sustaining creation and whispering at all men's collars.