FIRST ARTICLE: THE EXISTENCE OF THE ANGELS

The existence of the angels was denied in ancient times by the Epicureans and the Sadducees, and in our time it is denied by atheists, rationalists, and liberal Protestants, who assert that the angels, mentioned in Sacred Scripture, are either divine inspirations or men sent by God to instruct other men.

The testimony of Scripture. a) The Old Testament teaches the existence of the angels, both good and bad.[1178] From the Old Testament it is also clear that the angels are intelligent creatures, that their number is great, that there is an order among them,[1179] and that the good angels under God's command assist and guard good men.[1180] On the other hand, the bad angels, with God's permission, attack men.[1181]

b) This doctrine of the Old Testament is confirmed by the New Testament.[1182] St. Paul enumerates the orders of angels, "whether thrones or dominations or principalities or powers."[1183] He also mentions the bad angels.[1184]

Even if Pseudo-Dionysius had not written his De caelesti hierarchia, St. Thomas would have been able to write his treatise on the angels, relying on the testimony of Scripture and tradition.

Concerning the angels the Church teaches: 1. that they exist, that they were created but not from eternity, and that they are spiritual;[1185] 2. that they are not propagated;[1186] 3. that the devil was good when he was created.[1187]

Besides this, the ordinary magisterium of the Church has everywhere taught the doctrine of the guardian angels, and theologians consider this truth to be of faith. Finally, according to Suarez, it is of faith that the angels are not equal in dignity, as is clear from many texts, especially from St. Paul.

The teaching of all of the Fathers is that the angels are created by God, and endowed with intellect and free will. The absolute spirituality of the angels, however, is not clearly affirmed by all the Fathers prior to the fourth century. Without the angels the ascending series of creatures appears to be incomplete.[1188] After the twelfth century the theologians commonly teach that the angels are absolutely incorporeal, although Scotus thought that there was an incorporeal matter in the angels.