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Fallen Angels: Soldiers of Satan's Realm

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Fallen Angels: Soldiers of Satan's Realm

by Bernard J. Bamberger

An enjoyable account of the origins and evolution of the concept of fallen angels in Jewish and Christian world views for a general audience. Bamberger starts with a brief introductory discussion of those few passages from the Tanakh (Old Testament) which are often referenced in later writings on Satan or fallen angels. But the book really gets started with those writings that Bamberger calls the "outside books." That is the books outside the canonical tradition-the Enoch writings, the Adam books, and various testaments and apocalypses. Bamberger then discusses the separate and distinct traditions that developed in Judaism and Christianity from the periods of the Talmud and the New Testament through the middle ages to contemporary theology. Contemporary, that is to the late 1940s when this book was written. Throughout the book, Bamberger is especially interested in contrasting the dualistic views of some of the outside books, the Zohar, and Christian theology which saw the Cosmos divided between warring camps of good and evil with the traditional Jewish view that sees Satan as an agent of an unopposed and unopposable God. It's unfortunate that Bamberger did not have access to the Dead Sea Scrolls. The extreme dualism of the Dead Sea Sect would have been an interesting addition to this study. I did find this book to be good preparation for approaching the duelist teachings of the Dead Sea Sect. Perhaps the most interesting aspect of this book is the contrast between Jewish and Christian approaches to similar concepts. I have often heard people speak of the Judeo-Christian concept of Satan. This book makes clear that there is no such thing. If you're interested in the dark side of Jewish and Christian mythology, this is a book you will want to read.