Sense & Nonsense about Angels & Demons

by Kenneth D. Boa, Robert M. Bowman Jr., Kenneth D. Boa

Book Overview

Thinking Clearly and Biblically about Heavenly Beings, Spirits, and Spiritual Warfare

Does Satan really exist? Do people have guardian angels? Should you believe the angle stories or demon possession stories you hear? Is the angel called "Michael" just another name for Jesus? Information on angels and demons is rampant today, but most of it isn't trustworthy.

Sense and Nonsense about Angels and Demons by Kenneth Boa--author...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0310254299
• ISBN13: 9780310254294
• Release Date: July 2007
• Publisher: Zondervan
• Length: 160 Pages
• Weight: 0.25 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 5.6" x 8.0"
• Age Range: 18 years and up
• Grade Range: Postsecondary and higher

Customer Reviews

A Good Introduction to Biblical Angelology & Demonology

This is a good general introduction to the topic of angels and demons which answers many of the basic questions people have on the topic. It does not, however, attempt to be exhaustive. The book is divided into four parts, each part comprised of 4 -5 chapters with the exception of the second part (titled "What Angels Are and Are Not") which contains 8 chapters. Every chapter with the exception of the last one concludes at the end with a "Sense" and "Nonsense" statement related to the chapter content. For example, the first chapter (titled "Angelmania!") concludes with "Sense: You can't believe everything you hear about angels. Nonsense: You can just ignore the whole subject of angels." The first part (How to Think About Angels), comprised of four chapters, addresses the importance of the topic and sources of information on it. Many sources, including so-called "angels" themselves, are considered unreliable. Since the authors are conservative Protestant Christians, the Protestant Bible is determined the only truly reliable source for information, although Catholics can benefit from it (footnote 2 to chapter 4 states: "We are excluding the Apocryphal or Deuterocanonical books, among which is Tobit, the book that introduces the angel Raphael [see ch. 13]."). For skeptics who think belief in God and angels is superstitious and irrational, they are referred to the authors' book 20 Compelling Evidences That God Exists (2002). It is considered sensible to believe in angels if one believes in God. The many subjects covered by parts 2 and 3 (What Angels Do) include whether or not angels are beings from other planets, male or female, former or future humans, divine beings, or assigned as personal guardians. Also covered are whether angels have bodies, whether Michael is another name for Jesus, whether we can classify angels by order or rank, whether we can test angel stories, and whether we can expect to encounter angels. The last part, comprised of 5 chapters, addresses what the Bible says about "The Devil and His Angels". Since the Devil or "Satan" and demons are considered fallen or evil angels, many subjects covered by the first three parts applies to them although the focus of the last part is more specific. This part addresses the existence of the Devil and his minions as enemies of God, names for the Devil, what he's like, and what he can and cannot do. It also addresses in chapter 19 the Devil as a fallen angel, but asserts that how or when he fell is a mystery, even after reviewing the passages in Isaiah 14 and Ezekiel 28. Chapter 20, The Winds of War, addresses the topic of spiritual warfare and expounds on the enemy's possible objective and tactics such as temptation, affliction, and demon possession. Regarding the last, which is equated with being "demonized" (daimonizomai), the authors provide a simple biblical point (which readers will discover for themselves) that they say "can save us from a lot of nonsense associated