1. Travis Perry says:

    Angelic visitations became tropes in speculative fiction of our times mainly because it was mentioned in the Bible–in other words, I don’t think the Bible itself can be seen as using speculative tropes that it isn’t copying from any form of speculative fiction. Hope that makes sense.

    • Definitely makes sense, Travis. I didn’t mean to imply that the Bible was copying. I mean it came first and it is true. What authors who use supernatural elements now do is either fit their angelic/demonic characters into the parameters of the real beings described in the Bible, or they completely make them up. Like Touched by an Angel did or Highway to Heaven.

      What’s interesting is, I saw a new thing again today in going over Luke 2: nothing there about the angels flying. The first angel stood before the shepherds. One minute he wasn’t there, the next he was. And the host of angels “suddenly appeared.” I think it’s closes to Jesus appearing to the disciples in their locked room. Now when the angels departed, they went into heaven, so that gives us the impression that they went “up.” Hence the idea of flying, I supposed. But that’s speculation on our part. They clearly aren’t limited to our flesh and blood way of doing things.

      Have a great Christmas!

      Becky

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