Greco-Christian stream·Dionysius the Areopagite·On the Heavenly Hierarchy·On the Heavenly Hierarchy — Caput V
V. Why all the heavenly Beings are commonly called Angels
On the catholic-Greek use of angelos (messenger) as the name for all the heavenly beings. The lowest of the nine orders carries the name proper to its office, but the higher orders also participate in messenger-work and so share the title.
Source context
- Theme
- Classification and nature of the first hierarchical order: Seraphim, Cherubim, and Thrones
Steiner
- GA 110, 1909-04-17Steiner describes how the highest spiritual hierarchies — Seraphim, Cherubim, and Thrones — act as the living origins of cosmic and planetary formation through their spiritual interactions.
- GA 136, 1912-04-11Steiner identifies physical heavenly bodies as the residual after-effects of past activities belonging to the beings of the hierarchies, placing the Dionysian first triad within an evolutionary cosmological framework.
- GA 213, 1922-07-16Steiner notes that early Christian wisdom sought to understand Christ's place within the ranks of the spiritual hierarchies — the same structural question Caput V addresses through the Dionysian classification of the first order.
- GA 197, 1920-03-09Steiner references Dionysius the Areopagite's teaching that earthly priestly hierarchies mirror heavenly hierarchical structures, affirming the Dionysian framework's social and spiritual correspondence doctrine central to Caput V.
Cross-tradition
- Hebrew Merkabah mysticismThe Merkabah literature likewise positions Seraphim (Isaiah 6) and Cherubim (Ezekiel 1) as the innermost throne-bearers of the divine presence, offering a structural parallel to Dionysius's first hierarchical triad.
- Neoplatonism (Proclus)Proclus in the Elements of Theology posits a triad of highest henads closest to the One whose procession and return mirrors the Dionysian description of the first-order beings as those who stand nearest to and participate most directly in the divine source.
- Islamic angelology (Muqarrabun)The Quranic and later Sufi designation of the muqarrabun — those brought near — as the highest angelic rank presents a cross-tradition congruence with Dionysius's first triad defined by maximal proximity to and participation in the divine.
On the Heavenly Hierarchy — Caput V
CAPUT V.
For what reason all the Heavenly Beings are called, in common, Angels.
This, then, in our judgment, is the reason for the appellation Angelic in the Oracles. We must now, I suppose, enquire for what reason the theologians call all the Heavenly Beings together "Angels;" but when they come to a more accurate p. 22 description of the supermundane orders, they name exclusively, "angelic rank," that which completes the full tale of the Divine and Heavenly Hosts. Before this, however, they range pre-eminently, the Orders of Archangels, and the Principalities, the Authorities, and Powers, and as many Beings as the revealing traditions of the Oracles recognize as superior to them. Now, we affirm that throughout every sacred ordinance the superior ranks possess the illuminations and powers of their subordinates, but the lowest have not the same powers as those who are above them. The theologians also call the most holy ranks of the highest Beings "Angels," for they "also make known the supremely Divine illumination. But there is no reason to call the lowest rank of the celestial Minds, Principalities, or Thrones, or Seraphim. For it does not possess the highest powers, but, as it conducts our inspired Hierarchs to the splendours of the Godhead known to it; so also, the saintly powers of the Beings above it are conductors, towards the Divine Being, of that Order which completes the Angelic Hierarchies. Except perhaps some one might say this also, that all the angelic appellations are common, as regards the subordinate and superior communication of all the celestial powers towards the Divine likeness, and the gift of light from God. But, in order that the question may be better investigated, let us reverently examine the saintly characteristics set forth respecting each celestial Order in the Oracles. p. 23
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