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Angels
An angel is a supernatural being found in many religions. In Christianity, Judaism and Islam, they typically act as messengers from God. more...
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Etymology
The English word came from Latin angelus, which came from Greek ἄγγελος, ángelos, meaning "messenger". The closest Hebrew word for angel is מלאך, mal'ach Hebrew word #4397 in Strong's, also meaning "messenger". "Angel" is also used in the English version of the Bible for these three Hebrew words:...
אביר, abbir Hebrew word #47 in Strong's, Psalms 78:25 (lit. "mighty");
אלהים, Elohim Hebrew word #430 in Strong's, Psalms 8:5;
the obscure שנאן, shin'an Hebrew word #8136 in Strong's, in Psalms 68:17;
Angelology
Angelology is a branch of theology that deals with a hierarchical system of angels, messengers, celestial powers or emanations, and the study of these systems. It primarily relates to kaballistic Judaism and Christianity, where it is one of the ten major branches of theology, albeit a neglected one.
Many secular scholars believe that Judeo-Christianity owes a great debt to Zoroastrianism in regards to the introduction of angelology and demonology, as well as the fallen angel Satan as the ultimate agent of evil, comparing him to the evil spirit Ahriman. As the Iranian Avestan and Vedic traditions and also other branches of Indo-European mythologies show, the notion of demon had existed long before.
It is believed that Zoroastrianism had an influence on Jewish angelology, and therefore modern Christian angelology, due to the appearance of elements from Zoroastrianism in Judaism following Israel's extended contact with the Persian Empire while in exile in Babylon,. Borrowed notions may include, the introduction of Satan as a supreme head over the powers of evil (present mainly in Christian and Islamic theology), in contrast to God: comparing Satan to Angra Mainyu (also known as Ahriman) of Zoroastrian faith, who was the arch-enemy of Ahura Mazda, the supreme Universal God of mankind.Angels, some also believe, may have first been depicted as God's helpers in Zoroastrianism, and their hierarchy is comparable to modern Angelology's hierarchy.
This view is questioned though by those who point out that the Torah, the Book of Job, and other Jewish books depicting angels as messengers of God predate the time of Persian influence.
Read more at Wikipedia.org
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