By Daniel W. Petty
Ernest Angley was born and reared in rural North Carolina in the Charlotte area. Angley’s family was Baptist by denominational affiliation, and he was raised in the Baptist church. He believed that he experienced a “born-again” experience at eighteen years of age, and a few months later left the Charlotte area to attend a southern Bible college. In addition to this experience of conversion, Angley also believes that when he was seven, God showed him millions of stars and told him how many souls he would win for Christ.
Angley and his wife Esther (“Angel”) spent several years as traveling evangelists before settling down in Akron, Ohio in 1954. They began to build Grace Cathedral in 1957, and the membership of Angley’s church today is reported to be over 6000. Angley holds “Miracle and Salvation” crusades across the US and in other countries.
Though raised a Baptist, Angley claims no denominational affiliation. The bimonthly publication of Grace Cathedral, The Power of the Holy Ghost, published since the mid-1950’s, states that the church is “strictly interdenominational.” This magazine, as well as Angley’s TV ministry, begun in 1973, strongly emphasizes miraculous healing. His programs, “The Ernest Angley Hour” and “The Ninety and Nine Club,” feature healings videotaped during his “Miracle and Salvation” crusades. He often puts his hand up to the camera and invites the TV audience to put their hand on their television for healing. A typical edition of his magazine will consist of testimonials of those healed by Angley, and a scattering of articles or sermons teaching a doctrine of physical healing or premillennialism.
Angley performs before a galaxy of stars on a deep blue background. The most flamboyant of healers, he has been called the “lunatic fringe” of religious broadcasting. He sees demons leaving the bodies of the healed, and angels by his side at healing services.
Guardian of Truth XXXI: 12, p. 369
June 18, 1987