I've often wondered--especially around Christmas time--when angels first became female. One of the most common ornaments on Christmas trees is a woman angel perched on top. The woman who is most revered in modern love songs is affectionately called "an angel". We take that for granted in our society, even in church. But angels in the Bible, as far as I can tell, are primarily, if not exclusively masculine in identity, having great stature, brilliant in appearance, and always a cause of fear and trembling upon human encounter (unlike cute little baby cupids).
A few years ago, I visited the Carnegie-Mellon Natural Museum of Arts and history, and saw several ancient pulpits and other Christian architectures with angels engraved on them. These angels typically had long hair. I wonder if at some point when having long hair was primarily a female fashion, if these images got re-interpretted as feminine. Just a guess.
Posted by Eric Pyle at June 18, 2004 4:29 PM
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Passing Thoughts
I completely aggree with you on this point...although going back to the 60's there are songs about "Johnny Angel"...ect...also concerning Long hair and angel paintings/sculptures/carvings also most of the "pictures of Jesus" (Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above or that is on the earth beneath) they also primarily portray him as having long hair. Just some things to think about
Posted by: James | June 25, 2004 9:13 AM