From the Publisher
Written by Virgil Tipton
I don’t remember the name of the book, but an image from it seared itself into my memory sometime in my childhood. The book was a children’s Bible, and the illustration documents the moment when an angel boots Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden.
In the picture, a fifteen-foottall angel aims a flaming sword toward the exit. The couple, strategically screened by leaves, cowers in terror. The expression on the face of the angel reveals a clear message: Alternate suggestions are not welcome.
That picture scared me. A lot. What kind of creatures are these angels that they exhibit such righteous anger? On the other hand, angels also say comforting things like, “Be not afraid,” and they bring tidings of great joy, as the Gospel of Luke—and Linus—tell us (see A Charlie Brown Christmas…really).
We humans are fascinated by angels. Our cultures— high, low, and pop—all wrestle with what they are. This month’s Liguorian is all about angels: their history, their significance, their presence in art, and more.
Fr. Mark Haydu, the author of two beautiful books published by Liguori Publications, writes about the artistic representations of angels, including influences from Roman and Greek traditions. Peter Huff tours the history of human understanding of angels. And there’s more.
December is, of course, a wonderful time to discuss angels. After all, it’s a time of the year when they had a star turn on the world stage. Christmas is also a time to be grateful. At Liguori Publications and Liguorian, we’re grateful every day for the opportunity to share the Good News with you, our readers.
We wish all of you a blessed and peaceful Christmas season.