Best christian angelology & demonology books according to redditors
We found 61 Reddit comments discussing the best christian angelology & demonology books. We ranked the 28 resulting products by number of redditors who mentioned them. Here are the top 20.
Adam Kotsko's book Prince of this World explores the way that 'demonic' is inverted from defining the oppressor (i.e. Babylon, Rome, etc) to defining the oppressed. He uses the rhetoric surrounding black victims of police brutality as 'demonic' to further drive in this point. It's worth a look if you are interested.
>So, if I'm not mistaken, Satan was a fallen Angel.
Yes.
>Does Satan have the equivalent of Angels (Demons, I guess?) in Hell with him? If so, how does that work?
Yes, demons are fallen angels. When the angels were created, they could make a decision for God or against God. Those who chose against God are called demons.
>And on the topic of Angels, does Heaven have the same amount of Angels as mentioned in the bible or are there new Angels all the time?
I can't recall a Bible verse says how many angels there are.
For more on this, read Kreeft's Angels and Demons: What Do We Really Know about Them?
Jennifer Percy is an interesting author. She wrote, Demon Camp, about a soldier who attempted to cure his PTSD with an exorcism. She also traveled to Syria back in 2015 to write this piece for NYT Magazine: Meet the American Vigilantes who are Fighting ISIS.
Having read her previous work, which has taken her to Syria, Iraq, and Afghanistan, I'm not surprised that she would step into the fray. However, I am surprised that she would publicly out herself as an apostate of wokeness. She lives in Brooklyn, and runs with the far-left literati. She had to know that writing this article could mean end of her social life, if not her career.
It looks to me like she's standing on principal, which could be a sign that the fever is breaking.
Greetings - I believe/practice "exorcism" - I put it in quotes because I don't believe it's a fully biblical term. Spelled out a lot of this stuff in the other thread:
Been a part / witnessed a few of demonic manifestations in both the lost and saved. Happy to answer any specific questions you have here.
Also, for an excellent theological treatment of this, I recommend what /u/SeredW/ recommended:
Satan: A Biography
Also, the Bible. I'm not religious, but it's fascinating to read as a piece of literature.
A Dictionary of Angels: Including the Fallen Angels
No personal experience, but her the best books I have read on the subject. They mainly describe the events surrounding the possession and are CREEPY AS HELL TRUE.
https://www.amazon.com/Dark-Sacrament-Modern-Day-Possession-Exorcism-ebook/dp/B000WPXTJW
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004QX074Q/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1
Also, a recent case of demonic possession diagnosed by American doctor skeptic Richard Gallagher, a trusted, respected man. He's writing a book, but the details are available online. I thought it was worth the 99 cents to download the New Oxford Review paper he wrote...great read...very creepy.
They are spirits. Spirits do not have bodies, though they can assume (God willing) a bodily form.
Check out Kreeft's book. He follows St Thomas Aquinas and is easier to read.
M.F. Unger - What Demons can do to the Saints
Neil Anderson - The Bondage Breaker
Mark Bubeck - The Adversary: The Christian Versus Demon Activity
Storms has some good stuff. Demon "possession" isn't biblical - that's something that was put into the King James Version and we've been using it incorrectly ever since. The word is just "demonized" and carries a radically different meaning than the concept of "possession".
https://www.samstorms.com/enjoying-god-blog/post/can-a-christian-be-demonized-part-one
https://www.samstorms.com/enjoying-god-blog/post/can-a-christian-be-demonized-part-two
>Some of you are probably wondering why I have chosen the term “demonization” rather than the more popular “demon possession”. This may actually come as a surprise to you, but the Bible never once talks about demon possession. It was popularized by its appearance in the King James Version, although it had appeared in other English versions prior to the 1611 edition (Clinton E. Arnold, Three Crucial Questions about Spiritual Warfare [Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 1997], p. 205, n. 11). That should be reason enough to avoid using such language, but in addition we need to consider the emotional impact of the phrase which I believe detracts from an objective discussion of the subject. It is difficult for many to dissociate the concept of demon possession from scenes in the movie The Exorcist. I would also point out that the term "possession" implies ownership, and it is questionable to say that Satan or a demon own anything.
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It's in a Dutch magazine, it has stated the source, which I have read. The research is purely focused on the linguistics, on what the language actually said in the first place, and how this changed between translations. It does not go into the realm of metaphors, just into the plain written language. This is also the main point of critique of the paper, that it doesn't take that into account, but that was not the purpose.
I will try to find a link, but I can't guarantee it, since the magazine is somewhere lying around at my parents.
This is the Dutch intro to the article and thus incomplete, but maybe someone can help me find the source again: http://www.kijk.nl/artikel/satan/
But one only has to look at Judaism to see what they have to say about the devil. In mainstream Judaism the idea of The Satan is a laughable concept since a satan in the old testament(untainted by translation errors) is a prosecutor and God will always be the Judge.
>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Devil#Judaism
Nowhere in the old testament it is said that the serpent at Adam and Eve is the devil or even "a satan" for that matter. These claims and interpretations are only made in the new testament. And as Kelly concludes linguistically and historically this does not occur before the Greek translation of the Bible, wherein the mandated use of articles (even before names) creates the initial ambiguity. This was then later intentionally or unintentionally misinterpreted to mean "the Satan".
In my opinion, the argument that this research is crappy because it ignores so called metaphors is just a way to weasel out of facing the facts again. The bible is already a metaphor and that is understood, even in the written language. The common defence is to say that people, even those that extensively studied the Bible, don't understand it or haven't read it enough still is just laughable as always. Are they trying to say that the researcher didn't get the metaphor within the metaphors?
>EDIT: This is his book about it: http://www.amazon.com/Satan-Biography-Henry-Ansgar-Kelly/dp/0521604028
>EDIT 2: Even better, my google searches got the ball rolling: http://www.physorg.com/news75128924.html - This link is absolutely worth a read if you want to get the gist of it.
This one has a pretty good listing of angels. There's also this on someone's website, and I do recommend the Book of Enoch.
If you want to read extra-biblical sources, you can start with something like Old Testament Parallels., which has excerpts arranged by their possible similarity with the OT canon. For more comprehensive coverage, look at Outside the Bible (3 vols).
Heiser has his defenders on here, but from a historian's perspective my view is that his approach to those ancient texts has been unduly shaped by his theological agenda. You can compare his approach with the work of some others, including David Penchansky, Twilight of the Gods, Mark Smith, The Early History of God, Elaine Pagels, The Origin of Satan, Adam Kotsko's The Prince of This World, and Thomas Römer, The Invention of God.
On Enoch and the Apocalyptic tradition in particular, look at John Collins's The Apocalptic Imagination, and Anathea Portier-Young, Apocalypse Against Empire.
Now that I type this out, these would make a kick-butt course syllabus. Hmmm...
I'd encourage you to read the works from Dr. Michael S. Heiser, scholar-in-residence at Logos Bible Software, and Doug Van Dorn, a pastor from Colorado. They have written extensively on these subjects. Great thing about these guys is they give consideration and don't dismiss such views out of hand.
Suggested Reading
My advice is to start with The Book of Enoch. Lots of angels (fallen and righteous) involved in the action, interacting with each other, etc. It's technically not scripture (except in Ethiopia) but, just barely.
This book is alright, just for reference and exposing yourself to a huge swath of different angels. Definitely follow up on as many primary sources as interest you; they're pretty well indexed in the book.
Otherwise, don't stress out too much -- there isn't really anyone who's "fundamentalist" about angelology or angel lore. There's more imagination involved than theology, so definitely go where your inspiration leads.
I've actually done a bunch of research myself on different angels; if there's any specific angel you want to know more about I can send you some notes (currently at work but I'll see what I've got on Ramiel when I get home).
EDIT: At home and looking at notes. Heads up that Remiel / Ramiel (same angel) is not a fallen angel -- he's actually considered an archangel. His being the angel of "true visions" is from 2 Baruch, scroll down to Chapter 55. He has that title because he interpreted the visions to Baruch correctly, not necessarily that he himself grants any visions.
I'm pretty convinced that you will find the fallen angel you're looking for in The Book of Enoch though. If not, another source I'd try is Paradise Lost by Milton. Happy researching, and let me know if you need anything else!
I'll also offer Adam Kotsko's recent
Prince Of This World, which surveys the political-theological evolution of Satan, and the monstrous employments to which this symbol has been put to use. The excerpts I have read are excellent.
I'm agnostic leaning toward a hard no on a literal Satan. Human evil and sin are real and vivid enough without the involvement of some kind of mythologized ringleader
To respond more seriously, taking a simple crack-shot at the Problem of Evil makes it look like you haven't really put much thought (or reading) into the topic.
This is pretty close to my belief
http://www.amazon.com/Satan-Problem-Evil-Constructing-Trinitarian/dp/0830815503
No problem, this is a good starter guide http://www.amazon.com/Dictionary-Angels-Including-Fallen/dp/002907052X/ref=sr_1_sc_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1413201781&sr=8-1-spell&keywords=dictionary+of+angels+and+deons
It works as an actual guide with references to sources from which it is pulled. It lists the spirits by name like a dictionary, then includes the etymology of the name (if known), then a summary with references to whatever books/scrolls the information came from. There may be more up to date information elsewhere (I've had this book for several years), but if nothing else its a good place to start.
It also includes listings of angelic hierarchy which is funny because in some sources Arch-Angels are at the top, others (I would say the correct ones) have Arch-Angels at the bottom with the Seraphim at the top.
I don't think "demons, aliens, and all things occult" are typically covered in a single, definitive work. Especially because "aliens" are usually part of UFOlogy and not occultism.
Regarding occult topics though:
- The New Encyclopedia of the Occult
- Three Books of Occult Philosophy
- Dictionary of Demons
- A Dictionary of Angels
- The Golden Dawn
- Gems of the Equinox
- The Complete Magician's Tables
- The Magician's Companion
There are literally hundreds of other resources available too, but these are the ones I could think of off the top of my head.
This book gives an idea of what can happen (if it is real):
https://www.amazon.com/Dark-Sacrament-Modern-Day-Possession-Exorcism-ebook/dp/B000WPXTJW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1541067519&sr=8-1&keywords=Dark+sacrament
Also hard drugs are just as bad...
We don't know a lot about Angels, but the few indications that we have are that the lowest Angels have an intellect greater than all the Humans on earth put together. There are at least 8 levels of Angels above that. Serephim, Cherubim, etc.
Angels have a different type of intellect than we do. They quickly and fully acquire knowledge, and do not learn and forget gradually like we do. So, when they decided to betray God, there was no going back. When they fell from God's grace, they deformed into demons.
Please note that intellect is separate than moral will. Having a great intellect comes with equal risk of making immoral choices.
Satan was God's most glorious Angel, Lucifer. He was supposed to bring light to the whole Earth (Lucifer = The light bringer). He decided that he was far too great to serve mankind. In God's infinite wisdom, God uses Satan and his demons to test us to see where our loyalties are. Adam and Eve failed that test, but Jesus opened the door back to Heaven for those who truly want to choose God instead.
Dr. Peter Kreeft wrote a good book based on Scripture and traditional knowledge going back thousands of years
Angels and Demons: What Do We Really Know about Them?
https://www.amazon.com/Angels-Demons-What-Really-about/dp/0898705509
Dr. Kreeft's overview: https://youtu.be/cvSsXK174aQ
Check out “Angels and Demons: What do we really know about them?” by Peter Kreeft
Great book!
https://www.amazon.com/dp/0898705509/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_-LQEDb3WJQMBH
The books were Demon Possession and The Atheist's Way. This first is a collection of stories of demonic possession without a skeptical attitude toward them, while the latter is a book designed to explain how Atheists can lead moral lives. One would think the first one is more likely to lead to arson.
Reading the answers there's some great banter, but here's some more practical info - in case you were actually serious in your question.
If you're after Judeo-Christian concepts, then look up Gustav Davidson's Dictionary of Angels as it lists numerous demons.
Another guide would be the Lesser Key of Solomon which has detailed demon descriptions and guides for summoning.
Another place to start would be Enochian Magic principles. Put the three together and you're off to a good start... but
Read this before you do anything, Dion Fortune's Psychic Self Defense.
/u/Insanelopez has the best advice so far - if you're being serious. Don't get stuck into something too quickly that you don't know anything about.
aspiring satanists should check out this book
steer clear of LaVey tho
The Grace New Testament Commentary (2 Volume Set)
https://faithalone.org/shop/books/the-grace-new-testament-commentary-2-volume-set/
The Ten Most Misunderstood Words in the Bible
https://faithalone.org/shop/books/the-ten-most-misunderstood-words-in-the-bible/
The Atonement and Other Writings
https://faithalone.org/shop/books/the-atonement-and-other-writings/
Absolutely Free
https://faithalone.org/shop/books/absolutely-free/
Confident in Christ
https://faithalone.org/shop/books/confident-in-christ/
The Reign of the Servant Kings
https://www.amazon.com/Reign-Servant-Kings-J-Dillow/dp/1564530965
This may be helpful.
Also, pay attention to animals that appear pointedly in your path, too. As well as what your favorite animal is.
The following authors are well respected scholars, most are attached to academic institutions. The books listed are some of the very best and stand alone. For example Unger's epochal work "Biblical Demonology"is the only demonology book that you will ever need. Dismiss everything that is not heavily footnoted and lacking proper review.
Before you get carried away with Crowley, Blavatsky, or even Castaneda, you have to establish a firm foundation. I don't wish to overwhelm you here, but I suggest that you work your way through all of the books listed. Many of them are available on Kindle, but I would suggest physical copies if your budget allows it. I would start with "Religions of the Ancient World" Belknap Press of the Harvard University Press. It is the most expensive resource book listed, but its a bargain at $60. It will serve you as a primer, handbook and lexicon.
The Mystery Schools are a headache and a pleasure to learn about. Focus on the Mithraic, Eleusinian and Bacchic Mysteries. I say this with reservation, but these three particular schools function as a Rosetta Stone in a way. This will make more sense once you grasp the mysteries of death and rebirth. Both of which can be found in most religions including Christianity ("born again" believers).
"The Black Arts" is safe reading. Witchcraft is real. I have been exposed to more than I care to mention. The worst thing you can do is jump into magick totally ignorant and powerless. The hunger for power fuels witchcraft. initiates, apprentices, and the curious are all disposable resources. Example: Crowley fucked all his followers. He molested all the kids. He even fucked the animals. If the devil is the master of deception, how can you place faith in anyone involved in the black arts. Satanism is the worship of self. It is amoral rather than immoral (i.e. Machiavellian).
Biblical studies is very important in your studies. It is an unavoidable truth. "Christian Theology" by Millard J Erickson is the very first book you should purchase. It is a postgraduate textbook written in the systematic theology format. I did not include this below because I dont want to overwhelm you.
Go ahead and read "Secret Teachings" all the way through, and keep it handy. Otherwise, forget about freemasonry, the OTO, and all things that are NOT foundation. YouTube, television shows, websites, and social media make a lot of impressive noise on these issues, but it is all motivated by exposure and profit. I unplugged the TV about two years ago. Only the ignorant use keywords such as reptillian, luciferian, and illuminati. Unger's book will flesh out Atlantis/antediluvian theories as much as possible.
All things are wearisome,
more than one can say.
The eye never has enough of seeing,
nor the ear its fill of hearing.
What has been will be again,
what has been done will be done again;
there is nothing new under the sun.
Is there anything of which one can say,
“Look! This is something new”?
It was here already, long ago;
it was here before our time.
No one remembers the former generations,
and even those yet to come
will not be remembered
by those who follow them.
Ecclesiastes 1:8-11 (NIV)
The Eleusinian and Bacchic Mysteries
Esoteric Cosmology
The Chaldean Account of Genesis
The Black Arts: A Concise History of Witchcraft, Demonology, Astrology, and Other Mystical Practices Throughout the Ages
Religions of the Ancient World: A Guide
Mithras: Mysteries and Inititation Rediscovered
Biblical Demonology: A Study of Spiritual Forces at Work Today
http://www.amazon.com/Dictionary-Angels-Including-Fallen/dp/002907052X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1411970636&sr=8-1&keywords=angel+dictionary
Literally a dictionary of ten thousand or so named angels from different sources.
Its not much by itself, but its cheap.
R.A. Torrey's book on healing is actually pretty well balanced. D. Martin Lloyd Jones (who was a doctor and assistant to the Royal physician) also wrote a book on illness and healing. Also very balanced. In terms of dealing with bad understanding of demons and their work, Merril Unger seems to have dealt with a lot of that. His book Biblical Demonology might be of use to you. Since some of them are out of print, a few of them might be found at a Christian College Library.
The bible as it is says almost nothing about angels in detail. It glosrs over a caste like system but says nothing more. There was a book I picked up in Barnes and Noble a while back about angels that took sources from the KJV, the Quran, the Talmud, the Gnostic texts, and the Apagraphas as well as the Alphabet of Ben Sira. I had originally gotten it for having some if the most bad ass depictions of angels I've ever seen, but when reading it it was actualy very interesting and touched deeply on the caste and hierarchy of Heaven, drawing from the aforementioned sources.
EDIT: Found it.
It's certainly not meant for religious study but it's no less stunning in both art and content.
If anyone wants to know what the Bible has to say on the subject, What Dwells Beyond: The Bible Believer's Handbook to Understanding Life in the Universe by Jeff Mardis is an excellent read.
You should check out Satan: A Biography by Henry Ansgar Kelly. Kelly explains that the character of Satan has changed over the years. Originally he was basically God's attorney general out looking for people to punish for doing bad things. But, later, church leaders needed a bad guy so the narrative changed. With this in mind, the book of Job makes a whole lot more sense. The Bible in general makes a lot more sense when it's studied as literature (like the Odyssey) rather than as some sort of book of facts.
For a more scholarly approach, see this book edited by John Warwick Montgomery (fixed link)
from a symposium in 1975
(the participants already had the basic premise that demons exist.)
P.S. see my nearby post about why I provided links to related reddit posts.
Thank you for getting the joke.
I would not really advise to solely look at Enochian Text for this, you might want to start looking at
A Dictionary of Angels for some good baseline info
and the Sepher Rezial Hemelach
Fifth World Books - 419 E. 2100 South, SLC, UT. Ph.(801)486-6437 Will often know where to point you as well. Rosenblum's World of Judaica on Devon St. In Chicago can direct you as well as get you some very hard to find reference books.
Hope those can give you some more diverse and accurate sources of information.
EDIT: Also of course the Sefer Yetzirah: The Book of Creation and The Magician's Companion
Academic:
Part 1: God at War: The Bible & Spiritual Conflict
Part 2: Satan & the Problem of Evil: Constructing a Trinitarian Warfare Theodicy
Popular Level:
Is God to Blame? Moving Beyond Pat Answers to the Problem of Suffering
Have fun!
As a "theistic" Satanist (whatever the fuck that means) I would suggest acquainting yourself with the following works, which IMHO I believe are or should be of general interest to all Satanists:
Giants: Sons of the Gods
http://www.amazon.com/Giants-Sons-Douglas-Van-Dorn-ebook/dp/B00B4GJABO
Helps inform you of what was happening.
I am not a Christian nor am I a bible scholar, but I have extensively studied the text and commentaries of actual bible scholars; both theistic and atheistic. Your argument against God, particularly against Christianity, is not new and I'd like to shed some light on it. The following is not an argument, rather a discussion.
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> God kills so many people in the bible
Correct. God gives permission to wage war in the old testament. Deuteronomy 20 depicts God as unwavering in retribution on evil, though he takes no delight in it (Ezekiel 18:21-23) and also unwavering in love and encouragement toward those hearts are turned toward him. God’s obvious desire is that sinners should repent and live. But there comes a point where evil is finally intolerable and wiped from off the earth, hence the Flood mentioned in Genesis. There is also one key point that readers fail to realize - many of the "wicked cities" in the land of Canaan and people (the Canaanites sons of Canaan) were hardly human. We are told by the bible itself that giants inhabited the holy land. What giants? They're often called the Nephilim. This is a whole study in itself so I'll keep it short: giants in the old testament were a mix between angel and human DNA.
Genesis 6:4**: There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown.
God waged war against these abominable creatures who sought to destroy humanity by corrupting their DNA. The situation became so severe that God had to flood the world to kill them all, but their DNA was carried over nonetheless. Just like the story of David and Goliath, Goliath was not fully human, but he was more human than the Nephilim before him, i.d. the Nephilim before the flood. If anyone is interested in this, I recommend the book Judgment Of The Nephilim by Ryan Pitterson. It answers some really good questions, such as why there was so much war and killing commanded by God in the days of the old testament.
​
>According to Christianity, anyone who doesn't follow that exact set of beliefs is going to burn in hell
This is what humans say at least. I really like this verse in the Quran because it debunks this claim. You might ask why am I quoting from the Quran? Judaism, Christianity, and Islam make up the three Abrahamic religions, and if we accept that the Bible is from the God of Abraham, then the Quran is also from the God of Abraham.
Surah al-Baqarah 2:111-112: The Jews and Christians each claim that none will enter Paradise except those of their own faith. These are their desires. Reply, ˹O Prophet,˺ “Show ˹me˺ your proof if what you say is true.” 112 But no! *Whoever submits themselves to Allah and does good will have their reward with their Lord**. And there will be no fear for them, nor will they grieve.
Therefore only people who believe and are good will have their reward. Christians say that as long as you accept Jesus Christ as your lord and saviour, then you're saved forever and it can't be undone. This is ridiculous, isn't? According to Christianity, a serial child rapist can accept Jesus, rape children, and still be saved because he believed that Jesus died for his sins. Insane.
​
>but not once did God just say, "Yo, guys, killing rape victims or owning other people is not okay."
Oh but He has.
Surah al-Baqarah 2:117: Righteousness is not that you turn your faces toward the east or the west, but [true] righteousness is [in] one who believes in Allah, the Last Day, the angels, the Book, and the prophets and gives wealth, in spite of love for it, to relatives, orphans, the needy, the traveler, those who ask [for help],* *and for freeing slaves**;...*
God sees the act of freeing slaves as righteousness. One might ask why does He allow slavery in the first place? God has given us free will.
​
> selfish jerk who wants nothing to do with the beings he created.
It's hard to agree to this statement when God has routinely guided humanity through his messengers.
​
> Jesus should not have had to die to bring salvation to humanity
This is the teaching of Paul, the real founder of Christianity. Jesus was a Jew; he went to the synagogue. He did not create his own church. Only in Paul's letters, known as the Pauline epistles that were made canon in the new testament, do we start to see the teachings that Jesus was a sacrifice. Jesus never said "I am come to be crucified as the saviour of humanity". Jesus preached the same thing that all other prophets before him preached; there is only one god.
Mark 12:29-31: “The most important one (commandment),” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 30 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. 31 The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no commandment greater than these**.”
This would have been a good time to mention that he's come to redeem humanity if that were the case.
Angels At Your Doorstep by Joseph Wolf, which is very similar to Rufus Opus' short eBook, A Modern Angelic Grimoire, which itself is essential a super-short form of his longer Seven Spheres.
Biblical Demonology: A Study of Spiritual Forces at Work Today https://www.amazon.com/dp/0825441587/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_CooYCb8FTH1GN