Angels in Religion

Angels in Protestant Christianity

In Protestant Christianity, angels are messengers and carry out God's will but have less elaborate characteristics and less prominence than in Catholicism.  Angels are most important in their gospel role of ministering to Jesus and assisting the disciples.

Angelic Form
Angels are created as spiritual beings - not as humans.  They can take on a corporeal form if doing so will help them do their work on earth.  They are genderless and invisible.

Heavenly Intervention
They provide guidance and assurance to believers and pray for them in heaven.  John Calvin rejected the concept of guardian angels, saying, "All the angels watch over our salvation."  Not all angels are good however.  Satan, or Lucifer, the rebel angel, is a constant threat to unwary souls.

Important Angels
All biblical angels are important.  Most protestant theologians, however warn against the Catholic practice of praying to angels (which they view as idolatry) and the angel hierarchy of Catholicism because these traditions are not biblical and are not seen as having pagan roots.  The devil is prominent as the "ruler of this world" whom humanity must struggle to overcome.

Source: Big Book of Angels, by Editors of Beliefnet
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