Customer Reviews

Angels: Elect and Evil

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Dr. C. Fred Dickason was a former faculty member of the Moody
Bible Institute and past chairman of their department of
theology. This volume on elect and evil angels is still considered
a classic in the field, and required reading in many doctrine and
theology classes in the United States.

One would expect a professor of theology to write in a dry and
technical manner. Dickason does not. His writing style is clear
and direct enough for the layman to understand and yet "meaty"
to satisfy the seasoned pastor and academician.

This work is divided into two main sections: "The Angels of God"
and "Satan and his Demons". A major strength of this volume is
its organization. The dominant case of headings and subheadings
to introduce a thought makes this easy to read as well as
conducive to just looking up sections of interest.

Dr. Dickason's treatise in the area of angelology brings several
benefits to the reader. First, an understanding of the spirit
world will help to understand God, the Father and his relationship
to the realm of creation and his created creatures. Second, This
topic will bring comfort to believers in understanding God's use
of angels to minister to us. Third, we can learn about the holiness
of God and his judgment on men and angels as they sin and rebell.

Dickason discusses the nature, position, classification and abode
of angels. He competently details their ministry and their destiny.
His closes the first section examining our relationship to angels

In part two he writes informatively on the original state and fall
of Lucifer. He also deals Biblically with Satan's character and
position and details his power and activities.

This volume will bring blessing and comfort to the reader as well
as Biblical insight into this area of theology.

While there are dozens of books by theologians on the topic of angles, C. Fred Dickason's Angels: Elect and Evil is more thorough than most. This book covers familiar ground in the normal format: the existence, attributes, and activities of angles are all here. What distinguishes this book from others like it is the clarity with which Dickason writes.
This book could serve as a catalogue of all references in the Bible concerning angels. The first half is spent on angles in general, and the second half on evil angels in particular. Dickason provides a comprehensive look at Satan, as well as demon possession.
There are a few obvious weaknesses to this book. While for the most part, Dickason makes solid and biblical conclusions. The glaring exception is his belief that Christians can be demon possessed. While there is perhaps a case to be made for this view, Dickason does not make it here. Instead of biblical arguments, this section is filled with stories and recounted tales from the mission field. It stands out as being different than much of the rest of the book. Secondly, there is a chapter on the occult which likewise leaves the confines of Scripture for the realm of experience. That chapter just feels out of place in a book like this.
Also, like most of the other similar books, the reader gets the impression that there is a depth that is lacking. This book is wide, and touches on just about every passage in Scripture concerning angels. But it is not deep. What are the implications of angels being created to serve both God and man? Does this help explain the fall? He has an excursus defending his view that Genesis 6 describes angels committing immorality, but he does not go to WHY they would do so, or touch on the implications.
In the end, this book is better written and more comprehensive than others like it, but in key areas instead of depth, the reader finds experience and a familiar--yet through--cataloging of the verses concerning angels.

This book provides good, solid Biblical insights into the spiritual world of angels and demons. It clearly explains some major misconceptions within Christian groups and organizations. The use of Scripture is accurate and helpful in understanding the spiritual elements. This book has been a huge help in my spiritual journey.

Fred Dickason has written a book that is helpful to Christian community. His focus is thoroughly biblical and probably one of the most detailed works on angelology. His thought is found to derive only from Christian scripture about the nature, purpose, role, and attributes of angels.

The work will literally expose you to everything (and I mean everything) you might possibly desire to know about angels. He certainly leaves no stone unturned in his goal of bringing forth every meaningful teaching or reference to angels. In an age with growing "spirituality", this book is of dire importance for Christ's church. Though angelology is not the primary focus of scripture, it plays an integral part in the unfolding of biblical-redemptive history and helps to explain the supernatural realms/dimensions around us.

Dickason does not take the approach that an angel or demon is under every rock, but the teaching that these forces don't exist is just as problematic; Dickason sets out to refute both kinds of teaching. Since our culture has largely become postmodern in its thinking, New Age thinking (such as "The Secret), or general "spirituality" and the like, is now common among the majority. Most people now prefer the word(s) "spiritual/spirituality" in comparison to "religious." This type of thinking has really given way to the New Age Movement which flourishes in a postmodern context. Dickason's book is a decisive tool in dismantling the false realities of these teachings (2 Cor. 10:4-6) and does what every secondary source should aim for - return to what scripture teaches.

Overall, the work is systematic in its approach to angels from a biblical perspective, brings every issue pertaining to the angelic nature and role, and fiercely combats the "highly-spiritualized" worldviews of New Age and Postmodern thought, which translates into paganism. I also think Dickason's chapters on the "Angel of the Lord" are worth the price of the book. He approaches Old Testament Christology carefully like a surgeon, looking at the Old Testament occurrences of this "Angel" and seeing the message of plurality within God, as well as a powerful foreshadowing and witness to New Testament teachings about God as Trinity.

Overall, an excellent piece of work that deserves to be on the shelf of every Christian servant, whether teacher or preacher, lay worker or bible/seminary student.

Fred's theological exposition of angelic activity, both holy and evil, is easily understandable in this excellent book. Should be on every Christian's bookshelf, along with his other book "Demon possession and the Christian". Praise the Lord Jesus for Fred, and Praise the Lord for Himself and His Power and Victory!

This was 'required reading' for a graduate level course in seminary. I think the author could have boiled it down to 5-6 pages of useful material rather than page after page of reiterating the same thing 3 different ways. By the time I was finished with 1/2 the book - reading the second half was more of a chore than enjoyable/edifying. I'm not an expert in the area angelology, so i'm going to search for a better read for my personal library.

Overall a decent book, but for a conservative, traditional perspective I have to say that I did not agree with several chapters and a few points the author promoted.