Angelology emerged under the domination of Jewish groups. Reconstructing a brief history for Jewish groups of the second Temple Period is necessary to ascertain which Jewish group may be aligned with the angelology of 1 Enoch. Moreover, angelology developed within this natural historical context. An exploration of the tradition of angelogy includes angelic origins, their functions in the Hebrew Bible and the Septuagint, possible mythical associations, and speculation about why angels surfaced within Israelite religion. Examining the background, structure and contents of 1 Enoch will ensconce the Enochic writings, within the Second Temple Period. / Biblical and Ancient Studies / D.Litt. et Phil.

Angelology emerged under the domination of Jewish groups. Reconstructing a brief history for Jewish groups of the second Temple Period is necessary to ascertain which Jewish group may be aligned with the angelology of 1 Enoch. Moreover, angelology developed within this natural historical context. An exploration of the tradition of angelogy includes angelic origins, their functions in the Hebrew Bible and the Septuagint, possible mythical associations, and speculation about why angels surfaced within Israelite religion. Examining the background, structure and contents of 1 Enoch will ensconce the Enochic writings, within the Second Temple Period. / Biblical and Ancient Studies / D.Litt. et Phil.

The aim of this study is twofold: to identify the theological purpose underlying the depiction of angels at certain key points in the history of their use, and to explore how far that deeper theological rationale can be re-appropriated for our own day. This study first traces the progression of the angelic motif in the Hebrew Scriptures. By examining numerous pericopes in the Pentateuch, major prophets and Daniel, I demonstrate that the metamorphosis of higher-order beings like the angel of the Lord, cherubim and seraphim, is directly related to the writers' desire to enhance God's transcendence. Next, I evaluate pseudo-Denys' hierarchical angelology, which prominent theologians like Luther and Calvin condemned as little more than a Neoplatonic scheme for accessing God through angels. I propose that not only has pseudo-Denys' Neoplatonism been overstated, but that his angelology is particularly noteworthy for the way it accentuates Christ's eucharistic immanence to the Church. Then I maintain that because assessments of Aquinas' angelology are often based upon the Summa Theologiae, his views are wrongly portrayed as overtly philosophical, rather than biblical and exegetical. In his lesser-known biblical commentaries, however, Aquinas pushes the semantic range of the word ‘angel' to include aspects of the physical world, which unveils an imaginative, Christocentric, and scriptural dimension of his angelology that is rarely acknowledged. The conclusion considers how contemporary figures and movements relate to these three angelologies. Barth emphasises the transcendent God but unlike Hebrew Scripture, weakens connections between God and angels. New Ageism affirms the immanent angel but unlike pseudo-Denys, does so at the expense of Christology and ecclesiology. Contemporary ecological discourse generally lacks Aquinas' appreciation for an imaginative, supernatural approach to the world. Finally, I ground the angels' relationship to transcendence, immanence and imagination in an experiential, eucharistic context.

Angelology emerged under the domination of Jewish groups. Reconstructing a brief history for Jewish groups of the Second Temple Period is necessary to ascertain which Jewish group may be aligned with the angelology of 1 Enoch. Moreover, angelology developed within this natural historical context. An exploration of the tradition of angelology includes angelic origins, their functions in the Hebrew Bible and the Septuagint, possible mythical associations, and speculation about why angels surfaced within Israelite religion. Examining the background, structure, and contents of 1 Enoch will ensconce the Enochic writings, within the Second Temple Period. Various theories exist concerning the origins, genre, and characteristics of the apocalyptic. Although there is no agreement about these issues, I propose that 1 Enoch exhibits an apocalyptic perspective. While the notion of angels possibly appeared early in Semitic literature, a proliferation of angelology developed by the time of the writing of the books of I Enoch. It is judicious to examine which group possibly produced the Enochic corpus and pos&1"ble reasons for an increase in angelic speculation within these writings. It is my conviction that 1Enoch6 was dependent upon Genesis 6:1-4, which seived as a midrash of this earlier mythical tradition. I aspire to validate that both Genesis 6: 1-4 and the Book ofW atchers exhibits priestly concerns that are in sync with the Pentateuch. Priestly interests evident in the Enochic tradition may suggest the writer was a priest, who sought to address contentious issues involving the Jerusalem priesthood of his time. I believe this research is necessary to establish that Enoch's angelology influenced late Second Temple Jewish society. This is evidenced within subsequent Jewish literatures, which display Enochic angelic concepts, and reflects the belief system of a segment of Jewish society during that time. I am appreciative of the University of South Africa, the examining committee, and professor Spangenberg for their guidance. / Biblical and Ancient Studies / D.Litt. et Phil. (Biblical Studies)

Angelology emerged under the domination of Jewish groups. Reconstructing a brief history for Jewish groups of the Second Temple Period is necessary to ascertain which Jewish group may be aligned with the angelology of 1 Enoch. Moreover, angelology developed within this natural historical context. An exploration of the tradition of angelology includes angelic origins, their functions in the Hebrew Bible and the Septuagint, possible mythical associations, and speculation about why angels surfaced within Israelite religion. Examining the background, structure, and contents of 1 Enoch will ensconce the Enochic writings, within the Second Temple Period. Various theories exist concerning the origins, genre, and characteristics of the apocalyptic. Although there is no agreement about these issues, I propose that 1 Enoch exhibits an apocalyptic perspective. While the notion of angels possibly appeared early in Semitic literature, a proliferation of angelology developed by the time of the writing of the books of I Enoch. It is judicious to examine which group possibly produced the Enochic corpus and pos&1"ble reasons for an increase in angelic speculation within these writings. It is my conviction that 1Enoch6 was dependent upon Genesis 6:1-4, which seived as a midrash of this earlier mythical tradition. I aspire to validate that both Genesis 6: 1-4 and the Book ofW atchers exhibits priestly concerns that are in sync with the Pentateuch. Priestly interests evident in the Enochic tradition may suggest the writer was a priest, who sought to address contentious issues involving the Jerusalem priesthood of his time. I believe this research is necessary to establish that Enoch's angelology influenced late Second Temple Jewish society. This is evidenced within subsequent Jewish literatures, which display Enochic angelic concepts, and reflects the belief system of a segment of Jewish society during that time. I am appreciative of the University of South Africa, the examining committee, and professor Spangenberg for their guidance. / Biblical and Ancient Studies / D.Litt. et Phil. (Biblical Studies)