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The Physics of Angels: Exploring the Realm Where Science and Spirit Meet
"Matthew Fox might well be the most creative, the most comprehensive, surely the most challenging religious-spiritual teacher in America."—Thomas Berry
"Rupert Sheldrake continues to chart a new course in our understanding of the non-local mind that connects all of us."—Deepak Chopra
Many people believe in angels, but few can define these enigmatic spirits. Now visionary theologian Matthew Fox and acclaimed biologist Rupert Sheldrake—pioneers in modern religious thinking and scientific theory—launch a groundbreaking exploration into the ancient concept of the angel and restore dignity, meaning, and joy to our time-honored belief in these heavenly beings.
"Rupert Sheldrake continues to chart a new course in our understanding of the non-local mind that connects all of us."—Deepak Chopra
Many people believe in angels, but few can define these enigmatic spirits. Now visionary theologian Matthew Fox and acclaimed biologist Rupert Sheldrake—pioneers in modern religious thinking and scientific theory—launch a groundbreaking exploration into the ancient concept of the angel and restore dignity, meaning, and joy to our time-honored belief in these heavenly beings.
256 pages, Paperback
First published September 6, 1996
132 people are currently reading
853 people want to read
About the author
Matthew Fox
160 books178 followersTimothy James "Matthew " Fox is an American priest and theologian. Formerly a member of the Dominican Order within the Catholic Church, he became a member of the Episcopal Church following his expulsion from the order in 1993.
Fox has written 35 books that have been translated into 68 languages and have sold millions of copies and by the mid-1990s had attracted a "huge and diverse following"
Fox has written 35 books that have been translated into 68 languages and have sold millions of copies and by the mid-1990s had attracted a "huge and diverse following"
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
October 29, 2018
I delved into this book as research and found it quite fascinating. Fox, a mystical theologian, and Sheldrake, founder of the theory of morphogenetic resonance, have a discussion about 'angelology' throughout the ages, starting with Dionysus and ending with Hildegard Von Bingen. The tone is informal for, of course, none of it can be substantiated. But the upthrust of the volume is that quantum physics and historical knowledge about angels fit together quite nicely. Some of the interesting comparisons I will chew on include: the behaviour of photons/light and angels as divine light and fire, the idea of angels as a "field" of energy, and the notion that all living things have angels, born at the same time. I am a biased reader. I had my own experience with an angel in graduate school, which I am seeking to understand. According to this book, this qualifies as a personal guardian angel. I was looking for something intelligent on the subject that skirted around New Age crap and was very satisfied with what I read.
February 22, 2018
This is a fascinating book which explores the mythos of Angels and relates the description of Angels to contemporary Physics. I enjoyed learning more about the mythology of Angels, though I did find the physics metaphor to be a bit of a stretch. Thankfully they focused mostly on them mythology of the Angels, and specifically in regards to three classic perspectives on Angels via Dionysus the Areopagite, St. Augustine and Hildegarde of Bingen. I found the quotes and commentary to be interesting in relationship to understanding Angels, but would note that the focus of this book was Christiancentric and didn't really represent any other perspective on Angels from Quabalah or Islam. That said, if you're interested in learning more about Angels, this is a useful book to read.
May 18, 2018
Five stars for Sheldrake's contribution - it's highly speculative, yes, and there's absolutely no need to use the blanket term angel for much of what is discussed here, but it sure makes for fascinating reading - and one star for Fox. it is embarrassing that, in this dialogue, Christian theologian is the one who ends up looking like your stereotypical mushy far left new-ager dreaming of his coming aquarian utopia.
Will have to pursue more of Sheldrake's writings.
Will have to pursue more of Sheldrake's writings.
January 29, 2022
Spoiler free review: Angels are divine beings who can't commit evil. Outside theological explanation, angels can be used to study the secret nature of the universe; that goes into cosmology and physics.
January 21, 2023
This is by far one of the best books I have come across. I am sure that I will be reading this again and again.
January 23, 2016
A lot of this book isn't directly about their physics, and what is, if it's true at all, would probably apply to our spirits too and any non-incarnate spirit.
It's very speculative and draws upon a lot of meaningless mythology such as things the church has said about angels.
The above reasons plus the fact that I'm not that interested (anymore) in the physics of the spiritual (if there are any) make me disinterested in this book.
It's very speculative and draws upon a lot of meaningless mythology such as things the church has said about angels.
The above reasons plus the fact that I'm not that interested (anymore) in the physics of the spiritual (if there are any) make me disinterested in this book.
July 11, 2016
The book is written in the form of a discussion between Matthew and Rubert. While this is acceptable, I would have much rather of just watched the discussion in a documentary or free YouTube video. (Would have taken me 30 min in 1 sitting to watch vs. 5 hours of reading over a week)
This book brings up many novel ideas about angels that I was not aware of before the read though.
This book brings up many novel ideas about angels that I was not aware of before the read though.
March 14, 2017
this kind of blew me away. worth the read! especially if you are interested in science, energy, space, theology, and trying to make sense of the universe.
April 22, 2024
A fascinating overview of the cosmology angels featuring writings from three main sources of angel lore: Dionysius, Hildegard of Bingen, and Thomas Aquinas. The authors describe the nature of angels, drawing parallels along the way with modern scientific understandings of the Universe, especially recent discoveries in the realm of physics. The book is structured as a dialogue between the authors, which makes for an interesting reading experience, like reading a podcast. The authors pick out passages from the three writers listed above, then provide commentary on the main ideas, making the book easy to read in segments.
The conclusion does a nice job of summarizing the main points of the book, which I'll re-summarize for anyone interested here.
Angels:
* are numerous, part of a vast network of consciousnesses that are not human
* have been present since the birth of the Universe
* are the governing intelligence of Nature
* have a special relationship to flame, light, fire, and photons (they use examples from Einstein here)
* are musical in nature, working in harmony with other beings
* the majority are friendly, but not all
* Christ has power over them
* awaken imagination and intuition, and forge special relationships with artists and prophets
* played a role in the birth of Language
* are amazed by human beings, and amplify our actions to affect the entire cosmos
* primary role is to praise, but they also inspire, relay messages, protect, and guide
* are present at places of holy worship
* both good and bad angels help us make decisions
*can temporarily assume corporeal form to communicate with and assist us
* accompany us to the next life
The authors conclude with questions for further research and a call to us to reawaken our connection to angels. They explain that with the birth of the industrial and scientific revolutions, our universe became a mechanical one, devoid of the presence of beings besides ourselves. They give examples of rituals and celebrations that can be undertaken to allow the angels to re-enter our hearts, minds, and lives. There's a lot presented here, with many introductions to avenues for further rabbit holing.
The conclusion does a nice job of summarizing the main points of the book, which I'll re-summarize for anyone interested here.
Angels:
* are numerous, part of a vast network of consciousnesses that are not human
* have been present since the birth of the Universe
* are the governing intelligence of Nature
* have a special relationship to flame, light, fire, and photons (they use examples from Einstein here)
* are musical in nature, working in harmony with other beings
* the majority are friendly, but not all
* Christ has power over them
* awaken imagination and intuition, and forge special relationships with artists and prophets
* played a role in the birth of Language
* are amazed by human beings, and amplify our actions to affect the entire cosmos
* primary role is to praise, but they also inspire, relay messages, protect, and guide
* are present at places of holy worship
* both good and bad angels help us make decisions
*can temporarily assume corporeal form to communicate with and assist us
* accompany us to the next life
The authors conclude with questions for further research and a call to us to reawaken our connection to angels. They explain that with the birth of the industrial and scientific revolutions, our universe became a mechanical one, devoid of the presence of beings besides ourselves. They give examples of rituals and celebrations that can be undertaken to allow the angels to re-enter our hearts, minds, and lives. There's a lot presented here, with many introductions to avenues for further rabbit holing.
August 27, 2022
The authors state, "We have chosen to concentrate on three giants of the Western tradition whose treatment of angels is particularly broad, deep, and influential." A favorite passage from each follows.
As they are discussing Dionysius the Areopagite, a Syrian monk whose classic work The Celestial Hierarchies was written in the sixth century ~
Fox or Sheldrake: "Spirits of the place, spirits of the land—I think that’s an important point; angels are not just concerned with people, but with the land itself and all the beings that live on that land and have lived on that land, including the ancestral spirits and the animals."
As they are discussing St. Thomas Aquinas, a philosopher-theologian of the thirteenth century ~
Fox or Sheldrake: "We also have a responsibility to create, to give birth to a more explicit understanding of the world. This is a passion within us. That’s why we enjoy truth. We sense that it’s part of the creative process of the universe to discover some of its fundamental habits and its subtle interconnections."
As they are discussing Hildegard of Bingen, a German abbess of the twelfth century ~
Sheldrake: "Another implication of Hildegard’s teaching is that human beings are unique among creatures on earth because of their conscious communion with the angels. Hence they have a special role to play as intermediaries between the spirit realm and the biological and terrestrial realms....We are an unusual species. So often we see the shadow side of our being. We are a bridge between the material world and the spirit world, and it gets us down. How badly we fail both worlds! But here Hildegard extols this unique experiment on God’s part, our being both spirit and body. She’s saying that we are fascinating, we are amazing, we are praiseworthy to the angels."
As they are discussing Dionysius the Areopagite, a Syrian monk whose classic work The Celestial Hierarchies was written in the sixth century ~
Fox or Sheldrake: "Spirits of the place, spirits of the land—I think that’s an important point; angels are not just concerned with people, but with the land itself and all the beings that live on that land and have lived on that land, including the ancestral spirits and the animals."
As they are discussing St. Thomas Aquinas, a philosopher-theologian of the thirteenth century ~
Fox or Sheldrake: "We also have a responsibility to create, to give birth to a more explicit understanding of the world. This is a passion within us. That’s why we enjoy truth. We sense that it’s part of the creative process of the universe to discover some of its fundamental habits and its subtle interconnections."
As they are discussing Hildegard of Bingen, a German abbess of the twelfth century ~
Sheldrake: "Another implication of Hildegard’s teaching is that human beings are unique among creatures on earth because of their conscious communion with the angels. Hence they have a special role to play as intermediaries between the spirit realm and the biological and terrestrial realms....We are an unusual species. So often we see the shadow side of our being. We are a bridge between the material world and the spirit world, and it gets us down. How badly we fail both worlds! But here Hildegard extols this unique experiment on God’s part, our being both spirit and body. She’s saying that we are fascinating, we are amazing, we are praiseworthy to the angels."
January 17, 2025
Thesis: Angels are largely missing in the modern world so Catholic theologian Matthew Fox and Rupert Sheldrake engage in a wildly speculative, yet a refreshing approach to the subject of angels. The book is written in the format of conversation between the two men where first Sheldrake talks about his scientific work and then Matthew Fox tries to theologize about it (though sometimes Sheldrake feels free to pitch in the theological aspect as well.
First, they examine the concept of angels and how they were understood in the pre-modern world. They rely on Medieval mystics to further understand the concept. Secondly, they talk about the modern scientific understanding of forces and light. Thirdly, they note that there is tremendous similarity between the way, say, Aquinas talked about how angels didn't have mass but were acting in the world; and how we talk about photons. At the end, they propose a theological framework to understand both science and angels, where, angels could be understood as the dispensation of divine energy and matter is merely light condensed.
What I liked: the speculation laid out in the book is wildly interesting and very useful. The comparison between angels and photons is thought provoking and I take it that fields and forces we observe around us is the manifestation of divine energy and angels mediate it to us. The vision offered in the book is far superior to the mathematical, cold, and joyless vision that modern physics provides us. There's an insight in the book that says that over abstraction into mathematical models could be considered idolatry. I think there's something to that insight.
What I disliked: Having said nice things about the speculations, the Sheldrake goes a bit (not too) far for my taste. Like when talks about what it means when we say God hears or sees.
Overall, a much-needed book! 4/5
First, they examine the concept of angels and how they were understood in the pre-modern world. They rely on Medieval mystics to further understand the concept. Secondly, they talk about the modern scientific understanding of forces and light. Thirdly, they note that there is tremendous similarity between the way, say, Aquinas talked about how angels didn't have mass but were acting in the world; and how we talk about photons. At the end, they propose a theological framework to understand both science and angels, where, angels could be understood as the dispensation of divine energy and matter is merely light condensed.
What I liked: the speculation laid out in the book is wildly interesting and very useful. The comparison between angels and photons is thought provoking and I take it that fields and forces we observe around us is the manifestation of divine energy and angels mediate it to us. The vision offered in the book is far superior to the mathematical, cold, and joyless vision that modern physics provides us. There's an insight in the book that says that over abstraction into mathematical models could be considered idolatry. I think there's something to that insight.
What I disliked: Having said nice things about the speculations, the Sheldrake goes a bit (not too) far for my taste. Like when talks about what it means when we say God hears or sees.
Overall, a much-needed book! 4/5
October 3, 2021
A conversation on angels, by a priest and a biologist, both of whom are philosophically oriented.
Initially I found it enjoyable, but it quickly got stale and non-generative. Sheldrake's brilliance doesn't work in this format, he's a radically free thinker who workes better without external constraints. Here he is limited to comment on what other people have said regarding angels, adding scientific and philosophical analogies and examples where he sees fit.
I would love to partake in the conversation, yet it doesn't work as writing, it doesn't go anywhere, nothing opens up, the two worlds don't meet in meaningful ways.
Norwegian author Karl Ove Kmausgaard manages to make angels extremely intriguing in his book "A Time For Everything", and I think the literary format is probably a better fit for for the topic. It feels like this theme has to be approached through poetry, symbology and imagery, rather than analysis. This conversation didn't manage to go beyond analysis and commentary IMO. Although, as I said, being there to listen would have been lovely. Scientific language just isn't sexy enough.
Initially I found it enjoyable, but it quickly got stale and non-generative. Sheldrake's brilliance doesn't work in this format, he's a radically free thinker who workes better without external constraints. Here he is limited to comment on what other people have said regarding angels, adding scientific and philosophical analogies and examples where he sees fit.
I would love to partake in the conversation, yet it doesn't work as writing, it doesn't go anywhere, nothing opens up, the two worlds don't meet in meaningful ways.
Norwegian author Karl Ove Kmausgaard manages to make angels extremely intriguing in his book "A Time For Everything", and I think the literary format is probably a better fit for for the topic. It feels like this theme has to be approached through poetry, symbology and imagery, rather than analysis. This conversation didn't manage to go beyond analysis and commentary IMO. Although, as I said, being there to listen would have been lovely. Scientific language just isn't sexy enough.
March 17, 2025
The main issue in this book is it often devolves into logical speculation based off of current scientific understanding. This wouldn't be an issue if it was first order direct experience. However, what we have here often devolves into third order. Logical speculation based off of someone's words on something which in itself is often logical speculation based off of words on something. In this we play a game of telephone and then try to logic possible scientific interpretations on these matters. This makes the material more similar to a couple friends sitting around a campfire discussing a random topic more than an "exploration" or even a deep dive. While this isn't terrible it isn't anything I would recommend to anyone nor keep for myself and thusly less than average.
January 30, 2025
Mind Stretching
The dialogue is stimulating, mind stretching, and sometimes mind boggling. Personally I have had a number of mystical experiences, not necessarily thinking of angels. I've thought and said things like beings of light, rays of light, light filled, moments of oneness, sudden knowing. Perhaps angels were involved. Some of what was written here in this book seems highly speculative. I don't think solid conclusions can be made on a lot of it. I did enjoy it, and I'll likely go through it again.
The dialogue is stimulating, mind stretching, and sometimes mind boggling. Personally I have had a number of mystical experiences, not necessarily thinking of angels. I've thought and said things like beings of light, rays of light, light filled, moments of oneness, sudden knowing. Perhaps angels were involved. Some of what was written here in this book seems highly speculative. I don't think solid conclusions can be made on a lot of it. I did enjoy it, and I'll likely go through it again.
August 11, 2023
I loved the exploration of the pre-modern/medieval cosmology and angelology, juxtaposed with modern physics. Of course much of the book consisted in speculation, but this kind of enchanted imagination is too scarce today. As with any Sheldrake book, however, his pluralistic tendencies go too far for me, but I am by now accustomed to spitting out the bones in his works.
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November 27, 2022I didn't get through every part of the chapter on Aquinas or Hildegard but the Dionysus portion was one of the most coherent discussions on hierarchy I've ever read. Highly recommend the book for that chapter alone.
December 12, 2023
This book written by two excellent authors, Matthew Fox and Rupert Sheldrake, approaches Angels from the point of view of quantic physics.
Incredibly inspiring and triggering our thoughts and insights, I definitely recommend this book.
Maria Carmo,
Lisbon, 12 December 2023.
Incredibly inspiring and triggering our thoughts and insights, I definitely recommend this book.
Maria Carmo,
Lisbon, 12 December 2023.
February 24, 2018
A fun trip back to scholasticism. Didn't find it too relevant in the post-Kant world but was nice to read theology again. Sheldrake is great, so is Fox.
May 28, 2021
Not bad but not what I wanted
March 26, 2023
A beautiful book.
December 10, 2024
interesting but boring. How can the two co-exist you ask?
December 31, 2022
2.5 muito interessante no início mas o livro inteiro tem uma vibe de uma ideia rascunhada mas ao invés de escrever um livro eles colocaram algumas ideias em bullet points e mandaram pra editora. teria sido um ótimo podcast ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
November 1, 2023
For once, I did not read a book (this one!) in once sitting! I just loved to go back to it, time and time again. A highly recommended speculative take on the theology of physics (or was it the physis of theology? ...who cares...) for the lovers of the genre.
Once again, one could debate agaist the authors untill steam goes out of their ears but right now, I don't see the value in this endeavour. I just love the read and the interconnectedness of everything being interconnected. It's a good enough take on life as it is. Good enough for me right now.
Once again, one could debate agaist the authors untill steam goes out of their ears but right now, I don't see the value in this endeavour. I just love the read and the interconnectedness of everything being interconnected. It's a good enough take on life as it is. Good enough for me right now.
December 24, 2025
Dominikonų ordinui priklausančio teologo ir biochemiko (beja, Merlin Sheldrake, knygos "Raizgus pasaulis" autoriaus tėčio) knyga apie angelus. Pradžioje žiūrėjau gan skeptiškai, maniau, bus koks New Age gabalas, tačiau tai - gan atviras ir gilus pašnekesys, apžvelgiantis tokius krikščionių autorius, kaip Dionisijas Areopagitas, Tomas Akvinietis ir Hildegarda Bingenietė, daug rašiusius apie angelus.
November 24, 2014
This is a very interesting book into the reality of angels in our lives and their purposes. It will give you plenty of information to make you do a lot of thinking about the role of angels in your own life. It is written in a discussion form between a theologian and a scientist. I was truly amazed with what I read in this book. I received this book through goodreads first reads.
January 7, 2026
As I recently recommended this book to a friend, I decided I should go back and re-read it, as I first read it about 20 years ago. There are many lovely illustrations, and I especially enjoyed the chapter on Hildegard of Bingen and the suggestion of the correlation of angels and photons, particles of light, light beings.
September 27, 2008
Actually I had to put this book aside for awhile without finishing it. I like to read before falling asleep, and this book was so interesting that it kept me awake! It's a written dialogue between a theologian and a scientist proving the existance of angels. Very interesting.
August 11, 2012
Astonishing
August 5, 2018
Another great book . Rupert Sheldrake is a very excellent author.
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews