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A catalogue of angels : the heavenly, the fallen, and the holy ones among us

by Wright, Vinita Hampton, 1958-

Format: Print Book 2006
Availability: Available at 2 Libraries 2 of 2 copies
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Available (2)
Location Collection Call #
C.C. Mellor Memorial Library Non Fiction 202.12 Wri
Location  C.C. Mellor Memorial Library
 
Collection  Non Fiction
 
Call Number  202.12 Wri
 
 
Northland Public Library Nonfiction 202.15 W93
Location  Northland Public Library
 
Collection  Nonfiction
 
Call Number  202.15 W93
 
 

Summary
"Angel: a spiritual being superior to humans in power and intelligence; also an attendant spirit or guardian."



We think of angels as winged creatures with supernatural powers that assist us when we are in danger. Where did that image of wings come from? how much contact is possible between humans and angels? Popular novelist Vinita Hampton Wright answers these and other questions in this illuminating and richly informative guide to angels in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.



Explore the origin and nature of angels, where they dwell, what they do, and how they relate to humanity. Discover what the three Abrahamic faiths have to say about fallen angels (or demons), and see how doctrine and theology sometimes merge with legend and superstition. Included at the book's end is an encyclopedia of terms and names that will enlighten the study of angelic beings in the religions of the world.
Published Reviews
Booklist Review: "A book editor, novelist, and believer in angels, Wright focuses on the angels of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, traditions that have in common, she notes, the Jewish prophets and scriptures and that also have similar worldviews. Drawing largely on legend and oral sources, she constructed what could be considered a primer on angels but certainly not a theological discourse on them. Besides the angels of the three monotheisms, she discusses the nature of angels, recent teachings of the Catholic Church on angels, the hierarchies of angels, how angels fell from grace, and the various types of demons in her three target religions; and she appends a short encyclopedia of angels. Wright clearly knows her stuff but wears her erudition lightly. Anyone interested in angels should appreciate her entertaining and enlightening book. --June Sawyers Copyright 2006 Booklist"
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Publisher's Weekly Review: "Whether they stare austerely from stained-glass windows in churches or sit among the collectibles in Hallmark stores, angels are a ubiquitous part of American popular culture. In this combination of angelic history and encyclopedia, acclaimed novelist Wright (Dwelling Places), who describes herself as a believer in angels, investigates their manifestations in Judaism, Christianity and Islam. In the book's first section, she examines scripture, tradition, mysticism and (occasionally) occult materials to explore such topics as where angels are said to dwell, what caused some of them to "fall," how they interact with humankind, and what the angelic hierarchies are in the Abrahamic traditions. Angel narratives, she observes, help connect us to "a universe we will never understand yet in which we hold a position of great esteem, as those loved by God and ministered to by God's many angels." The other half of the book is an alphabetical angelology, spanning Abaddon (an angel of devastation and hell) to Zohar (the major text of the mystical Jewish tradition of the Kabbalah, which tradition states was transmitted through angels). The narrative portion of the book's opening section ends abruptly, and it is not entirely clear whether the book's overall purpose is scholarly or devotional. However, the encyclopedia is a useful tool for those who wish to pursue more advanced studies. (Sept.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved"
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Additional Information
Subjects Angels -- Christianity.
Angels.
Publisher Brewster, Mass. :Paraclete Press,2006
Language English
Description xi, 225 pages ; 21 cm
Bibliography Notes Includes bibliographical references (pages 223-225).
ISBN 1557254214 (alk. paper)
9781557254214
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