Abstract

OLOJEDE, Funlola. Angelo o Angela? Issues of degenderization in the depictions of angelic beings in the Bible. Old testam. essays [online]. 2016, vol.29, n.3, pp.535-549. ISSN 2312-3621.  http://dx.doi.org/10.17159/2312-3621/2016/v29n3a11.

Most studies of angelic beings in the Bible do not attempt to interrogate their gender presumably because of Jesus' statement in Matt 22:30 that angels do not marry neither are they given in marriage. Therefore, this article offers a textual review of biblical women's encounter with angelic beings and of instances in Scriptures in which angelic beings appear in what appear to be gendered forms which call into question the assumption that angels are sexless or genderless. It is argued that some form of degenderization is discernible in the depiction of these celestial beings in the Bible which could have significant implications for feminist biblical discourse of the ancient texts.

Keywords : Angelic Beings; Gender; Degenderization; Angelophany; Bible.

        · text in English     · English ( pdf )