On Sunday, October 29th, the adult class will begin a four part study of angels and demons using Dr. Peter Kreeft’s book Angels (and Demons): What Do We really Know About Them? The class meets in the parish library from 9:30 to 10:45 a.m. and will be open to adults and young adults.
The assignment for the first Sunday will be to find references to angels and the “other guys” using only the Bible and a concordance. Of particular interest will be any physical descriptions that the participants can find. In the second week, we will take up Kreeft’s discussion of angels from his book, and, in the third week we will discuss his descriptions of demons. Finally, in the last week of the course the class will have the opportunity to see a video lecture on the book by Dr. Kreef’s himself. This will take slightly more than an hour to view so the class will start promptly at 9:30.
To whet the appetite, the following is a list by Dr. Kreeft of the 12 most important things to know about angels. Be sure to invite a friend to what promises to be a lively and thought-provoking class.
1. They really exist. Not just in our minds, or our myths, or our symbols, or our culture. They are as real as your dog, or your sister, or electricity.
2. They’re present, right here, right now, right next to you, reading these words with you.
3. They’re not cute, cuddly, comfortable, chummy, or “cool”. They are fearsome and formidable. They are huge. They are warriors.
4. They are the real “extra-terrestrials”, the real “Super-men”, the ultimate aliens. Their powers are far beyond those of all fictional creatures.
5. They are more brilliant minds than Einstein.
6. They can literally move the heavens and the earth if God permits them.
7. There are also evil angels, fallen angels, demons, or devils. These too are not myths. Demon possessions, and exorcisms, are real.
8. Angels are aware of you, even though you can’t usually see or hear them. But you can communicate with them. You can talk to them without even speaking.
9. You really do have your very own “guardian angel”. Everybody does.
10. Angels often come disguised. “Do not neglect hospitality, for some have entertained angels unawares”—that’s a warning from life’s oldest and best instruction manual.
11. We are on a protected part of a great battlefield between angels and devils, extending to eternity.
12. Angels are sentinels standing at the crossroads where life meets death. They work especially at moments of crisis, at the brink of disaster—for bodies, for souls, and for nations.
Blessings,
Canon Nalls
The Cathedral Close 