Angels: A Very Short Introduction

Very Short Introductions #287

by David Albert Jones

In this lively and concise Very Short Introduction , David Albert Jones provides a crisp, broad-ranging survey of angels in theology, philosophy, and popular culture. Focusing on Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, he examines how angels have been imagined and explained as well as why they continue to captivate us. Jones explores the classical discussion--what they are made of, when they came to be, and how many there are. He names the archangels, surveys the different hierarchies, and examines how they have changed over time. He looks at why the idea of angels remains so potent in modern culture, even among non-believers.

Genres: Religion, Nonfiction, Theology, History, Christianity, Faith, Spirituality

141 pages, Paperback

First published October 27, 2011

Reviews

[Justin Evans · Rating 2 out of 5]

Are you curious about the history of angels? Perhaps you've seen enough paintings, or read enough Dante, or been amused by 'Dogma' or entertained by 'Angels in America,' or perhaps you just like weirdness. If so, you'll know that your two options for learning more about angels are:

i) late ancient or medieval texts by Pseudo-Dionysus or Aquinas.
ii) contemporary accounts of how angels will stop you getting in car accidents.

Now, wouldn't it be nice if there was something in between? Something that didn't treat you like an idiot, but recognized that you are not a theologian or intellectual historian?

Jones tries to fill that unnecessary gap, and more or less fails. I have no doubt he's a respectable scholar, but he seems to be the kind of respectable scholar who believes that writing for the general public means writing like a freshman who's had three composition seminars:

"In 586 BCE the King of Judah was defeated in battle and Jerusalem was captured by the Babylonians. Many of the people were taken into exile in Babylon. This had a great effect on their religious beliefs, including their beliefs about angels. This was recognized by the Jews themselves."

Note the vagueness (*what* effect?), the unwillingness to follow out a train of thought (*how* did it have an effect?), the 'redrafting' that consists entirely of cutting run-on sentences into multiple sentences, but never rises to the challenge of (gasp!) 'which' clauses.

This wouldn't matter if Jones said anything interesting or informative about angels; you'll only learn something from this book if you've never seen any art, never read any of the old testament, nor quran etc. If you know literally nothing, I admit, this is the book for you, because Jones will tell you important contextual things, for instance, Paul Klee was friends with Kandinsky (p 24; I have no idea why he tells us this), or Revelations is the last book in the new testament.

Enough, before I talk myself into a one star rating.

[Zachary Mays · Rating 2 out of 5]

Informative, but ultimately somewhat thin and unsatisfying.

[Guilherme Smee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Um livro bem legal para entender como funciona a dinâmica cultural do fenômeno dos anjos desde a antiguidade até os dias de hoje e como eles, a partir das suas mais diferentes representações, acabaram se imiscuindo na cultura popular, nos filmes, quadrinhos, novelas, livros de aventura, young adult, enfim. A parte que mais gostei foi a que explica a mutação do "sexo dos anjos", algo que tem um fundo cultural bastante impressionante e um boa explicação para aqueles, como eu, que estudam o gênero. Outras partes interessantes são as que falam sobre as hostes angelicais e sobre os nefeleins, ou os anjos caídos, dos quais fazem parte os demônios. Um outro ponto positivo deste livro é que o autor David Albert Jones não possui uma visão esotérica dos anjos a ponto de querer nos levar a crer neles, mas uma visão mais estoica e cínica que coloca essas criaturas como uma espécie de mitologia moderna, que está imiscuída em grande parte de nossa cultura, principalmente na Ocidental. A linguagem que o autor empresta ao livro é clara e precisa, fazendo jus ao subtítulo "uma breve introdução".

[Bernie Gourley · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book offers an overview of angels in the Abrahamic religious traditions (i.e. Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.) [It does take a quick dip into angel-like beings from other religious traditions – e.g. Hindu and Parsi – but generally comes down on the side of it doing a disservice to everybody to equate such beings across mythological traditions – with the possible exception of the New Age angel which is predominantly an offshoot from Abrahamic mythology.] The book considers the evolution of theological thinking on angels: how they’ve been portrayed in art; what they are [made of;] what their purposes are (i.e. messengers, healers, guardians, warriors, etc.;) and, occasionally, how they play into popular culture.

I took away a great deal from this book. For example, I learned about the differences between the djinn of Islam mythology and demons of Judeo-Christian mythology, and the theological underpinnings of this difference (i.e. Muslims do not believe angels have free will, and thus angels can’t be fallen, and so the djinn are a separate entity altogether [rather than being fallen angels.]) I found the book to be readable, interesting, and balanced in its approach to the topic. If you’re looking to learn more about how angels (and related beings, e.g. fallen angels / demons) have been treated by thinkers of various ages, without getting deep into the minutiae, this is a fine book to consider.

[Basil George · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Angels: A Very Short Introduction" by David Albert Jones is an engaging and scholarly exploration of the multifaceted concept of angels across various cultures and religious traditions. Jones, with his background in theology and ethics, deftly navigates through historical, literary, and artistic representations of angels, offering readers a well-rounded understanding of their significance. The book's structure is clear and concise, making complex theological ideas accessible to a broad audience without oversimplifying them.

One of the book's strengths is its interdisciplinary approach. Jones seamlessly integrates perspectives from theology, history, literature, and art, illustrating how the idea of angels has evolved and been interpreted differently over time. This approach not only enriches the reader's understanding but also highlights the cultural and religious diversity in angelic representations.

However, the brevity of the book, while making it a quick and accessible read, sometimes limits the depth of exploration into certain topics. For readers seeking a more comprehensive or detailed analysis, the book might feel somewhat superficial. Additionally, while Jones provides a balanced view, some readers might desire more critical engagement with contemporary beliefs and the ongoing relevance of angels in modern spirituality and culture.

[Steve Wiggins · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Very Short Introduction series is, of course, marked by extreme brevity. When you have to write that short, decisions about how to structure a book become quite keen. Much will have to be left out and some distinct choices will have to be made about what to include. Angels are a vast topic, but David Albert Jones does a good job of making his choices.

I mention in my blog post on the book (Sects and Violence in the Ancient World) that angels are now a standard topic in academic publication. Still, most of the books discussing them tend to be quite technical, and the utility of having a resource written by a scholar, but readable by the average person is definitely a benefit.

I learned a number of factoids from reading this book, and I’ve studied religion through three degrees. There’s so much to be considered when looking at non-human beings. Jones also includes a chapter on fallen angels, or demons. Most of the little book is about the good kind, however, and it is a very useful brief introduction.

[Edoardo Albert · Rating 4 out of 5]

Angels continues the Oxford Very Short Introduction writing streak: it’s excellent. A short (as it says) introduction to angels, from their first appearances in Near Eastern Mythology, their spread through Judaism, Christianity and Islam, to their modern reinvention as figures of the New Age. The book runs parallel threads through history, theology and art history, using each to inform the other.

Angels does exactly what it says on the cover.

[B.G. Clyde · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book may be short but it is deep. Among the topics covered are what is an angel, angels in art, a brief history and fallen angels. This book looks at angels as they appear in Judaic, Christian and Islamic beliefs. This is more than an introduction; it is a brief but thoughtful discussion of angels.

[Noah Moore · Rating 4 out of 5]

So I found this book under my bed, a previous tenant must have forgotten it there. I have zero interest in angels but I read it anyway. I found it very well written and interesting. Examining the concept of angels in depth in the three big abrahamic religions was a very interesting way to see how their teachings run in parallel without having to examine the entirety of their texts.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a well-written overview covering a lot of ground - everything from the religious texts of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, to art and music - everywhere that angels have been mentioned, seemingly. Jones keeps things moving at a brisk pace while making his points. This is a great place to start if you're interested in how humanity has characterized angels.

[James Tester · Rating 4 out of 5]

Like all Short Introductions, David Albert Jones gives a broad, yet knowledgeable account of Angels from the early scriptures to modern art. There is no opinion here on whether or not they exists, just a snappy and well covered overview of why they have held such a sustainable place in culture.

[Richard George · Rating 4 out of 5]

A recommended and interesting read about Christian, Jewish and Islamic thought on angels and demons etc.

[Bledvar Albekell · Rating 2 out of 5]

Basic introduction; nothing of pure substance.

[James · Rating 3 out of 5]

fun quick read about the history of angels in various cultures!

[Michael P. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jones does a wonderful job of showing the evolution of angels in religious texts and after. They are said to first appear as young men eating with Abraham. The book of Genesis does not call these strange young men angels, but a later tradition does to explain who they are. In steps angels grow wings, wear white robes, play horns and later harps. They become spirits without bodies, making for some awkwardness about them looking like young men, eating, having wings, and playing musical instruments. The book also goes into the rather silly explanations given to harmonize these impossible differences.

This seemed to be a 5 star book until the last page, where Jones gives his own beliefs about angels, he says, but it may be better to describe his statement as parameters suggested for thinking about the matter. Because there is absolutely no reason to believe in angels outside of religious texts and the dubious experiences some people claim to have, and with it being so clear that even religious texts get it wrong, Jones's New Agie openness to angels is hard to fathom and is intellectually dishonest. It would have been fine had he written that you can't prove a negative and so nobody can disprove that there are angels and that possibility must therefore be left open, but that is not what he writes. This is a huge disappointment.

[Regina Hunter · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book just confirmed for me which texts to used specifically to read on about angels, it also compared them between three Abrahamic religions and did a little contrast with other religions. it was pretty good and short.

[Daniel Wright · Rating 3 out of 5]

A wide-ranging survey of a wide variety of 'angels' through the flow of numerous traditions, from the devotional to the sentimental. Not altogether coherent, on the other hand.

[Vikas Datta · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant exposition of this realm of beings, with credible reasoning why they are most prominent - in the way they are usually understood and known - in the three Semitic religions.