Abusing Memory: The Healing Theology of Agnes Sanford

By Jane Grumprecht and Jane Gumprecht

Revised

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1885767277
• ISBN13: 9781885767271
• Release Date: May 1999
• Publisher: Canon Press
• Length: 168 Pages
• Weight: 0.53 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 5.5" x 8.5"

Customer Reviews

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A necessary caution

Whatever the defects of this book may or may not be, it makes some very important points and needed to be written.

Dangerous Origins

In "Abusing Memory" Jane Grumprecht effectively shows that the practice of inner healing is a dangerous combination of psychology and new-age spirituality and that it is commonly used by Christian counselors today, some of whom may not even call what they are doing "inner healing." These counselors attempt to heal people of present problems through a mental imagery process that guides people into re-experiencing real or imagined past events. Dr. Gumbrecht gives a clear overview of the practice of inner healing, of its unbiblical foundations and its clear origins in the thought of Freud and Jung. She shows how this thought is woven through the teachings and ministries of John Sandford, Karen Mains and Leanne Payne. Dr. Gumbrecht's is a voice that needs a wider hearing in the Christian community today. Thanks to her for providing such an effective warning and documentation in "Abusing Memory."

This book is long overdue!

Dr Jane Gumprecht's expose of the destructive teachings of Agnes Sanford and her followers is very timely. Abusing Memory explains very clearly why no Christian should have anything to do with healing of memories, the inner child, visualisation, relaxation or any of the other methods used by Sanford. Healing is taught in the Bible; Jesus healed all who came to him and he told his disciples to lay hands on the sick and they should recover. But Agnes Sanford took the teachings of Jesus and embellished them with occult trimmings which have been innocently embraced by many Christians, to their detriment. In recent years Christian counselling has taken off in a big way. Many churches employ their own counsellors to take the load off pastors but using the techniques of psychology instead of Biblical and prayer counselling is leading Christians into dangerous waters. Because Sanford's husband was an Episcopalian minister, she was able to introduce apostasy into the church. Her teachings were based on Jungian psychology and New Thought which are anathema to Bible doctrine on counselling. Mysticism has no place in the lives of Christians, according to scripture. It is an occult form of spirituality which is unacceptable and incompatible with Jesus' teachings. Dr Gumprecht explains this very clearly as she carefully traces the development of Agnes Sanford's thinking about inner healing and details the ungodly techniques she introduced into Christian churches. This book should be required reading for all Christian counsellors and indeed, for anybody who is even contemplating visiting such a counsellor for help with spiritual problems.