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Hinds’ Feet on High Places -- Hannah Hurnard A Book Review In Brief Hannah Hurnard’s books put forward a brand of religion (not Christianity) that are part and lot of today’s New Age cult. In her 1981 Eagles Wings to the Higher Places, Hannah openly rejected Evangelical faith and the Fundamental Gospel.1 In each of Hannah’s books she values our personal sacrifice above the sacrifice of Christ. To Hannah the crucifixion of Christ was merely a representation of mankind’s suffering that is said to effect atonement. 2 Yes, humanity’s collective suffering is put forward as God’s tool of redemption. Thus, Hannah’s brand of human suffering constitutes a false replacement for true conversion through faith. The saving work of Calvary, the miracle of the New Birth and the new creature we become in Christ are intentionally disregarded throughout Hannah’s writing. In Hinds’ Feet on High Places, Hannah Hurnard puts forward an inner enlightenment that is birthed out of personal suffering and pain. She catalogues many stages of painful sacrifice that are supposedly the prerequisite of reaching God’s kingdom of love. (Notice: The animals and plants of our world are described as being created with love and already possess the love that man lacks! Guess who was a vegetarian?) Hannah points the reader to a mystical power (not Pentecostal power) and the "kingdom of love" (not the New Birth) and change though personal suffering (rather than conversion though Christ’s death!) We might more properly rename Hinds’ Feet on High Places, Cloven Hooves from Dark Places.The Message of Hinds’ Feet: Salvation in the Cross or Salvation From Our Selves Hannah’s path of growth is set forth in the preface to her book where, she presents the way that we reach "the High Place of victory and union with Christ." (Remember, Scripture teaches that conversion is the only way to find union with Christ! Eph. 2:13)Hannah writes, "The only way" to reach the high places "is by learning to accept, day by day, the actual conditions and tests permitted by God." She says that we must accept, as God’s will, "the things which happen to us." 3These forgoing words appeal to the flesh, which loves to advance through its own effort and self-righteousness. However, Hannah’s philosophy is an assault on the miraculous power of prayer and Christ’s Great Commission. Jesus does not command us to bow to whatever comes our way. Rather, we are commissioned to offer fervent mountain moving prayer. When people hurt us, they need our prayer so that they will also be saved and changed! The circumstances we meet are sent to us so that we will pray and make a difference. Satan comes to destroy but Jesus has placed Satan under our feet. Here, we have discovered the Gospel verses Fatalism. Fatalism was a part of ancient heathen philosophy. The Gospel comes to set the captives free! Power From On High or A Long Process of Attainment? Hannah teaches that through a long process of inner growth we climb to the "High Places." Conversely, Paul said, "Even when we were dead in sins, (God) hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) 6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:" (Ephesians 2:5-6) By circumventing the blood of Jesus and infilling of the Spirit Hannah shows that her shepherd is not the true shepherd. She asserts that the high places are ONLY reached through a LONG PROCESS. Hannah teaches that once we have attained the high place, only then are we ready for ministry or service to others.Hannah writes, "No one understood better than he,"(the shepherd) "that growing into the likeness of a new name" (Which is one element of going to the High Places) "is a long process, but he (the shepherd) did not say this." 4 The shepherd says, "When you have hinds’ feet and can go leaping on the mountains and skipping on the hills, you will be able, as I" (the shepherd) "am to run down from the heights in gladdest self-giving" (ministry) "and then go up to the mountains again..." The shepherd continues, "it is only up on the High Places of Love" (self giving) "that anyone can receive the power" (not Pentecostal Power) "to pour themselves down in an utter abandonment of self giving." 5 Self giving love sounds laudable, but is this speaking of sharing love through our own charitable works or sharing Christ and His Salvation? 1. If Hannah’s words are taken literally then she has made human sacrifice equal to the work of Jesus Christ and His Gospel. 2. If Hannah means that our self giving is sharing Christ with others, than she has denied Pentecost which is certainly not received though a long process of suffering but is a free gift! We know that Pentecostal Power is not a process but a gift from the Father. We can never work our way to salvation and we can never suffer enough to deserve the wonderful gift of the Holy Ghost. Our personal suffering can not replace the work of the Cross or the infilling of the Spirit! The suffering of Jesus alone paid all. If human suffering could bring about redemption than all the world would already be saved. Many Christians have memorized a popular verse about suffering. How many have also learned the next verse? Hebrews 5:8-9 "Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; 9 And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him;" Buddhism Reborn? Buddhism is an ancient and Christless religion. It is full of the wisdom of this world. To advance in Buddhism the seeker must sacrifice all -- both physically and mentally. All thoughts, desires, and feeling must be emptied. Only then can inner peace and contentment be realized. Only then can man find the higher level of consciousness. The Christian walk is the opposite of Buddhism. After conversion we do not empty ourselves of all but rather nourish the new man and direct his love toward God and a lost world. Our salivation is expressed in receiving Christ, growing in God, strengthening our inner man, and building us up in knowledge and faith! Born Again Christianity starts with a saving Christ and continues in the daily renewing of the Holy Ghost. The only thing we lose is old dead Adam, his corruption and sin. In Christianity we are already in Heavenly places in Christ Jesus. "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:" Ephesians 1:3 The Ultimate Sacrifice! The high water mark of Hannah’s Hinds’ Feet was a Buddistic like emptying in which Hannah’s heroin yields herself upon the last of many altars. She had previously surrendered self-will and other negative human attributes. Finally, she sacrifices her human affection so completely that sorrow and suffering also disappear. Imagine, becoming so distant from all humans that no pain is felt when parting! This reflects cultism at its worst! As believers, we put Christ first and in putting Christ first we gain perfect love for our families and all of mankind. Love causes us to give, to touch, and to be there while sharing Christ. True love does not run to a monastery to avoid human temptation. Love is not to lose our feeling as humans. New creatures in Christ are not transformed into zombies but saints. Zombies feel nothing saints love to the fullest! Hanna tells how the priest (Christ) thrust his steel hand into her heart. "There was a sound of rending and tearing." Next her "human love, with all its myriad rootlets and fibers, came forth." The priest examined it and said, "Yes, it was ripe for removal, the time has come. There is not a rootlet torn or missing." (No human love was left!) Next the priest "cast it down on the altar and spread his hands above it. Suddenly, "there came a flash of fire which seemed to rend the altar; after that, nothing but ashes remained," Nothing was left, "either of the love itself. . . or of the suffering and sorrow." (These had been her companions throughout her journey.) Finally, "a sense of utter, overwhelming rest and peace engulfed Much-Afraid. At last, nothing left to be done." Finally, the priest "unbound her ... and she said with complete thanksgiving, ‘it is finished.’ " 6 The above experience is clearly not depicting Christian conversion or any other Biblical work of Grace. Christ was not pictured on the cross and there was no cleansing stream. Hannah’s final "it is finished" reflects her belief in the redemptive power of personal sacrifice as opposed to Christ’s unique atonement. Again, "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast." Ephesians 2:8-9Pantheism or Getting Back To Nature? Hannah occasionally puts forward ideas that teach Pantheism, which inserts God’s divine nature into all created things. Remember, we know that God does not inhabit stone, plants or animals but only Born-Again humanity. Scripture shows that humanity enjoys a unique privilege. "Love," was the ultimate goal of Hannah’s Hinds’ Feet narrative. Little birds were heard to sing, "This is the joy of all winged life above-- The heroin Much-Afraid reacts, "I never knew before, that the Valley is such a beautiful place and so full of song." Laughing, the Shepherd answers, "Only Love can really understand the music and the beauty and the joy" (In Hinds’ Feet these three virtues are clearly defined as the products of love.) "which was planted in the heart of all created things." The shepherd goes on, "Have you forgotten that two days ago I planted the seed of Love in your heart?" 7 Thus, we see "Much Afraid" striving to catch up with the righteousness of the animal kingdom. Are we leaping the wall and misrepresenting a few innocent words? No, In Hannah’s book Eagles’ Wings, she explains that animals are one with man and God in redemption. She says that all animals are present in the cross and whatever we do to animals we also do to Jesus! 8 Which Path to Salvation? The following citation from Hinds’ Feet is the only place in Hannah’s book that might relate to an experience of Salvation. Unfortunately, this experience proved to be no more than an initiation for a painful journey of self-effacement. Consider Hannah’s Theology: 1. When the seed of love is first pressed in our hearts, we are not ready for and cannot enter into the kingdom of love. 2. Love is defined as giving ones self as the Shepherd gave himself. 3. The flower of love develops slowly from the sharp seed. 4. The flower of love must first bloom in your heart before you can enter the kingdom of love or be loved by the shepherd. 9 5. You must take a long painful and sorrowing journey to reach the kingdom of love. 6. You must live in the kingdom of love before you give to others. 7. The highest goal in the kingdom of love is to dash ones' self down for others. (In Eagles’ Wings this principal finds its highest expression after our death. When we finally die, Hannah tells us that we must leap into Hell and bring sight to the fallen. We can only enter heaven by saving the lost that have already died and gone to hell. 10 Hannah’s shepherd explains "No one is allowed to dwell in the Kingdom of Love, unless they" already "have the flower of Love ... blooming in their hearts." He asks, "Has Love been planted in your heart, Much -Afraid?"She did not have the flower or seed. The shepherd asks, "Then will you let me plant the seed of true Love there now?" He goes on "It will take you some time to develop hinds’ feet and to climb to the High Places," (Which are part of the kingdom of love.) He further explains, "If I put the seed in your heart now it will be ready to bloom by the time you get there." 11We discover that Hannah denies simple Faith and repentance as the way of entrance into God’s Kingdom. We know that personal suffering can never carry us into the presence of Christ. Only Christ’s work brings us into God’s kingdom. God’s love grows in our heart as a consequence of salvation. Faith, Redefined Hannah’s mistaken brand of faith rests on personal sufferings unto salvation! To Hannah, "Faith is willingness to do God’s will." (Meaning to accept and suffer anything that happens to us.) She says, "Unwillingness to abandon one’s own will and to obey God is unbelief." 12 Remember in the above section that Hannah told us to accept everything that comes our way as God’s will. This was not Jesus’ message or faith! Hannah is discouraging faith that looks to God for the miraculous! Hannah calls us unbelievers, If we refuse to accept and yield to Satan’s attacks!Paul says, "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." Hebrews 11:1 Jesus said, "For verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you." Matthew 17:20 Jesus said, "The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly." John 10:10 Romans 10:4+9 "For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth. . . . 9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved." A Closing Thought on Hannah’s Theology Proverbs 30:15-16 "The horseleach hath two daughters, crying, Give, give . . . that saith not, It is enough." 
Hannah Hurnard attributes Divine power to our personal sorrow and suffering. She ascribes redemptive power to our human sacrifice. Consequently, Hannah and her message should most charitably be compared to Solomon’s horseleach and her two gluttonous offspring. The horseleach, also called the horsefly or botfly injects a seed into its victim. This egg develops into a short ponderous worm called a warble, which progressively grows and inflicts unspeakable sorrow and suffering and occasionally death. Finally, when the warble is mature a loathsome creature emerges from the putrefying flesh of its host. Thus, nature has provided us with an accurate picture of Hannah’s ministry. Hannah implants a life sucking falsehood in the hearts of her audience. Her message opposes the message of free salvation and deliverance! Hannah has substituted a work of our own flesh for the work of Christ. Hannah’s message teaches personal suffering unto holiness. When this suffering is complete Hannah asserts that unity with Christ emerges. We have rather observed a horsefly-like monstrosity appears. It continues to cry "Give Give" and is never full. As the reader moves through Hannah’s many writing the seeker never finds an end to suffering but rather a great storehouse of New Age deceptions. |