angel

One can encounter angels in media in everyday life, but how much does one really know about angels? With the ideas of angels in mind, it can seem confusing as to where exactly angels fit in the whole puzzle of God. What exactly are angels and why are they necessary? What implications can be made when an all-powerful god creates such beings? Most studies seem to dodge such important questions that many may ask about the ontological and epistemological status of angels, but for understandable reasons. The topic of angels is shrouded by much ambiguity in almost all religious texts which makes answering these ontological and epistemological questions nearly impossible to answer in an objective way. The study of angels, or angelology, has traversed many nations and religions. Although this topic is mainly a tenet under the domain of monotheistic religions, ideas from polytheistic views can also play a role in understanding certain aspects of angelology. In order to answer questions that can lead one to a better understanding of the status of angels, it is necessary to take a look at the history and framework of belief in angelology among the different religions that are relevant to the topic; specifically through Judaism, Christianity, and Islam traditions. Through the similarities and differences of angelology among these world religions, one can find different arguments directed towards important questions about angels that can lead to a better understanding of the status and ontology of angels.

The very first idea of angels comes from early Hebrew Scripture in which three angels visit Abraham . This story can be found in the other two great monotheistic religions as well, but there are certain distinctions between each st...

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...are superior to humans because they naturally are not prone to any “evil propensities” . This fact remains consistent with the fact that angels are made of light which is considered the purest element . The second thought about the subject is that humans are superior to angels because humans resist the temptations of evils that angels naturally do not face19. In Christianity angels are generally thought of as lower beings to humans because angels are meant to serve man as guardians and allow God to send important messages to humans. It is said that if God were the host, humans would be the equivalent of the guests, and angels are considered the servers . Among the three great monotheistic religions, it can be seen that, generally, angels are considered lower than humans. It is also forbidden to worship angels in any way in these three monotheisms as well19.