Angelomorphic Christology: Antecedents and early evidence.

Abstract

The contribution that angelomorphic traditions made to the development of Christology occurred primarily in the first three centuries before the Council of Nicea in 325 CE. In this richly generative period there were exegetical efforts to express pre-existent Christologies, as well as to affirm the divinity of Christ, through the use of mediator traditions found in Israelite and Jewish literature. Culminating in the Arian controversy and the formulations of Nicea, ontological questions were raised which effectively stifled further discussion of the relationship between overt angel traditions and Christ. Therefore, this Christological debate served to veil and bury the important contribution that angelomorphic traditions made to the origin and development of Christology until researchers of the present century began to sift the evidence anew. It is widely accepted among scholars that Angelomorphic Christology is present from the mid-second century until Nicea, yet there is skepticism about any earlier evidence. This study bears out the thesis that angelomorphic traditions, especially those growing from the Angel of the Lord traditions, did have a significant impact on the origins and early development of Christology to the point that evidence of an Angelomorphic Christology is discernable in several early texts dating from the first century. Support for this thesis is examined in two major parts: Antecedents and Early Evidence. The examination of antecedents analyzes evidence of the overt angelomorphic traditions such as those associated with the Angel of the Lord and the Principal Named Angels. The angelomorphic aspects and background of several Divine Hypostases are also explored (i.e., the Name, the Glory, Wisdom, the Spirit, the Word, the Power). Moreover, this part also examines evidence of how various humans were considered to be an angel, to have an angel inside them, or to be like an angel. Early evidence of Angelomorphic Christology is the central focus of this study. After a brief introduction to the second and third century evidence, seven early Christian documents (or groupings of documents) are examined to demonstrate the presence of angelomorphic traditions used in developing Christology: the Pauline Epistles (including those considered Pseudo-Pauline), the Epistle to the Hebrews, the Gospel of John, the Revelation to John, the Ascension of Isaiah, the Shepherd of Hermas, and the Pseudo-Clementines. Evidence from these texts demonstrate that the Christological use of angelomorphic traditions is more prevalent and much earlier than often thought by scholars. The unique and common features of the traditions within these documents are analyzed to demonstrate that a coherent, if varied, Angelomorphic Christology existed in early Christianity.