Angel Worship

Definition and Meaning

Angel worship refers to offering worship (bowing down in service) or prayer to angels, who are created beings. The term appears directly in Scripture in Colossians 2:18, which speaks of "a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels." Christian tradition broadly agrees that worship is to be offered to the triune God alone. Church traditions differ, however, in their judgment of what counts as "worship."

Biblical and Historical Background

• In Colossians, Paul names the worship of angels as one of the teachings troubling the church at Colossae. Scholars disagree on whether the phrase means "worship directed to angels" or "a mystical experience of participating in the heavenly worship offered by angels."
• In Revelation, John falls down before an angel and is told, "I am thy fellowservant," and that he should worship God instead (Revelation 19:10; 22:8-9).
• Hebrews declares that the Son is superior to the angels and describes angels as "ministering spirits" (Hebrews 1:4-14).
• The canons of a fourth-century regional church council held at Laodicea are reported to include a provision forbidding the invocation of angels in prayer.
• Since the Second Council of Nicaea in 787, the Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church have distinguished between adoration (latria), which is offered to God alone, and veneration (dulia), which is offered to saints and angels. On the basis of this distinction, they venerate archangels such as Michael and Gabriel and ask for their intercession.
• Since the Reformation, Protestantism has rejected the practice of praying to saints and angels. Chapter 21 of the Westminster Confession of Faith states that worship is to be given to God alone, and not to angels, saints, or any other creature.

Practice in the Korean Church

Korean Protestant denominations, including the Presbyterian, Methodist, Holiness, Baptist, and Full Gospel churches, do not pray to or worship angels. On this point there is no significant difference among the denominations. Angels frequently appear in Christmas decorations and church plays, but these are regarded as depictions of the biblical narrative.

Differences from Catholicism: The Catholic Church in Korea observes the feasts of the Guardian Angels and the Archangels and asks for the intercession of angels. Some Protestants criticize this as angel worship. The Catholic Church explains that it is veneration, not adoration.

Controversy over certain charismatic movements: Within some streams of the charismatic movement, particularly in connection with the New Apostolic Reformation, claims of seeing angels and teachings about commanding angels have generated controversy.

• Critics contend that such practices can drift into the angel worship that Scripture warns against.
• Proponents of these teachings maintain that they regard angels not as objects of worship but merely as ministers sent by God, citing Hebrews 1:14.