Small encyclopedia of angels

The lexicon provides not only factual information about the concepts of nature, the functions, and manifestations of angels but also everything worth knowing about more than 200 of the most important angelic figures mentioned in Jewish, Christian, and Islamic traditions, as well as in Western literature. The information is based on the Bible and the Quran, but primarily on the extra-biblical writings of Judaism from the time of the transition influenced by the religion of Zoroastrianism, or on the speculations of Gnosticism and Kabbalah. An introduction gives the reader an overview of the origins and development of angelic concepts from their beginnings in the Bible to the teaching systems of the Middle Ages. The retelling of the most compelling biblical angel stories and an index of references in the Bible and the Quran conclude the volume.