Many contemporary religions involve communication with those of another dimension or of a metaphysical nature. In Christianity this involves not only The Trinity but also beings known as angels. They have been present in art and scripture throughout the centuries portraying a gradual progression of understanding from beings with very little distinguishing characteristics to beings existing within a hierarchy and with specific names, such as the archangels Gabriel, Michael, and Raphael. However, what is truly fascinating about angels is the significance they have within the Christian tradition and what that can tell religious scholars about Christian spirituality in terms of previous scholarship performed. In the 1990s, significant scholarship projected a movement occurring within the post-war generation that presented a division in that many were considering more independent, explorative, spiritual movements known as “New Age” spirituality while others were being drawn toward conservative Christian groups. However, it seems that the presence of angels within Christianity presents a very similar interaction to involvement with angels in the “New Age” traditions, which seems to imply that those who are falling and have fallen into the conservative Christian category are also encountering a free spiritual expression. In other words, the central argument comes to the following: through the comparison of interactions with angels within Christianity and “The New Age,” it seems that contrary to scholarship performed earlier, despite the presence of dogma and specific teachings, freer forms of spirituality are not only occurring within “The New Age” but also within more institutional forms such as Christianity.
