Friday, April 22, 2022

April 22 2022 - Angelology

 

I had thought Lutherans knew a lot about the Bible.  It was the foundation of the Lutheran Church -  Luther translated the Bible into German to make it accessible. And he found on reading the Bible studiously and carefully that many Roman Catholic practises were not rooted in the Bible.  He just wanted an evolution - not a  revolution with another Christian faith. 

I don't recall Luther on angels or angelology.  That is a complicated arrangement of hierarchies of angels and their roles (primarily as messengers). But here is the quote from Luther himself:

“That angels are with us is very sure, and no one should ever have doubted it,” Martin Luther states matter-of-factly to any Christian who would question or deny their existence.


And it is felt by current day Lutheran scholars that at the time of the Reformation, Luther insisted on retaining Michaelmas as one of the principal feast days of Christ that the Church should celebrate (It is Michael and the Angels feast). On this day, Christians hear again “how the Lord used Michael and the angels to deliver His people from the accusations of Satan” (Collver III, 2011) and cast them out of heaven using the Word of Christ.

Wikipedia in its Christian Angelology entry outlines the Christianity-devised hierarchies of angelic beings. The complicatedness of it all:  its hierarchies and complicated structures - there's a first sphere, second sphere and third sphere.  The First has Seraphim, Cherubim and Thrones.  The Second Sphere has Dominations or Lordships, Virtues and Powers of Authorities and the Third Sphere has Principalities or Rulers, Archangels and Angels.  These are all types of angels rather than concepts - and there seem to be many levels as well.  

Both angels and hierarchies exist in many religions.  There's a Wikipedia entry for the Hierarchies of angels in various religions.  

Even today, we have Guardian Angels as a common belief and the name angel is in the names of lots of organizations - think baseball.

But then we don't really have angels in our social consciousness today.   I don't think that 50 angel-inspired names for your little one appeals.  I looked at the options  - they include Engel, Malach, Uriel for boys. And for girls:  Gotzone, Tien, Erelah.  



Here are some wonderful angels - I am not sure where they were as this is quite a few years ago - either at a music studio entrance in Bloor Street West or at a community centre.  Angels with trumpets are said to be representing judgement day.  

 
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