Antiquity In chapter V of
Ignatius of Antioch's
Letter to the Trallians, the bishop gives a listing of angels not unlike that later proposed by Pseudo-Dionysius. In his
First Epistle of Clement,
Clement of Rome exhorts his listeners to join the angels in praising God.
Clement of Alexandria wrote that angels "breathe" in men's thoughts and reasonings, and "puts in" their hearts "strength" and a keener perception.
Evagrius Ponticus spoke of the concept of angelic companions and angels as models for behavior.
Augustine of Hippo remarks, the angels were experiencing something new as the
creation of God unfolded. Augustine also considers that the 'good' angels seek at all times, to direct us towards the true source of happiness, God; that they encourage us in
worship of God.
Pseudo-Dionysian hierarchy According to
Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite's
De Coelesti Hierarchia (
On the Celestial Hierarchy), there are three levels ("sphere") of angels, inside each of which there are three orders. Various works of
Christian theology have devised
hierarchies of angelic beings. The most influential Christian angelic hierarchy was put forward around the turn of the 6th century CE by Pseudo-Dionysius in his work
De Coelesti Hierarchia. He claimed to be an important figure who was converted by
Paul the Apostle, and the Pseudo-Dionysius enjoyed greater influence than he would have if he had used his actual name, until
Erasmus publicised doubts about the age of the work in the early 16th century.
Catholic Church According to the
Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) paragraph 328, "the existence of the spiritual, non-corporeal beings that
Sacred Scripture usually calls 'angels' is
a truth of faith. The witness of Scripture is as clear as the unanimity of
Tradition." The same
catechism states: "The whole life of the church benefits from the mysterious and powerful help of the angels [...] From its beginning until death, human life is surrounded by their watchful care and intercession." It also states, "Christ is the center of the angelic world. They are
His angels [...] They belong to Him because they were created through and for Him".
The New Church (Swedenborgianism) The
New Church denominations that arose from the writings of theologian
Emanuel Swedenborg have distinct ideas about angels and the spiritual world in which they dwell. Adherents believe that all angels are in human form with a spiritual body, and are not just minds without form. There are different orders of angels according to the three heavens, and each angel dwells in one of innumerable societies of angels. Such a society of angels can appear as one angel as a whole. All angels originate from the human race, and there is not one angel in heaven who first did not live in a material body. Moreover, all children who die not only enter heaven but eventually become angels. The life of angels is that of usefulness, and their functions are so many that they cannot be enumerated. However each angel will enter a service according to the use that they had performed in their earthly life. Names of angels, such as Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael, signify a particular angelic function rather than an individual being. While living in one's body an individual has conjunction with heaven through the angels, and with each person, there are at least two evil spirits and two angels. Temptation or pains of conscience originates from a conflict between evil spirits and angels. Due to man's sinful nature it is dangerous to have open direct communication with angels and they can only be seen when one's spiritual sight has been opened. Thus from moment to moment angels attempt to lead each person to what is good tacitly using the person's own thoughts.
Latter Day Saint movement ,
Bern, Switzerland The
Latter Day Saint movement views angels as the messengers of God. They are sent to mankind to deliver messages, minister to humanity, teach doctrines of salvation, call mankind to repentance, give
priesthood keys, save individuals in perilous times, and guide humankind. Latter Day Saints believe that angels either are the spirits of humans who are deceased or who
have yet to be born, or are humans who have been
resurrected or
translated and have physical bodies of flesh and bones.
Joseph Smith taught that "there are no angels who minister to this earth but those that do belong or have belonged to it." As such, Latter Day Saints also believe that
Adam, the first man, was and is now the archangel
Michael, and that
Gabriel lived on the earth as
Noah. Others who said they received a visit by an angel include the other two of the
Three Witnesses:
David Whitmer and
Martin Harris. Many other Latter Day Saints, both in the early and modern church, have said they had seen angels, although Smith posited that, except in extenuating circumstances such as the
restoration, mortals teach mortals, spirits teach spirits, and resurrected beings teach other resurrected beings. ==Catholic angel hierarchy==