Today, we received a question from a reader regarding the second edition of Chris Lawson’s A Directory of Authors (Three NOT Recommended Lists) booklet, which we released last week. In that booklet is the name Hannah Hurnard, the author of the Christian classic, Hinds Feet on High Places, a beloved allegorical story of redemption. Unfortunately, after writing this book (which was her first book) Hannah Hurnard went on to write numerous other books that sell in Christian bookstores today. Tragically, after her first book, she took a terrible theological dive and ended up with strong universalistic and panentheistic beliefs. The following article written in 1996 by G. Richard Fisher of Personal Freedom Outreach documents what happened to Hannah Hurnard.
(photo: image of 1973 edition of Hinds Feet on High Places)
“From High Places to Heresy: Evaluating the Writings of Hannah Hurnard”
By G. Richard Fisher (PFO – Personal Freedom Outreach)
A recent issue of the Bookstore Journal noted that ‘‘[Hannah] Hurnard’s strong individualism emerged in her later years. She liked to be the boss and usually wanted to do the talking’’ (December 1995, pp. 65-66).
Just like the Energizer Bunny, the sale of some Christian books never seems to abate. They just keep on going and going and going. A classic case in point is Hannah Hurnard’s partially autobiographical allegory, Hinds’ Feet on High Places. Hurnard has been dead since 1990, and while the volume containing
her life story remains popular and continues on the best-seller list, few really know anything about her. She also has another dozen titles available. And herein is the problem.
Hurnard’s Best Offering
Her book, Hinds’ Feet on High Places, was written in 1955 and from all appearances is mainstream and orthodox. It is still stocked in Christian bookstores, and there are over a million copies in circulation.
Click here to continue reading this article on PFO’s website.
Thankyou for sharing this article. I would have associated other books written by her as “good” because I knew of Hinds Feet…This issue of suggesting authors to people, my family of adult daughters mostly, is constant. Books are so endless from Christian publishers. It is becoming more difficult to discern without doing research! I had a good handle on it while raising daughters in the early 2000’s, I think often of how it will be when they have children and want to supply Christian books and stories. I will continue to rely on Christian discernment ministries! But even so, I must go to the Lord directly through His Word in prayer and ask the Lord to lead, give wisdom and discernment.
M.Y.
Not sure why some readers are having problems accessing the PFO article. We’ve checked the link a number of times, and it is definitely a good link. Sorry it’s not working for everyone.
Thank you for this article. Before I had much in the way of discernment I read that book several times. However, I couldn’t help contrasting it with Pilgrim’s Progress.
Hind’s Feet appealed to my love of fantasy stories as well as my love for God, which was genuine enough but probably relied more on emotion than was healthy. I was partly aware of the fact even then but still read the book. Looking back I believe Hind’s Feet, and its sequel, fed something spiritually out of kilter in my own life that resonated with that of Hannah Hurnard. I’m so grateful to God that He began to deal with it and kept me from going the same way she did.
Pilgrim’s Progress on the other hand has a “Cleanness” about it like the difference between a cool summer breeze through an open window and a room containing a vase of those sweet but slightly cloying lilies whose pollen stains everything it touches.
The link to PFO’s website is dead. Can it be restored? I would like to read the article.
– Peter
Thank-you for sharing this information with us. May we all follow Jesus correctly! And it is so important for writers to spread the truth. It is a great responsibility……to not spread error!
Mary Rae, we did just check it, and it is a good link. Not sure why it isn’t working for you. Here is the direction URL: http://www.pfo.org/Hannah%20Hunard.pdf.
The link to PFO( about Hannah Hunard) isn’t working for me
I remember this book being very popular in Roman Catholic Charismarcircles in the ‘80’sj.
So sad to hear this. I still have the hind’s feet book.