Angel

An angel is a spiritual being considered to be a servant of God. Angels act as messengers, helpers, or representatives of God. Often, they are depicted in human form but demonstrate supernatural powers, such as appearing and disappearing or having knowledge about the future or about the person to whom they appear. They are powerful and sometimes act as protectors. Angels appear in all three religions of the Abrahamic tradition (Judaism, Christianity, and Islam), Mormonism, Zoroastrianism, and others.

Background

The word angel derives from the Greek word angelos, which means "messenger." All the faith traditions that include a belief in angels consider them supernatural beings that serve as liaisons between God and humans; some religions attribute other functions to them as well. Angels are believed to dwell in the spiritual realm, sometimes referred to as heaven, but they are capable of being on Earth among mortals. They are generally thought to be immortal spirit beings who do not have physical bodies or physical needs, such as food and water, and they do not marry or procreate. They can, however, appear in human form when that will help them complete their assigned tasks. Angels often have knowledge of future events and can bring warnings or protect people from danger.

As powerful beings that serve God, angels are generally considered good. Angels can, however, bring judgment and punishment when they are necessary to fulfill the will of God. More often, angels are seen as benevolent presences. In artworks, they are often depicted dressed in white or surrounded by glowing light. They are often shown with pure white feathered wings.

Overview

Different faith traditions share some similarities in their view of angels. For example, all see them as individual sentient beings. However, the ways in which various faith traditions describe the capabilities, functions, and purposes of angelic beings differ.

In Judaism, angels are part of the Hebrew Bible from the first book, Genesis, though no angels are specifically named within that book. Other sacred texts, such as the Jerusalem Talmud and the Kabbala, include additional information, such as the names of some angels and their assigned tasks. Jewish tradition states that angels have ten ranks, which are differentiated by how well they understand God's ways.

Each angel has a specific function, from the archangels Michael, Gavriel (Gabriel), and Rafael, who are responsible for acts of kindness, judgment, and healing, respectively, to others who are responsible for singing praises to God or carrying the prayers of the faithful to the heavenly throne. All angels are considered messengers who do God's bidding; in the Jewish tradition, angels are incapable of free will and can do only what they have been made to do. However, a story in the Midrash, a sacred text, describes angels who tried to come to Earth and resist its temptations. They failed and brought Earth down with them.

Jewish tradition is divided on whether angels appear to humans in physical form or in visions. In either case, even though angels are more powerful than humans, they rank below humans in God's favor. It is said that it takes many angels to equal one man in prayer.

Christian beliefs about angels differ slightly among denominations but are generally similar. Angels were created by God; they are not the souls of the departed or any other mortal. Different ranks of angels exist, and they are beings of very great power and daunting appearance—so much so that nearly every time they appear, they begin their conversation with humans by telling them not to be afraid.

Although Christians use the Hebrew Bible as part of their sacred texts, Christians believe that angels are capable of free will and independent action. Christian belief holds that some angels tried to come down to Earth. They rebelled against God's will but failed in their attempt; their leader, the archangel Lucifer, is said to have become the devil, and other fallen angels became demons.

In Christian tradition, angels are primarily messengers. For instance, according to the New Testament, the angel Gabriel (Gavriel) appeared to Mary, the mother of Jesus, to tell her of the child's impending birth. Other angels appeared to the shepherds to tell them of Jesus's birth. Later, angels appeared to the women who came to Jesus's tomb to tell them he had risen. Angels are considered helpers who assist the faithful, guardians for those in danger, and escorts who lead people to heaven after death. They spend their time praising God and fighting the forces of evil.

Islamic tradition considers angels to be spiritual beings without bodies. Unlike humans, who were created of clay, angels were created of light. Muslims believe that angels can take human form but consider it blasphemy to portray them. Like the Hebrew tradition, angels in the Islamic tradition do not have free will and are incapable of disobeying God. Therefore, no fallen angels exist in the Islamic faith.

The Qur'an, the holy book of Islam, lists eight angels by name: Jibrīl (Gavriel or Gabriel), Israfil (Raphael), Mīkāl (Michael), Munkar, Nakīr, Malāk Al-Mawt, Malik, and Ridwan. Each has a specific assigned task, from sharing God's word with the prophets to guarding heaven and hell. Other unnamed angels praise God, protect believers, and record a person's good and bad deeds.

The beliefs of Jehovah's Witnesses are similar to those of most Christians. Mormons, or members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, have one key belief about angels that differs from other faith traditions: they believe angels are the souls of people who have died or who have not yet been born. They attribute the founding of their faith to the angel Moroni, who appeared to Joseph Smith in a vision in the early nineteenth century.

Sikhs believe in angels, including an angel of death and angels that record human actions for judgment. Buddhists believe in celestial beings known as devas and asuras who are similar to angels. Those who follow the Bahá'í faith believe that angels are humans who have reached a closer relationship with God. A variety of New Age religions believe that everyone has a personal angel (or angels) that can be contacted directly for guidance, help, and protection. Indigenous, shamanistic, pagan, and Wiccan belief systems also have entities or spirits much like angels.

Bibliography

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"Angels." The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, www.lds.org/scriptures/gs/angels?lang=eng. Accessed 3 Dec. 2024.

Burnham, Sophy. A Book of Angels: Reflections on Angels Past and Present, and True Stories of How They Touch Our Lives. Jeremy P. Tarcher/Penguin, 2011.

Cheng, Guan. "Tianlong Babu: The Eight Legions of Devas and Nagas." Internattional Buddhist Society, 31 May 2022, buddhisttemple.ca/teaching/tianlong-babu-the-eight-legions-of-devas-and-nagas/. Accessed 3 Dec. 2024.

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Virtue, Doreen. Angels 101: An Introduction to Connecting, Working, and Healing with the Angels. Hay House, 2006.

"Who or What Are Angels?" Jehovah's Witnesses, www.jw.org/en/bible-teachings/questions/what-are-angels. Accessed 3 Dec. 2024.