Angels and Saints in Catholicism and Protestantism

[dzebra]

Paul started pretty much all his letters with something like "Paul, follower of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in ________ (fill in the blank, Rome, Corinth, Ephesus, the Church in Philippi, etc.)" These letters are written to the churches, which are made up of Christians. He further says that they are called to be holy. A saint is a holy person. Holy means sacred or set apart. Paul is writing these letters to churches, reminding the Christians that they are set apart by God (holy) to reject the ways of the world and follow the ways of God. Peter, in 1 Peter 2:5, tell Christians that they are a holy priesthood, which is along the same lines as what Paul is telling people.

Angels in the Bible have done things like guard the garden of Eden after Adam and Eve got kicked out, cared for Jesus in the wilderness (Matt 4:11), freed apostles from prison, sent messages from God to people, warned people of danger, opposed Satan, etc. As far as I can figure, they are beings who do the biddings of God. They are present in heaven, as seen in Revelation, and they are higher than humans, because in Hebrews 2, when it's talking about Jesus becoming human, it says he was "made a little lower than the angels." That makes me think that humans are lower than angels.

But neither saints nor angels should be worshiped. Deuteronomy 6:13 (echoed in Matt. 4:10 and Luke 4:8) say "worship the Lord your God and serve Him only."

[Niamh]

We have nothing but saints in Ireland. Everywhere you turn you get greeted by a different saint. (not statues of anything like that but in place names.) nearly everywhere has its own special saint. Where i live is translated into the Church of St. Berach

[NikolaiI]

In my church (a Presbyterian Church) we teach about and honor at least some saints. I remember the pastor teaching children about both Saint Francis and Saint Benedict.

Saint Anthony was the father of monks, or something, am I correct? Anyway, the three saints I mentioned were all ascetics. Saint Anthony gave up his wealth to work as a low-class laborer when he was 18, living at the edge of the village; two years later he went out into the wilderness to become a full-fledged ascetic (praying to God) and stayed there for 20 years. When he came back, he healed many people because the light of God was so strong in him. Saint Benedict lived in a cave to pray for the people, and it's said he performed miracles.

Nowadays, however, a desire for asceticism is seen as mental illness, and quite possible a masked desire for death or suicide. The saints represent a turning away from worldly phenomena to turn to God. They call us to solitude, silence and prayer, if not asceticism.

[Mortis Anarchy]

Catholics have a lot of saints, but they, we don't worship them. The Saints are there to listen I suppose, we pray to them for help, but they don't replace God. Also, in the Book of Enoch, which isn't a part of the bible because it speaks of heretical things, it lists a whole lot of other angels than just the Bible. I found angels fascinating when I was younger and read a lot of different stuff. Not all of it was Catholic, I don't think...or at least it didn't seem Catholic...

[SleepyWitch]

And Sleepy, you really cracked me up when you mentioned how your boyfriend's meetings begin with "blablahow-are-you-did-you-have-any-nice-experience-lately". I'm still laughing with this one because all of our meetings begin with what we call Joys and Concerns. People are given an opportunity to share some of the good things that have happened in their lives and then to mention their concerns for loved ones, illnesses, themselves, world events, whatever. I suppose it is a lot of blabla but to me it can serve to center people, if it is done in a caring and honest way. It can also help us know where others are 'coming from', that the reason George is moody is because of______ or the reason Mable is a 'you know what' is because of_______.

heehee, yeah, I suppose it's a nice thing if it's done that way. but my boyfriend normally doesn't have any major problems or things to talk about, so he feels kinda pressured to make something up. I think that's nonsense, if there's nothing you want to talk about, you shouldn't be forced to make something up.

back on topic:

Also, in the Book of Enoch, which isn't a part of the bible because it speaks of heretical things, it lists a whole lot of other angels than just the Bible.

thanks Ana, I'll check it out.

[Niamh]

Catholics have a lot of saints, but they, we don't worship them. The Saints are there to listen I suppose, we pray to them for help, but they don't replace God. Also, in the Book of Enoch, which isn't a part of the bible because it speaks of heretical things, it lists a whole lot of other angels than just the Bible. I found angels fascinating when I was younger and read a lot of different stuff. Not all of it was Catholic, I don't think...or at least it didn't seem Catholic...

Angelology is fasinating!