In a discussion with a friend from another website, the question of angels came up. My friend said first that he does not believe in angels, and I thought this was curious as he professes Catholicism. He further continued that he saw no reason to believe in angels. This made my head spin a bit, as I had never heard such a confession from a believing Catholic before. A quick search through the Catechism calmed my nerves and revealed something noteworthy I thought I'd record here for any one who may have this conversation with another in the future.
The existence of angels, i.e. non-corporeal spiritual beings, is for Catholics a truth known de fide and is part of the witness of both Sacred Scripture and Tradition. Indeed one cannot be a Catholic and not believe in angels. This belief is a simple consequence of the testimony of none other than Christ Himself in multiple Gospel accounts, and the witness of a multitude of voices in Tradition. Rejecting angels is in a real way rejecting Christ.
I pray that my friend may come to see the fullness of God's Creation and fully appreciate the testimony of Scripture and Tradition.
2 comments:
True that, Zachary.
And as everyone knows, you don't have to believe in something (or someone) for it to be true.
The Bible tells us that there is a very real war being waged, and it worries me that professed Catholics could be so lukewarm about the existence and the nature of the enemy. It is terribly dangerous to see the opposition as simply "deep evil" rather than spiritual beings seeking nothing short of our utter despair and the resignation of our souls.
"For we are not contending against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world rulers of this present darkness, against the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places" (Eph. 6:12).
Indeed one cannot be a Catholic and not believe in angels.
Now, the fact that you can't be Catholic and pro-choice I get. And agree with. But this? Ridiculous.
Rejecting angels is in a real way rejecting Christ.
Quite a charge, Zach.
The Bible tells us that there is a very real war being waged, and it worries me that professed Catholics could be so lukewarm about the existence and the nature of the enemy. It is terribly dangerous to see the opposition as simply "deep evil" rather than spiritual beings seeking nothing short of our utter despair and the resignation of our souls.
I don't see it as an either/or. I believe in deep evil that seeks our utter despair and the resignation of our souls; in short, death. I think I take evil much more seriously than people who simply believe in "angels" and "demons" and "possession" and all that. Such people rarely actually identify evil in the world. War? Just part of life. Poverty? We will always have the poor with us. And so on. Evil is not named as evil by the very people who profess to believe in the "demonic."
"For we are not contending against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world rulers of this present darkness, against the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places" (Eph. 6:12).
I love this passage and believe every word of it. It's an important verse for Christian radicals. Dig a little deeper and you will find that this is NOT about "angels" or "demons."
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