No Ordinary Angel

by Susan R. Garrett

Publisher:

Yale University Press

, 2008

Overview

In this provocative, intelligent, and highly original addition to the Anchor Yale Bible Reference Library (29 vols.), Susan R. Garrett argues that angel talk has never been merely about angels. Rather, from ancient times until the present, talk about angels has served as a vehicle for reflection on other fundamental life questions, including the nature of God's presence and intervention in the world, the existence and meaning of evil, and the fate of humans after death. In No Ordinary Angel, Garrett examines how biblical and other ancient authors addressed such questions through their portrayals of angels. She compares the ancient angel talk to popular depictions of angels today and considers how the ancient and modern portraits of angels relate to Christian claims about Jesus.

No Ordinary Angel offers important insights into the development of angelology, the origins of Christology, and popular Western spirituality ranging from fundamentalist to New Age. In doing so, it provokes stimulating theological reflection on key existential questions.

In the Logos edition, this volume is enhanced by amazing functionality. Important terms link to dictionaries, encyclopedias, and a wealth of other resources in your digital library. Perform powerful searches to find exactly what you’re looking for. Take the discussion with you using tablet and mobile apps. With Logos Bible Software, the most efficient and comprehensive research tools are in one place, so you get the most out of your study.

Key Features

• Provokes stimulating theological reflection on key existential questions
• Offers important insights into the development of angelology
• Considers how ancient and modern portraits of angels relate to Christian claims about Jesus

Contents

• Agents of Healing, Messengers of Truth
• Angels at the Throne: Entering into God’s Presence
• Falling Angels: Desiring Divinity, Wanting the World
• Satan and the Powers
• Guardian Angels
• Angels and Death

Praise for the Print Edition

At once magisterial and accessible, Garrett's book moves with grace between ancient and modern depictions of angels—never dismissive of popular beliefs, yet showing their indebtedness to modern ideologies.

—Dale B. Martin, author of Pedagogy of the Bible

Susan Garrett has written no ordinary book about angels. A supposedly esoteric or other-worldly topic turns out to be a life and death matter when Garrett illumines it with the light of her learning.

—Patrick D. Miller, Princeton Theological Seminary

This marvelously readable and informative book is an authoritative contribution to the scholarly literature on angelology. Those who minister to folks who have been—or desperately want to be—"touched by an angel" will benefit greatly from Garrett's insights. I am immediately grateful to my own guardian angel for leading me to this book!

—Richard J. Mouw, Fuller Theological Seminary

Product Details

• Title: No Ordinary Angel: Celestial Spirits and Christian Claims about Jesus
• Author: Susan R. Garrett
• Series: Anchor Yale Bible Reference Library
• Publisher: Yale University Press
• Print Publication Date: 2008
• Logos Release Date: 2010
• Pages: 352
• Language: English
• Resources: 1
• Format: Digital › Logos Research Edition
• Subject: Angels › Biblical teaching
• ISBNs: 9780300140958, 0300140959
• Resource ID: LLS:NOORDANGL
• Resource Type: Monograph
• Metadata Last Updated: 2022-09-30T01:53:02Z

About Susan R. Garrett

Susan Renninger Garrett is Professor of New Testament with a specialized interest in the Gospels and how they reflect the world view and theology of biblical authors. Early Judaism, including apocalyptic thinking, is also a particular specialty. “I try to help students to explore their own understanding of what the Bible is, and of what are the sources of its authority and the means by which it exercises that authority in the life of faith. I also want to show students that such critical thinking can go hand-in-hand with a deep passion for the Scriptures and for sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ.†Dr. Garrett joined the faculty at Louisville Seminary in 1995 and welcomed its atmosphere of collegiality and sense of purpose among its faculty. She says that her years at the Seminary have influenced a shift to writing for the church as well as for the academy. Some of her published works include The Demise of the Devil: Magic and the Demonic in Luke’s Writings (Fortress, 1989), The Temptations of Jesus in Mark’s Gospel (Eerdmans, 1998), Making Time for God: Daily Devotions for Children and Families to Share (Baker Book House, 2002); co-authored with LPTS professor Amy Plantinga Pauw, and No Ordinary Angel: Celestial Spirits and Christian Claims about Jesus (Yale University Press, fall 2008). In addition to pursuing her teaching responsibilities and research interests, Dr. Garrett is the coordinator of the Louisville Grawemeyer Award in Religion, a $200,000 annual prize given jointly by Louisville Seminary and the University of Louisville for creative ideas that best illuminate the relationship between human beings and the divine.