Angels
on High
By Dan Hardison
If there is a
common idea or concept that spans across the various religions
of the world – it is the belief in angels. Angels appear in more
than half the books of the bible and according to a 1993 survey,
69% of Americans believe in angels. Is it no wonder that angels
have figured so strongly in works of art throughout history?
The word
"angel" means, "messenger," and angels most often appear in
scripture as messengers of God or to perform specific divine
tasks. As children, we learn about angels through stories such
as Daniel and the lion’s den, Mary learning that she would bear
a son named Jesus, and Christ’s resurrection from the tomb. In
addition, we are given the names of some of these angels such as
Gabriel and Michael.
Angels have
long been a favorite image during Christmas, but in recent
years, there has been a growing fascination with angels. This
fact has even appeared in the comic strip “Calvin and Hobbes”
when Calvin observes, “I think angels are everywhere.” A
surprised Hobbes asks, “You do?” To which Calvin responds,
“There’re on calendars, books, greeting cards, almost every
product imaginable.” Hobbes can only reply, “What a spiritual
age we live in.”
Angels have
been described as being entirely spiritual. An angel has no
material body and is apparently genderless – although they are
usually referred to as men in scriptures. Yet, they are neither
ghost nor spirit. There has long been debate on the role of
angels in our lives and just how an angel might appear. It is
here that artists have been free to interpret angels in their
work. If there is a common element in the portrayal of angels,
it is their wings.
With limited
information from the Bible, angels are often misrepresented in
popular culture. Nevertheless, whatever our belief or
interpretation, there is comfort in the idea that there is a
being created by God to be a guide, messenger, and protector in
our lives. As The Rev. George W. Jones wrote, “Sometimes little
children are so precious that it is quite certain their angels
are with them. And when on some infant’s head a curly wisp
quivers, it is quite likely, the air has been fanned by an
angel’s wing.
Dan Hardison
Editor, The Episcopal Church and Visual Art
Email:
editor@ecva.org |