Greco-Christian stream·Dionysius the Areopagite·On the Heavenly Hierarchy·On the Heavenly Hierarchy — Caput XII
XII. Whether sacred-orderly priests are called angels
On whether the priests of the earthly hierarchy can be called angels. Yes — by analogy and participation, since their office is to bear the divine illumination from above to below, which is the proper office of angelos.
Source context
- Theme
- Angels as lowest hierarchical order and their ministry as divine messengers to humanity
Steiner
not engaged in the GA corpus
Cross-tradition
- Jewish angelology (Maimonides, Mishneh Torah)Maimonides' ten ranks of angels place Mal'akhim (messengers) in the lowest order, structurally parallel to Dionysius's placement of Angels as final mediators between divine will and human affairs.
- Islamic angelology (Quranic and Sufi traditions)Quranic and subsequent Sufi cosmology (notably in Ibn Arabi's Futuhat) distinguish angelic orders by proximity to the divine source, with the lowest rank serving as direct emissaries to human souls — cross-tradition congruence with Dionysius's Angels.
- Neoplatonism (Proclus, Elements of Theology)Proclus's descending series of divine henads and daimones provides the philosophical scaffolding Dionysius adapts, placing lowest-order mediating beings in direct contact with the material and human realm.
On the Heavenly Hierarchy — Caput XII
CAPUT XII.
Why the Hierarchs amongst men are called Angels.
Section I.
But this is sometimes also asked by diligent contemplators of the intelligible Oracles; Inasmuch as the lowest Orders do not possess the completeness of the superior, for what reason is our Hierarch named by the Oracles, "Angel of the Sovereign Lord?"
Section II.
Now the statement, as I think, is not contrary to what has been before defined; for we say that the last lack the complete and pre-eminent Power of the more reverend Divisions; for they participate in the partial and analogous, according to the one harmonious and binding fellowship of all things. For example, the rank of the holy Cherubim participates in higher wisdom and knowledge, but the Divisions of the Beings beneath them, participate, they also, in wisdom and knowledge, but nevertheless partially, as compared with them, and p. 45 in a lower degree. For the participation of wisdom and knowledge throughout is common to all the minds which bear the image of God; but the being near and first, or second and inferior, is not common, but, as has been determined for each in its own degree. This also one might safely define respecting all the Divine Minds; for, as the first possess abundantly the saintly characteristics of the inferior, so the last possess those of the superior, not indeed in the same degree, but subordinately. There is, then, as I think, nothing absurd, if the Word of God calls our Hierarch, Angel, since he participates, according to his own capacity, in the messenger characteristic of the Angels, and elevates himself, as far as attainable to men, to the likeness of their revealing office.
Section III.
But you will find that the Word of God calls gods, both the Heavenly Beings above us, and the most beloved of God, and holy men amongst us, although the Divine Hiddenness is transcendently elevated and established above all, and no created Being can. properly and wholly be said to be like unto It, except those intellectual and rational Beings who are entirely and wholly turned to Its Oneness as far as possible, and who elevate themselves incessantly to Its Divine illuminations, as far as attainable, by their imitation of God, if I may so speak, according to their power, and are deemed worthy of the same divine name. p. 46
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