THE HEALING GIFTS OF THE SPIRIT

The publishing house Arthur James first printed the older editions of the writings of Agnes Sanford in the UK; this fact alerts us to the fact that she was not an orthodox evangelical believer.  Arthur James frequently published books that were palatable to those espousing new age ideas and spiritism and the occult too.  She herself was healed from deep depression and this fact has a bearing on the emphases that are to be found in her books.  She would most certainly claim her Christian heritage as being the basis for all her ministry and that all was rooted in Jesus Christ.  She was very prominent in the healing ministry, in healing prayer conferences in the nineteen fifties and sixties.  Many experienced lasting healing through her ministry and her example encouraged many from a multitude of backgrounds to engage in a ministry of prayer for healing.  Her emphasis on the need for inner healing, and on the ‘sub conscious’ of the human being is so evident, the physical aspects of healing being secondary usually.  Almost single-handedly she pioneered the ministry of healing that included areas now known as the healing of the memories.  In part she clearly writes from an evangelical position and in other aspects she promotes as acceptable what could be now called ‘new age’ ideas and Jungian psychology.  So, here we have a considerable mixture of things Biblical and those from dubious sources.  Her handling of the particular subject matter in this book manifests this mixture, there are insights but the lines between what is truly Christian and the rest are blurred and could confuse the unwary.  Although she passed away at least thirty years ago her legacy remains, a number of the ‘healing of the memory’ kind of ministries are rooted in her ideas developing them to ridiculous extremes far beyond her intent.  Most who have thoughtfully read her writings will acknowledge the mixture and some will reject out of hand any profit being available in reading her whilst others will read with a measure of profit.  Her handling of the gifts of the Spirit in this book is particularly insightful especially when dealing with the oral gifts of wisdom and knowledge and prophecy.  The section on discernment of spirits is penetrative on some of its insights as well.  Overall, her writings will not satisfy those desiring a solid Christian and Biblical foundation, the mystic content impacts over much.