Whatever essence or inherent nature they possess is in terms of their relationship to their source (God, or the ultimate being). Thus, angels have their significance primarily in what they do rather than in what they are.
The term angel, which is derived from the Greek word angelos, is the equivalent of the Hebrew word mal’akh, meaning “messenger.” The literal meaning of the word angel thus points more toward the function or status of such beings in a cosmic hierarchy rather than toward connotations of essence or nature, which have been prominent in popular piety, especially in Western religions. In other traditions, such intermediate beings are less categorical, for they may be benevolent in some circumstances and malevolent in others. Such spiritual beings, when regarded as benevolent, are usually called angels in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, and those viewed as malevolent are termed demons. Throughout the history of religions, varying kinds and degrees of beliefs have existed in various spiritual beings, powers, and principles that mediate between the realm of the sacred or holy-i.e., the transcendent realm-and the profane realm of time, space, and cause and effect. SpaceNext50 Britannica presents SpaceNext50, From the race to the Moon to space stewardship, we explore a wide range of subjects that feed our curiosity about space!Īngel and demon, demon also spelled daemon, respectively, any benevolent or malevolent spiritual being that mediates between the transcendent and temporal realms.Learn about the major environmental problems facing our planet and what can be done about them! Saving Earth Britannica Presents Earth’s To-Do List for the 21st Century.
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