Do Angels Have Wings?

[Paladin D]

I bought a fantastic book about a few months back called [b]"Angels (and Demons) What do we really know about them?"[/b] [i]By Peter Kreeft[/i] (Ignatius Press). The book is pretty interesting, he draws from the Bible, traditional Church teaching, and St. Thomas Aquinas. Though one of the questions answered in this book doesn't seem right to me. I'll post it:


[i][b]52. Are you sure angels have no wings? Why are they always painted with wings?[/b]

Angels no more have wings than they have fins or gills. They are painted with wings to symbolize their job as heavenly messengers. So we shouldn't take seriously the idea that angels get their wings after passing some tests, like Clarence in It's "A Wonderful Life". Frank Capra was a great moviemaker, but he never claimed to be a great theologian.[/i]


What's your take on this?

[hierochloe]

[quote name='Paladin D' date='Aug 11 2005, 04:50 PM']I bought a fantastic book about a few months back called [b]"Angels (and Demons) What do we really know about them?"[/b] [i]By Peter Kreeft[/i] (Ignatius Press).  The book is pretty interesting, he draws from the Bible, traditional Church teaching, and St. Thomas Aquinas.  Though one of the questions answered in this book doesn't seem right to me.  I'll post it:
[i][b]52.  Are you sure angels have no wings?  Why are they always painted with wings?[/b]

Angels no more have wings than they have fins or gills.  They are painted with wings to symbolize their job as heavenly messengers.  So we shouldn't take seriously the idea that angels get their wings after passing some tests, like Clarence in It's "A Wonderful Life".  Frank Capra was a great moviemaker, but he never claimed to be a great theologian.[/i]
What's your take on this?
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Makes sense to me. I can't recall anywhere in scripture that an angel is described to have wings. Men clothed in white, etc....no wings tho. Maybe in Kabalah?

[Semalsia]

The Bible says they do. Or some of them.

"This is the living creature that I saw under the God of Israel by the river of Chebar; and I knew that they were the cherubims. Every one had four faces apiece, and every one four wings; and the likeness of the hands of a man was under their wings." Ezekiel 10:20-21

"Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly." Isaiah 6:2

[DeeDee]

Does a chicken have lips? I don't know why I said that. It just reminded me of a joke I heard one time. Sorry.

[Era Might]

Angels have no bodies. They do not have wings, anymore than Jesus is really a lamb or a lion. These are symbols.

[toledo_jesus]

I don't think it matters what angels look like, only what they are telling us. But yeah, their depictions in art with wings are the same kind of thing as Hermes having wings on his ankles.

[Semalsia]

[quote]They do not have wings, anymore than Jesus is really a lamb or a lion. These are symbols.[/quote]

So the Bible is to be taken symbolically?

[Era Might]

[quote name='Semalsia' date='Aug 11 2005, 06:18 PM']So the Bible is to be taken symbolically?
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When it is written symbolically, yes. The Bible makes use of many literary tools, from historical narrative to anthropomorphisms. Usually, symbolism is self-evident, such as when Scripture speaks of the "right arm of God" or the "wings" of angels. Neither God nor angels have physical bodies. These are simply symbols to help us better grasp certain truths.

Edited August 11, 2005 by Era Might

[Semalsia]

Confusing, but ok. What are the wings symbols of then?

[toledo_jesus]

[quote name='Semalsia' date='Aug 11 2005, 06:38 PM']Confusing, but ok. What are the wings symbols of then?
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Angels are the messengers of God. wings are a historic symbol for messengers, because they are fast and that's a good quality for a messenger to have.

[StColette]

Angels and Art

We must remember that the artistic renderings of angels with wings is not actually what they look like. They are pure spirits, meaning they have no bodies. Wings are depicted on angels because it implies their swiftness and speed in sending messages between God and man. In art, the angels are illustrated to distinguish their order. In the first hierarchy, the Seraphim are absorbed in perpetual love and adoration immediately around the throne of God. They are usually painted in red color and sometimes hold burning candles. They are shown as bodiless heads with six red wings, the wings usually sprinkled with staring eyes. The Cherubim, representing Divine Wisdom, are usually painted in golden yellow or blue, usually holding a book. They should possess six or four blue wings and they often stand upon a wheel, referring to the origin of their name, which is from a Hebrew word meaning a chariot. The Thrones uphold the Seat of God, and can be portrayed kneeling in adoration, holding a miniature throne in their hands or a fiery wheel covered with eyes. Often times they are wearing the robes of judges, and hold the staff of authority in their hands (See G. Ferguson, Signs & Symbols in Christian Art, 97).

In the second hierarchy, the Dominations are crowned, carry scepters, swords, and sometimes orbs, as emblems of authority, representing the Power of God. The Virtues carry white lilies, or sometimes red roses as symbols of Christ's Passion. The Powers are often dressed in full armor as victorious warriors against the hordes of evil devils. In the third hierarchy the Principalities or Princedoms are the dispensers of the fate of nations. They usually have a chain mail shirt and helmet, carrying a lance, or sometimes just a lily. The Archangels are the warriors of heaven, and are dressed in full armor, with a shield and sword always pointed upwards. Finally, the Angels are dressed as deacons, in flowing white robes, with trumpets or other musical instruments or bearing a lily.

The three archangels who appear in art are St. Michael, St. Gabriel and St. Raphael. The symbol for St. Michael is a shield with the symbol of the Trinity. He is portrayed as young and beautiful, clad in shining armor with a sword, shield and spear. Resplendent wings rise from his shoulders, and he sometimes is wearing a jewelled crown. St. Michael is usually portrayed in the act of slaying a dragon or driving Satan from heaven. "He is unmistakable by his majestic dignity, his armor and his great splendid wings. He is the Prince-Patron of the Church Militant, and Captain-General of the Celestial Hosts" (Bles, 52). When he is carrying scales or balances, he is acting in the office as the weigher of souls.

St. Gabriel is the loveliest angel depicted in art. As the angel of the Annunciation, he wears long white robes, bears a lily and a scroll with Ave Maria, Gratia Plena ("Hail Mary, full of grace") His symbol is the fleur-de-lis.

St. Raphael, whose symbols are the staff, pouch and fish, "is the Guardian Angel, par excellence... for it was he who conducted Tobias on his quest" (Bles, 52) St. Raphael is usually pictured as a kind, mild and loving person, wearing either a long flowing robe, or dressed like a pilgrim or traveller wearing sandals. He usually carries a staff and a gourd of water or wallet to his belt.

[url="http://www.catholicculture.org/lit/activities/view.cfm?id=1157"]http://www.catholicculture.org/lit/activit...iew.cfm?id=1157[/url]

[hierochloe]

[quote name='Semalsia' date='Aug 11 2005, 05:03 PM']The Bible says they do. Or some of them.

"This is the living creature that I saw under the God of Israel by the river of Chebar; and I knew that they were the cherubims. Every one had four faces apiece, and every one four wings; and the likeness of the hands of a man was under their wings."  Ezekiel 10:20-21

"Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly." Isaiah 6:2
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My goodness, you are right. I do remember that. I must be getting alzheimer's.....

I've also always been taught that angels are not beings with physical form, which would mean no wings.

[Paladin D]

Even though angels do not have physical bodies, wouldn't they have "spiritual" ones? Of course they would be able to change their appearance, but they surely would have a normal/default spiritual form, one that would include wings (not physical ones)? It's hard for me to imagine an angel without wings.

[FutureSoror]

I don't know about spiritual bodies, that seems like an oxymoron (I think I spelled that right...) to me. They are pure spirit. When they appear to people on earth they have to take some visible form for us to percieve them, but it is usually not an ovious 'angelic' appearance as far as I can tell. Usually people mistake them for something else until afterwards, or until they reveal who they are. I don't think their wings are a really concrete aspect about them, just a sort of device for explaining something we can't really explain otherwise. We'll probably get to heaven and go 'Ohhh, I get what they meant now.' It seems to be a kind of highly evolved artistic tradition too, just like how they are sometimes painted like little naked babies.

[EcceNovaFacioOmni]

Angels don't have actual bodies, but they must appear as so in order for humans to see them.

[philothea]

[quote name='FutureSoror' date='Aug 11 2005, 10:57 PM']I don't know about spiritual bodies, that seems like an oxymoron (I think I spelled that right...) to me.  They are pure spirit.  When they appear to people on earth they have to take some visible form for us to percieve them, but it is usually not an ovious 'angelic' appearance as far as I can tell.  Usually people mistake them for something else until afterwards, or until they reveal who they are.  I don't think their wings are a really concrete aspect about them, just a sort of device for explaining something we can't really explain otherwise.  We'll probably get to heaven and go 'Ohhh, I get what they meant now.' It seems to be a kind of highly evolved artistic tradition too, just like how they are sometimes painted like little naked babies.
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I remember Mother Angelica would get all annoyed by paintings of "baby" angels... with navels. Where were they supposed to have got those?!

It's funny how usually the first thing an angel says is, "Don't be afraid." I guess they must be frightening to see!

[scardella]

the real question is

"How many angels can fit on the head of a pin?"

[Mikhail]

Wow, I think that this is the first time I agree with the majority of people on here. ;-)

Angels, like all spirits, are preternatural. Like many of the things of God, our minds can't fathom how it would work. Instead of trying to fill in the blanks with things that make sense to us, we should just accept it by faith. I happen to know for a fact that angels don't have wings. Now, if you want a physical answer to what Angels consist of, I suppose the best explaination would be that they are pure energy. Energy can take any form in the universe and move without hinderance through even solid matter (which, as everyone knows, is made up mainly of empty space). However, to try to explain such things is to put God in a box. i.e. to try to make him conform to the limitations of our feeble minds.

Many people believe God and the spirits of heaven look like our physical bodies because God said "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness." However, this flies in the face of the fact that Jesus "took the form of a man". However, if one thinks that the "image" God was talking about is the spirit, it makes perfect sense. The body is merely the vessel which holds the soul.

[Thy Geekdom Come]

[quote name='Era Might' date='Aug 11 2005, 06:12 PM']Angels have no bodies. They do not have wings, anymore than Jesus is really a lamb or a lion. These are symbols.
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Jesus isn't really a lion?

[FutureSoror]

Of course, if it comforts us to think of angels as having wings, there's nothing against having that image in our minds. It sometimes seems like wings synonomus with thier splendor.