This exegetical exercise attempts a hermeneutics or interpretation of one of the most misunderstood genres of both the Hebrew Bible and the Christian in the role of angels, Cherubim and Seraphim.
The author argues that the narrative that describes them is meant to jog our analogical imagination so that our finite mind can try to picture what it is like to be in the presence of the divine. The use of symbols such as animals, sounds, numbers etc is a means of pushing our finite mind to its utmost limit so as to get as close as it can to what is infinite.
This is particularly at a time of crisis or dystopian times such as the current Covid-19 pandemic in order to provide hope that evil is not winning but that whatever discombobulation we may be undergoing are but the birth pangs of a new heaven and a new earth. What are described as angels were not mythic creatures. They were human messengers of God.
When the concept migrates into Greek mythology, angels, like Hermes, are still messengers but they are more supernatural than terrestrial. When Greek mythology and Hebrew mythology about angels, they gave rise to all kinds of pictorial representations. The purpose of the representations was to stretch our minds and in the case of the Bible to help us reflect on the supernatural and to shore our belief that the Supernatural is still in charge.
In relation to the Cherubim and Seraphim, the Hebrew Bible does not even call them angels. It reserved the word angel for human messengers as in Gen 18. Whatever way they are presented in art, they are aids for analogical imagination rather than creatures to keep us awake at night or with which to frighten children. They do not exist outside our analogical imagination. Like Greek drama, when we read the narrative, we are not meant to be bystanders but participants.
In Isaiah 6, for instance, you are not meant to observing Isaiah but you are a co-participant in his drama. If he is afraid, you are also afraid. If he is dejected, you are also dejected. If at the end there is a silver lining at the end of his horizon, that should go for you too. The narrative is meant to have a cathartic effect.
Table of Contents
- 1. Introduction
- 2. The Covid-19 and Apocalypse
- 3. Getting to Grips with Apocalypse
- 4. What's Analogical Imagination got to do with Angels, Cherubim and Seraphim?
- 5. A Twitter Discussion about Angels, Cherubim and Seraphim
- 6. The Death of a King and Existential Crisis
- 7. A Prophet or Seer is invited into the Celestial Throne Room
- 8. What's Going on in these Two Texts?
- 9. Isaiah's Vision
- 10. John's Vision
- 11. An Exemplar from the Prophet Ezekiel
- 12. Conclusion
Objectives and Key Themes
The main objective of this article is to clarify the often bizarre depictions of angels, cherubim, and seraphim, demonstrating that their artistic representations aim to stimulate analogical imagination of the transcendent rather than induce nightmares. A secondary objective is to show how apocalyptic visions, using examples from both testaments of the Christian Bible, served to calm anxieties during times of societal and religious upheaval. Finally, the article aims to demonstrate that the Covid-19 pandemic presents an existential crisis similar to those faced by biblical apocalyptic writers, using angelic imagery as a coping mechanism.
- Analogical Imagination and Apocalyptic Visions
- The Role of Angels, Cherubim, and Seraphim in Coping with Crisis
- Existential Crises and their Depiction in Religious Texts
- The Covid-19 Pandemic as an Existential Crisis
- Interpreting Apocalyptic Literature
Chapter Summaries
1. Introduction: This chapter introduces the article's premise, sparked by a family discussion on a Twitter thread about the accuracy of depictions of angels. The author, an expert in apocalyptic literature, aims to clarify the imagery of angels, cherubim, and seraphim, emphasizing their role in stimulating analogical imagination and providing comfort during times of crisis, such as the Covid-19 pandemic. The chapter lays out three key objectives: clarifying the imagery of these celestial beings, demonstrating the calming effect of apocalyptic visions in biblical texts, and analyzing the Covid-19 pandemic as an existential crisis similar to those depicted in those texts.
2. The Covid-19 and Apocalypse: This chapter establishes a connection between pandemics and apocalyptic narratives throughout history. It highlights how pandemics, including the Black Death and Covid-19, evoke feelings of fragility, chaos, and existential crisis, paralleling the anxieties addressed in ancient apocalyptic texts. The author uses this parallel to contextualize the use of angelic imagery as a response to such crises. The chapter emphasizes the historical association between religious explanations and the understanding of pandemics, even alongside concepts of contagion.
3. Getting to Grips with Apocalypse: This chapter delves into the meaning of "apocalypse," clarifying its meaning beyond popular connotations of a cataclysmic world ending. It explains that "apocalypse" originates from the Greek word for revelation or unveiling, highlighting the concept of a sudden break in human destiny revealing ultimate truth. The chapter utilizes the work of Carlo Aldrovandi to showcase how apocalyptic scenarios served as a means of meaning-making and emotional release amidst nihilism, and that even catastrophes can be interpreted symbolically as the end of a difficult phase and a prelude to a new beginning. The chapter connects this concept directly to the context of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Keywords
Angels, Cherubim, Seraphim, Covid-19 pandemic, Apocalyptic literature, Analogical imagination, Existential crisis, Biblical interpretation, Visions, Religious imagery, Meaning-making, Crisis response.
Frequently Asked Questions: A Comprehensive Language Preview
What is the main topic of this article?
The article explores the depiction of angels, cherubim, and seraphim in religious texts, particularly focusing on how their imagery functions within apocalyptic visions. It examines the use of these images as a coping mechanism during times of societal and religious upheaval, using the Covid-19 pandemic as a contemporary example.
What are the key objectives of the article?
The article aims to: 1) Clarify the often bizarre artistic representations of angels, cherubim, and seraphim, highlighting their role in stimulating analogical imagination; 2) Demonstrate how apocalyptic visions in the Bible served to calm anxieties during crises; and 3) Analyze the Covid-19 pandemic as an existential crisis similar to those depicted in biblical apocalyptic literature.
What is the significance of "analogical imagination" in the context of this article?
The article argues that the artistic representations of angels, cherubim, and seraphim are not meant to be taken literally but rather to stimulate "analogical imagination." This means that the images are meant to evoke a deeper understanding of the transcendent, helping individuals grapple with complex emotions and existential questions.
How does the article connect the Covid-19 pandemic to apocalyptic literature?
The article draws parallels between the anxieties and existential crises experienced during the Covid-19 pandemic and those depicted in biblical apocalyptic texts. It suggests that both historical pandemics and the Covid-19 pandemic prompted individuals to seek meaning and solace in religious frameworks, including angelic imagery.
What is the article's perspective on the meaning of "apocalypse"?
The article clarifies that "apocalypse" doesn't solely refer to the end of the world. Instead, it originates from the Greek word for "revelation" or "unveiling," representing a sudden break in human destiny revealing ultimate truth. The article views apocalyptic visions as a form of meaning-making and emotional release during periods of crisis.
What biblical examples are used in the article?
The article uses examples from both the Old and New Testaments of the Christian Bible, including visions from Isaiah, John, and Ezekiel, to illustrate how apocalyptic literature employed angelic imagery to address societal anxieties and offer hope during times of upheaval.
What is the role of angels, cherubim, and seraphim according to the article?
The article posits that angels, cherubim, and seraphim, in their artistic representations within apocalyptic literature, serve as powerful symbols of comfort and hope during times of crisis. They are tools for coping with feelings of fragility, chaos, and existential threat.
What are the key themes explored in the article?
Key themes include analogical imagination and apocalyptic visions, the role of angels in coping with crises, existential crises and their depiction in religious texts, the Covid-19 pandemic as an existential crisis, and the interpretation of apocalyptic literature.
What are the chapter summaries provided in the preview?
The preview offers summaries for each chapter, providing an overview of the content and flow of the article. These summaries highlight the introduction, the connection between Covid-19 and apocalyptic narratives, the meaning of apocalypse, and analyses of specific biblical visions.
What keywords are associated with this article?
Keywords include: Angels, Cherubim, Seraphim, Covid-19 pandemic, Apocalyptic literature, Analogical imagination, Existential crisis, Biblical interpretation, Visions, Religious imagery, Meaning-making, Crisis response.
- Citar trabajo
- Dr. Tarcisius Mukuka (Autor), 2020, Angels, Cherubim, Seraphim and Covid-19. Analogical imagination or a matter of nightmares?, Múnich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/979038
