Fallen Angels: Soldiers of Satan's Realm
Overview
The problem of evil has challenged mankind ever since the dawn of intelligence. Why is there evil in the world and why do pain and suffering come upon those who do not seem to deserve it? Written in a simple, popular style, Bamberger's book will appeal to you, no matter what your own answer to the question may be, are curious to learn how it has been answered in the past or is being answered by others in your own age.
The author traces the history of the belief in fallen angels in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, and assembles a variety of tales and superstitions—some grotesque, others quaint and humorous. His presentation also reveals a basic divergence between Judaism and Christianity in their respective attitudes toward the devil. The concluding chapter of the work deals with the return of the devil to prominence in contemporary religious thought and shows how Judaism seeks its own solution to the problem of evil.
Logos Bible Software dramatically improves the value of any resource by enabling you to find what you are looking for with lightning speed and unbelievable precision. While you are reading Fallen Angels: Soldiers of Satan's Realm you can easily search important concepts from various theologians and access dictionaries, encyclopedias, and a wealth of other resources in your digital library.
- Examines fallen angels in different religious contexts
- Analyzes Christian and Jewish perspectives on the devil
- Contains extensive bibliography, notes, and index
Top Highlights
“Highly important is the idea first suggested in this work, that evil spirits are an organized army, operating under a single leader.” (Page 30)
“ If God is unique, and if He is perfectly good, how are we to account for the evil in the world?” (Page 5)
“But the existence of evil, however unpleasant, presented no theoretical problem to the primitive mind. Everyone knew that there are good, friendly gods, and also wicked, cruel deities and demons. It is the latter who cause all our woes and worries. The purpose of religion was to conciliate (and strengthen) the powers of good and to placate or defeat the spirits of evil. Of course one had to deal cautiously even with the kindest gods, for they too could be dangerous if offended. One might even utilize the powers of evil for his own purposes—that is, practice witchcraft—but this was hazardous in the extreme. The general division of the supernatural beings into kind and cruel powers was familiar to all the pagan peoples; this dualism found its most extreme and dramatic expression in Persia.” (Page 5)
“What, says Dr. Morgenstern, was the sin of the angels? It is the sin related in Genesis 6, of marrying mortals and engendering children. The order of the universe is that celestial beings are deathless: therefore they need no offspring.” (Page 11)
“In short: Genesis 6 tells that the angels married women, but not that this was a sin. Psalm 82 reports that the elohim sinned, but not that they married women. There is no biblical evidence to warrant a combination of the two items.” (Page 11)
. . . a compelling and interesting collection of scripture based and Talmudic lore . . . deftly brings readers through some of the most engaging tales. . . . Fallen Angels is very highly recommended reading, especially for students of the Abrahamic religions, including those searching for a more knowledgeable approach to Jewish traditions and teachings particularly, but to the Muslim and Christian faiths as well.
—The Midwest Book Review
- Title: Fallen Angels: Soldiers of Satan's Realm
- Author: Bernard J. Bamberger
- Publisher: Jewish Publication Society
- Publication Date: 1952
- Pages: 300
