Angels: Messengers of God

HDS 3651/FAS Rel 1015

Spring 2021

Kimberley C. Patton
Professor of the Comparative and Historical Study of Religion
Harvard Divinity School, Committee on the Study of Religion

Teaching Fellow: Luan Henrique Ribeiro, PhD candidate,

Committee on the Study of Religion, Harvard University

Archangels Gabriel and Michael

Ethiopian Orthodox Monastery, Lake Tana,
Bahir Dar, Ethiopia
COURSE DESCRIPTION
The angel or “messenger” is a spectacular focus for the religious imagination, linking
immortal and mortal worlds. This course explores the historical theology, iconography, and
liminal function of angels in Judaism, Christianity, Mazdayasna (Zoroastrianism), and Islam,
as well as the widespread revival of interest in these mysterious beings.

CONTACT INFORMATION
Instructor: Kimberley C. Patton
Email: kpatton@hds.harvard.edu
Office hours: Most Monday afternoons, 2-5 or 5:30 PM by appointment

Teaching Fellow: Luan Henrique Ribeiro

Email: luanribeiro@g.harvard.edu
Office hours: By appointment

COURSE WEBSITE: https://canvas.harvard.edu/courses/85566

Angels adorning the intersecting ceiling beams of Debre Berhan Selassie Ethiopian Orthodox Church
in Gonder, Ethiopia: detail

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GENERAL REFERENCE SOURCES

These are to help you identify and learn about names, terms, and concepts, or do
more research on topics that interest you. Most will be available through Course
Reserves or you can purchase from Amazon if desired; only From Gabriel to Lucifer
will be required.

Gustav Davidson, A Dictionary of Angels. New York: The Free Press, 1967.

Malcom Godwin, Angels: An Endangered Species. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1990.

Rex Hauk, ed., Angels: The Mysterious Messengers (interviews and essays)
Ballantine Books, Random House, 1994.

David Albert Jones, Angels: A Very Short Introduction.

Oxford and New York: Oxford University Press, 2011
(paperback available from Amazon $11.95)

Valery Rees, From Gabriel to Lucifer: A Cultural History of Angels.

London: I.B. Tauris, Ltd., 2013 (new and used paperback
& Kindle versions available from Amazon)

COURSE READINGS (REQUIRED AND RECOMMENDED)

Assigned readings will be found in Course Reserves on our coursed website and linked to
“Assignments” each week.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS

Please note that while we assign a percentage of the grade to each

component of the requirements, they all need to be completed in order
to pass the course. For example: if you do all the rest of the
requirements, but don’t turn in a final assignment, you will not pass
the course. Remember that we are here to help! Ask for help before
drowning!

• Class attendance and participation, as well as the completion of

assigned readings by class time (30% of grade).

• Beginning the week of the Feb. 11 class, a three-paragraph essay

on one of the week’s required reading assignments will be due each Tuesday
by 10 PM at the latest (for example, Tuesday, Feb. 9 for the first short paper,
and posted to the dropbox for that week. The papers will form the basis for
our discussion of the readings that week. The papers will not be graded but

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we will return them with our comments after the class has met. Effort,
thoughtfulness, and consistency of submission will count (30% of grade).

The weekly essay should consist of three parts:

1) An abstract (a short summary giving the main argument and

most important highlights) of one of the week’s readings; if more
than one required work is assigned, please choose one.
If you are assigned several chapters of a book, you may focus on only
one or two chapters, or one major theme.

2) A brief discussion of what you learned from the book or

article, or what you found most valuable.

3) An important question the reading raised for you about the

religious concept of angels, the theology of angels through the lens of
that tradition, or the study of angels.

• Final Assignment (30% of grade). Your choice:

An at-home written exam, which you will have a week to complete

and which should be no more than 10-15 pages when completed.
You may use any of our class readings and any sources available to
you through Hollis. The exam questions (ID questions plus a choice
of short essay questions) will be posted by 10 PM on May 6; finished
exams are to be posted to the “Final Assignments” drop-box on our
course website by 10 pm on Thursday, May 13.

OR a research paper or analytical essay of 10-15 pages on a topic

pre-approved by the instructor, due on Thursday, May 13 to the
“Final Assignments” drop-box.

• Effort and intellectual engagement (10% of grade)

Please note that plagiarism is unacceptable and will result in severe

consequences.

For information on HDS/FAS policies on Accessibility, Collaboration,

and Religious Observance, please see the home page of the course
website. For other Harvard schools and BTI, please refer to the
Accessibility offices of your home institutions. If you need
accommodation, please have the director or co-ordinator be in touch
with Prof. Patton. Every effort will be made to make the course
accessible to those who learn in alternative ways.

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 SEMESTER SCHEDULE
Every angel is terrifying. And yet, alas, I invoke you,
almost deadly birds of the soul, knowing about you.
Where are the days of Tobias, when one of you, veiling his radiance,
stood at the front door, slightly disguised for the journey, no longer appalling;
(a young man like the one who curiously peeked through the window).
But if the archangel now, perilous, from behind the stars took even one step down toward us: our own heart,
beating higher and higher, would beat us to death.

Who are you?

—Rainer Maria Rilke, Duino Elegies,

“The Second Elegy.” Trans. Stephen Mitchell

Hagia Sophia Cathedral/Ayasofya-i Kebir Cami-i Şerifi, Istanbul

Dome supported by seraphim pendentives (6th c.; 12th c. CE)

I. ANGELS: AN INTRODUCTION AND GENEALOGY

January 28 Introduction

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February 4 Overview; Angels in the Religious Imagination

Required:

Rabbi Marc Gellman, “What are you looking for?”

Reprinted in The Best Spiritual Writing 1998, 104-112

Interview with Malcolm Godwin, in Angels: The Mysterious Messengers,

ed. Rex Hauk, 108-119

Andrea Piras, “Angels,” in Encyclopedia of Religion, 2nd ed.,

ed. Lindsay Jones, vol. 2, 343-349

Robert Wuthnow, After Heaven: Spirituality in America since the 1950’s

Chapter 5, “Angel Awakenings,” 114-141

II. ANGELS IN THE HEBREW BIBLE AND LATER JUDAISM

February 11 Biblical Angels: The Divine Court; Divine Visitors,

Intercessors, and Intermediaries
First short essay due by 10 PM on Tuesday Feb. 9

Required:

Genesis Chapters 3, 6, 18, 21-22, 24, 28, 32; Exodus 3, 12, 23: 20-23;
Deuteronomy 33; Numbers 22: 21-34; 2 Samuel 24; Job 1-2, 29-31,
33-32; Psalms 18: 1-19; 82; 89: 1-18.
(please use the NRSV, preferably The New Oxford Annotated Bible).

Valery Rees, From Gabriel to Lucifer: A Cultural History of Angels

Introduction & Chapter 1.

Gustav Davidson, A Dictionary of Angels, Introduction (ix-xxvi).

Recommended:

Carol Newsom, “Angels,” Anchor Bible Dictionary, 248-255.

February 18 Biblical Angels: Prophetic Visions and Healing Miracles

Required:

Isaiah 6; Ezekial 1, 8-11; Daniel 7; Zechariah 1;

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 The Book of Tobit (Apocrypha)
(please use the NRSV, preferably The New Oxford Annotated Bible)

Valery Rees, From Gabriel to Lucifer: A Cultural History of Angels

Chapters 5, 6, 7 & 8.

Recommended:

Jon Levenson, Sinai and Zion: An Entry into the Jewish Bible,
111-137.

M. Greenberg, “Ezekiel,” Anchor Bible Dictionary,

1:1-28, “Structure and Themes,” 51-59, and 8:1-11:25,
“Structure and Themes,” 192-206.

Marc Chagall, “Abraham and Three Angels,” 1966

February 25 Angels in Rabbinical and Jewish Mystical Texts

Required:

Shabbat 88b-89a, Babylonian Talmud (Soncino ed.)

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Joseph Schultz, “Angelic Opposition to the Ascension of
Moses and the Revelation of the Law,”
Jewish Quarterly Review 61 (1970/71): 282-307.

3 Enoch (The Book of Enoch by Rabbi Ishmael the High Priest)

ed. James H. Charlesworth. The Old Testament Pseudepigrapha, Vol. 1:
Apocalyptic Literature and Testaments, 254-267.

Gershom G. Scholem, “Merkabah Mysticism and

Jewish Gnosticism,” Major Trends in Jewish Mysticism
40-79.

Rabbi David Cooper, “The Kabbalistic View of Angels”

https://www.rabbidavidcooper.com/angelology/2010/10/1/2593-
the-kabbalistic-view-of-angels-print.html

NCYS Bencher: A Book of Prayer and Song, “Shalom Alaychem.”

“Shalom Aleichem,” in The Family Zemiros, 32-35, 38-39.

Recommended:

“Angels and Angelology,” The Jewish Virtual Library

https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/angels-and-angelology-2

The Book of Jubilees 17-18; The Book of Enoch 6-16.

In The Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha of the Old Testament,
ed. R. H. Charles, 39-40, 191-199.

Moshe Idel, “Enoch is Metatron.” Immanuel 24/25 (1990):

220-240.

Ketubah from Essaoueira (Mogador), Morocco, 1869.

The Israel Museum, Jerusalem.

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 God (Christ the Logos) creating Light and the Angels
Monreale Cathedral mosaic, Sicily, 12th c.

III. ANGELS IN CHRISTIANITY

March 4 Angelic Theophanies in the New Testament, Apocrypha,

and Early Christian sources

Required:

The Gospel of Luke: Chapters 1 and 2;

The Gospel of Matthew: Chapters 1-4; The Gospel of John 20;
The Book of Acts; Epistle to the Hebrews: Chapters 1 and 13
(please use NRSV; preferably The New Oxford Annotated Bible)

St. Athanasius, The Life of St. Antony, ed. Robert T. Meyer,

In Ancient Christian Writers, 44-57.

Susan Garrett, No Ordinary Angel: Celestial Spirits and Christian Claims

about Jesus, Introduction and Chapter 1, “Agents of Healing,
Messengers of Truth,” 1-39.

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 On the Raphael tradition in Ethiopian Orthodox Churches:
http://riowang.blogspot.com/2019/03/saint-raphael-whale-
slayer.html

and

“Ethiopia, Land of Angels,” in World Archaeology 47 [May 5,

2011
https://www.world-archaeology.com/travel/ethiopia-land-of-
angels/

Recommended: J. Daniélou, The Angels and their Mission

March 11 Angelic Liturgy and Hierarchy: Christian Visions

Guest Lecture: Luan Henrique Ribeiro, PhD Candidate

Required:

The Revelation to John (“Revelation”), entire

(please use NRSV; preferably The New Oxford Annotated Bible)

Pseudo-Dionysius, The Celestial Hierarchy,

in Pseudo-Dionysius, The Complete Works.

St. John Chrysostom, The Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom

Trans. by Nomikos Michael Vaporis, 17-28.

Isaac, Bishop of Nineveh, 7th cent., Ascetical Homilies,

Homilies 28 & 39.

Glen Peers, Subtle Bodies: Representing Angels in Byzantium

Introduction, 1-12.

Valery Rees, From Gabriel to Lucifer: A Cultural History of Angels

Chapter 2 & Chapter 9.

March 14-20 SPRING BREAK

Begin to read: Martha Beck, Expecting Adam

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 Marc Chagall, “The Falling Angel,” 1923-47

IV. EXALTED ADAM AND THE FALLEN ANGELS

March 25 Angels, Fallen Angels, and Anthropology

Required:

John Milton, Paradise Lost, ed. Alisdair Fowler

Book IV 1-392; Book V, 1-136.

Gary Anderson, “The Exaltation of Adam and the Fall of Satan,”

in The Journal of Jewish Thought and Philosophy 6 (1997): 105-134.

Valery Rees, From Gabriel to Lucifer:

A Cultural History of Angels, Chapter 3 & Chapter 11.

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 Satan, the Fallen Angel is flung from heaven and nears the confines of the Earth on his way to hell.
An engraving by Gustave Dore from Milton’s Paradise Lost. (1850)

V. ANGELS IN ISLAM

April 1 “Over Every Soul There is a Watcher”:

Qur’anic Angels; Jibril, Iblis

Required: Selections from Qur’ān: Abdullah Yusuf Ali interpretation

Surahs 2: 30-36, 2: 97-103, 2: 285;

3:42-63; 26: 192-220; 32:1-11, 33: 41-58, 38: 71-85;
50: 16-29; 53: 1-32; 81: 1-29, 82: 1-19, 86:1-17.

Jane Smith and Yvonne Haddad, Islamic Concepts of Death and

Resurrection, Chapters 1 and 2, 1-61.

April 8 Mystical angelology in Sufism

Guest lecture: Munjed Majdi Murad, ThD candidate

Required:

Anne Marie Schimmel, Mystical Dimensions of Islam.

Chapter 3, “The Path,” 98-185.

P. Awn, Satan’s Tragedy and Redemption: Iblis in Sufi Psychology

Introduction and Chapter 1, “Mythic Biography.”

Recommended:

P. Awn, Satan’s Tragedy and Redemption: Iblis in Sufi Psychology.

Chapter 3, “Iblis: Model of the Mystic Man” and Conclusion, 122-195.

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 Angel attends the prophet Yunus (Jonah) on his deliverance from the great fish.
Traditional illuminated ms.

April 15 INTERLUDE: Wim Wenders, “Wings of Desire”

(Der Himmel über Berlin); German with English Subtitles
Rent from YouTube Movies; $2.99 with debit or credit card
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ycyXZMnYlBc
I may arrange for an in-class screening for anyone who wishes.
No short paper due; post comments on film on discussion page

Valery Rees, From Gabriel to Lucifer: A Cultural History of Angels,

Chapter 10.

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 Ascent of Muhammad to Heaven (ca. 1539–1543)
from the Khamseh of Nizami, ascribed to Sultan Muhamad

April 22 Al-mi‘rāj Angels and the Ascension of the Prophet

Required: Imām Najm ad-Dīn al-Ghaitī,

“The Story of the Night Journey and the Ascension,”
in A Reader on Islam, ed. Arthur Jeffery, 621-639.

The Encyclopedia of Islam, second edition, s.v. “mi‘radj,” 1-5 only.

Valery Rees, From Gabriel to Lucifer: A Cultural History of Angels,

Chapter 4.

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 Poster for “Angels in America” by Milton Glaser,
2010 off-Broadway production, New York

VI. ANGELS IN AMERICA

April 29 Angels in America: Revelation and Rejection

Required:

Martha Beck, Expecting Adam (discussion)

Tony Kushner, “Angels in America,” Introduction, Part Two, “

“Perestroika,” “Characters” (Act Two, Scenes 2 (end) & 3 (167-177);
Act 5 257-290; “Nine Notes Regarding the Angel,” 316-321.

Sara Holden, “Theater Review: Angels in America Punches Through

the Roof Again” (3.25.18):
https://www.vulture.com/2018/03/theater-angels-in-america-
punches-through-the-roof-again.html

Valery Rees, From Gabriel to Lucifer: A Cultural History of Angels,

Chapter 12 & Epilogue.

May 6 Open-book final assignment questions posted by 10 PM

May 13 Final assignment due; post to website by 10 PM

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Amanda Lawrence, left, as The Angel and Andrew Garfield as Prior Walter in “Perestroika,” the second part of
“Angels in America.” (Photo: Sara Krulwich, The New York Times)

Dawn Ursula as the Angel in Round House Theatre and Olney Theatre Center: Angels in America Part I:
Millennium Approaches, directed by Jason Loewith. Washington, DC 2016 (Photo: Danisha Crosby)

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 Ophanim. 13th century illuminated ms., Bavarian State Library

ANGELS: MESSENGERS OF GOD

HDS 3651/FAS Rel 1015/Spring 2021
Course Reserves

Ali, Abdullah Yusuf, interpreter. The Meaning of the Holy Qur'an.

Brentwood, Maryland: Amana Corporation, 1991.

Awn, Peter. Satan’s Tragedy and Redemption: Iblis in Sufi Psychology. Leiden: E. J. Brill, 1983.

Beck, Martha. Expecting Adam: A True Story of Birth, Rebirth,

and Everyday Magic. New York: Random House (Times Books), 1999.

Biriotti, Sophie, ed. The Possibility of Angels: A Literary Anthology.

San Francisco: Chronicle Books, 1997.

Daniélou, Jean. The Angels and their Mission According to the Fathers of the Church.
Westminster, MD: Christian Classics.

Davidson, Gustav. A Dictionary of Angels. New York: The Free Press, 1967.

Divine Liturgy of Saint John Chrysostom. Translated by Michael Nomikos Vaporis and the’
and the Holy Cross Faculty. Brookline, MA: Holy Cross Orthodox Press, 1985.

al-Ghaitī, Imām Najm ad-Dīn. “The Story of the Night Journey and the Ascension.”
In A Reader on Islam, ed. Arthur Jeffery. New York: Walter de Gruyter, Inc., 621-639.

Garrett, Susan. No Ordinary Angel: Celestial Spirits and Christian Claims about Jesus.
New Haven: Yale University Press, 2008.

Gellman, Rabbi Marc. “What Are You Looking for?” In The Best Spiritual Writing 1998,
edited by Philip Zaleski, 104-112. San Francisco: HarperSanFrancisco, 1998.

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Isaac, Bishop of Nineveh, Ascetical Homilies.

Jones, David Albert. Angels: A Very Short Introduction.

Oxford and New York: Oxford University Press, 2011.

Keck, David. Angels and Angelology in the Middle Ages. New York: Oxford, 1998.

Kushner, Tony. Angels in America: A Gay Fantasia on National Themes.

2013 Revised Edition. New York: Theatre Communications Group, 2013.

Milton, John. Paradise Lost. Ed. Alistair Fowler. Longman, 1998.

Peers, Glen. Subtle Bodies: Representing Angels in Byzantium.

Berkeley: University of California Press, 2001.

Piras, Andrea. “Angels.” In Encyclopedia of Religion, 2nd ed., ed. Lindsay Jones,
vol. 2, 343-349. Detroit: Macmillan Reference USA, 2005.

The New Oxford Annotated Bible, ed. Bruce Metzger and

Roland Murphy. New York: Oxford University Press.

Pseudo-Dionysius. The Complete Works, trans. C. Luibheid.

The Classics of Western Spirituality. Paulist Press, 1987.

Schimmel, Anne Marie. Mystical Dimensions of Islam.

Chapel Hill: The University of North Carolina Press, 1975.

Smith, Jane I., and Yvonne Haddad. Islamic Concepts of Death and Resurrection
New York: State University of New York Press, 1981.

Wuthnow, Robert. After Heaven: Spirituality in America Since the 1950’s

Berkeley: The University of California Press, 1998.

Respect paid at George Floyd Memorial mural, created by Donkeeboy.

Scott Food Mart, Third Ward, Houston 6.10.2020 (Photo George Gonzales)

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