AngelsandDemons_ResearchPaperProposal xKamel-TheDivineLiturgy_ACompanywithHeaven1984 ResearchPapers-GuidelinesandTimetable
 

• Type of paperResearch Paper
• SubjectOther
• Number of pages10
• Format of citationMLA
• Number of cited resources8
• Type of serviceWriting

I have attached the proposal with some sources, but more need to be added to at least 8 total. This needs to be an A paper please.

Angels and Demons 3790

23 March 2018

Topic: Conceptions of angels in Coptic Orthodoxy

Goal: This paper will consider the conceptions of angels in Coptic Orthodoxy, a monotheistic faith regarded as revealed through Muhammad as the Prophet of Allah and an oriental Egyptian Christianity based in Egypt. Various publications will be used to compare the Islamic and Coptic Orthodox conceptualization of angels.

Key Points:

1. Is there a physical embodiment of angels and do angels have a purpose in both Islam and Coptic Orthodoxy?

2. Do angels have rank and differing functions?

3. What or whom influenced the conception of angels in Islam compared to Coptic Orthodoxy?

Important Vocabulary:

1. Conception

2. Embodiment

3. Rank

Bibliography:

Coptic Orthodox Diocese of the Southern United States – Q&A, www.suscopts.org/q&a/index.php?qid=118&catid=31.

The Angels, 28 Oct. 2000, tasbeha.org/content/hh_books/the_angels/.

“Holy Angels.” Orthodox Christian Resource Center, 11 Jan. 2011, theorthodoxchurch.info/blog/ocrc/2009/06/holy-angels/.

“The Heavenly Hosts.” Coptic Orthodox Diocese of Los Angeles, lacopts.org/orthodoxy/our-faith/the-heavenly-hosts/.

Burge, Stephen Russell. ANGELS IN ISLAM . Mar. 2009, core.ac.uk/download/pdf/279738 .

Syed, Ibrahim B. “The Muslim Belief in Angels.” The Muslim Belief in Angels, Islamic Research Foundation International, Inc, 1998, www.irfi.org/articles/articles_1_50/muslim_belief_in_angels.htm.

THE DIVINE LITURGY
A COMPANY WITH HEAVEN

Blessed Father Bishoi Kamel

While the Apostle John the beloved was exiled on the island of Patmos, and was
depri ved of the Sacrifice of the Di vine Liturgy, the heavens opened for him and he
attended the heavenly liturgy, with an altar having the souls of martyrs under it, a
living Sacrifice (Lamb as though slain), angelic priesthood, angels, and incense
which is the prayers of the saints. Thus we become aware of this great mystery that
the Sacrifice of the Liturgy is a heavenly sacrifice. There is only one sacrifice – that
of the Liturgy, which takes us up to heaven or opens the heavens so we live there,
penetrating the boundaries of place and time, conquering and breaking away those
fetters and uniting us with eternity. The Divine Liturgy makes the mystery of Incar-
nation with its Crucifixion, Resurrection and P.drousia present with \:IS at all times in
spite of the succession of events. The Incorporeal took flesh, and He who is beyond
time came under time l . St. Augustine says, “When God saw man longing for
heaven, He gave him His Body and Blood on earth so he lives by them as though in
heaven.” “When we stand in Thy Holy Temple, we are counted as those standing in
heaven.”

What similarity is there between the perfection of heaven and the contemptibility
of man? Only there in Your heart on the Cross, 0 my dear Lord, Jesus Christ, lies
the relationship between these two entirely different things. Heaven and man meet
here on the altar, where You are present, my God. “For God so loved the world, that
he gave his only Son”, and He gave Him to us.3

Serious Moments
The Liturgy is the greatest act that can take place in our lives. It is the presence of

the Infinite in our midst, to Whom the angels bow down and at Whose name the
devils shake and shiver. The candles and rituals used in it are like the robes and
vestments in a royal court. The words in the Liturgy are not merely intercessions but
rather they are tools and means of something greater. They are tools in the hands of
[he Holy Spirit used to sanctify the offering. All the words and acts of those around
the altar pass quickly, and before the altar all watch for the great event. They are not

53

Fr. Francis Caponi
Sticky Note
Kamel, Bishoi. “The Divine Liturgy: A Company with Heaven.” Coptic Church Review: A Quarterly of Contemporary Patristic Studies 5.2 (1984): 53–57. Translated by L. Soliman.

54 JUMMER 1984 • COPTIC CHURCH REVIEW
VOLUME 5· NUMBER 2

awaiting the angel to move the waters, but are awaiting the Holy Spirit to perform the
greatest of miracles, to touch the bread and wine and change them into the Body and
Blood of the Lord.

We are all in our places with our hearts and prayers, without any effort or exer-
tion. but like the musicians in a band who, in spite of the different instruments they
play, are all in agreement about playing one soft melody, the melody of the slain and
living Christ, the melody of love and sacrifice, the melody of forgiveness by the
Blood that was shed, the melody of everlasting life.

The altar is filled with hosts of angels and saints, and in front of the altar is that
great number of sick, lame, and paralyzed, all hoping to be healed. They are not ly-
ing before the pool of Bethzatha, but before the altar of the Lord of hosts, before the
holy and heavenly altar. They are not expecting an angel, but the Creator of the
angels. All are waiting to be healed, he who is sick with the lusts of the flesh like
Mary Magdalen, he who is impulsive and who denies Christ like Peter, he who is
sick with fear like Nicodemus who came to Christ by night, he who is sick with love
of wealth like Zacchaeus, the murderer and thief like the thief on Calvary, and
countless numbers who do not cease moaning and suffering; through the Sacrifice
all expect healing, salvation and everlasting life.

The Church is a hospital for diseases of the body, soul and spirit as is said in the
litany of the sick,

“Extend, 0 Lord, Thy mercy and compassion to them and heal
them.
Take away, 0 Lord, from them and from us too all traces of sickness
and infirmity.
Those who are still sick, 0 Lord, grant them recovery.
Those who are afflicted by evil spirits, 0 Lord, do Thou release
them.
Those who are in prison, dungeon, exile or captivity, 0 Lord, do
Thou set them free and have mercy upon them.
For Thou untiest the manacled and upliftest the fallen …
Thou the eternal and true Physician of our souls and bodies, the
Prelate of all flesh, accord us Thy salvation.”4

“The Divine Liturgy is thus a hospital:’ as St. John Chrysostom says, “where
God does not ask for punishment of the sinners but for their forgiveness”.

Participation of the Angels in the Service of the Liturgy
In the beginning of the Liturgy of the Faithful, the deacon says, “Lift up your eyes

towards the East to see the Body and Blood of Emmanuel our Lord on the altar, the
angels and archangels stand there covering their faces before the brightness of the
majesty of His glory.” The priest starts by proclaiming the presence of the angels in
their nine ranks who come to join in prayers, “Before Whom stand the Angels, the

THE DIVINE LITURGY 55
A COMPANY WITH HEAVEN

Archangels, the heads, the dominions, the thrones, the dignitaries, the powers, …
the Cherubim … and the Seraphim.”5

St. Theodore says, “The two deacons on either side of the altar are symbolic of
the two angels standing by the tomb at the time of the Resurrection because the altar
stands for the tomb where the Sacrifice was laid.” Also the presence of a deacon by
the Sacrifice symbolizes the presence of the angel who tended to the, Lord in the
Garden of Gethsemane during His suffering as a sacrifice because the Sacrifice of
the Liturgy is itself the Sacrifice of the suffering of the Lord.

At the end of the Liturgy, the priest asks the angel of the Sacrifice, as he ascends
up to the Lord with our praises, to remember us with the Lord just as the angel took
up to heaven the prayers of Cornelius. (Acts 10:4)

Our Union with the Angels in Praise
Glory be to our Lord Who by His Incarnation and Sacrifice on the Cross recon-

ciled the heavenly with the earthly and made them one.
The angels do not cease night or day saying, “Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord God

Almighty, … ” (Rev. 4:8; Isaiah 6:3), and we sing their song in the Liturgy, “Holy,
Holy, Holy, Lord of Hosts.”

In this regard St. Cyril of Jerusalem says, ” … We recite this divine praise which
we have received from the Seraphim (Isaiah 6:3) so we can share in the same praise
of blessing with these heavenly hosts.”

Sl. John Chrysostom says, ” … All the heavenly powers come and sing this song
and the area around the altar is filled with the angels that gather to honor the
Sacrifice … All the angels share intercession with the priest … The spiritual fire of
the Holy Spirit descends from heaven. and blood gushes from the side of the pure
Lamb into the chalice to purify our souls … So with what right do you dare 0 Chris-
tian to attend the offering of this Sacrifice without reverence’? … The Church is
heaven itself!” He also says, ‘The time of the Sacrifice is the most appropriate time
to ask God. The angels seize this happy occassion to ask for us various graces and
to intercede on our behalf with greater fervor.”

During the Liturgy, the angels stand among us. “Thou hast strengthened the
chorus of the incorporeal among the people,” says the Gregorian Liturgy … We also
sing their song, “Thou hast given those on earth the praises of the Seraphim.”

The Church has called the saints earthly angels or heavenly men. The Coptic ar-
tist used to picture some of the saints with six wings like the Seraphim to express the
angelic nature of the saint. (The icon of St. Tac1a Haimonot is a typical example.)

When we stand for the morning prayer we say, “Let us sing with the angels say-
ing: Glory be to God in the highest, on earth peace, goodwill towards men.”6

Service of the Angels for us During the Liturgy
St. John the Short, used to see the angels during the Liturgy. He saw the devils

surrounding the people to prevent them from entering the church, while an angel

56 SUMMER 1984 • COPTIC CHURCH REVIEW
VOLUME 5 • NUMBER 2

carrying a sword helped them by the hand to attend. The angels help the faithful
because they rejoice when one sinner repents. They offer the prayers and the offer-
ings up to heaven as the priest says in the prayer of the oblation, “May it have access
to Thy Grandeur through the ministry of Thy blessed Angels and Archangels.”7

Out of their love for us ‘they sing the song of our victory and salvation with a
voice full of glory; as the Gregorian Liturgy says. This is explained in the book of
Revelation when the twenty-four priests sing saying, “Worthy art thou to take the
scroll, and to open its seals, for thou wast slain, and by thy blood didst ransom men
for God from every tribe and tongue and people and nation, and hast made them a
kingdom and priests to our God,” (Rev. 5:9,10)

How to Stand with the Angels
L As the liturgy of the faithful starts with the presence of the angels, the priest

proclaims the presence of the Lord saying. “The Lord be with you all,” and later
cries, “Lift your hearts”. The people respond, “They are with the Lord.” The angels
cover their faces out of holy fear and our hearts should remain in all reverence with
the Lord; the Divine Liturgy is like standing before the Lord. During the Divine
Liturgy, the Holy Trinity is present together with the Royal Court members (the
angels and the saints). That is why the priest who neglects offering the Liturgy ac-
tually deprives himself and the Church of honoring and glorifying the Holy Trinity.
He also deprives the angels of the joy of attending, the sinners of forgiveness, the
faithful of help and the dead of mercy.

2. The praises of the angels revolve around the \\ford “Holy”. Without holiness we
shall never behold the Lord, and without it we cannot participate in the Sacrifice of
the Liturgy. God is Holy and we should also be holy. So with what tears and contri-
tion ought we to ask for holiness and struggle for its sake even unto death? The
Divine Liturgy is a gathering of the sanctified people and the holy angels in the
presence of the Holy One, because “The Holies are for the holy.” The Liturgy of SL
Cyril says,

“As you purified the lips of Thy servant the prophet Isaiah when the
Seraphim took a burning coal with tongs from the altar, put it in his
mouth, and said: Behold, this has touched your lips; your guilt is
taken away, and your sin forgiven, so also we, Thy weak and sinful
servants, do implore Thy mercy; purify our souls, our bodies, our
lips, and our hearts and grant us this burning coal that gives life to the
spirit, the body and the soul, which is the Holy Body and Honored
Blood of Thy Christ.”

3.The angels are humble and the devils are haughty. The angels cover their faces
and glorify in fear and reverence. This is why he who wishes to attend the Divine
Liturgy with the angclll, should listen to the words of the deacon, “Stand up in fear
of the Lord”, and, “Bow your heads before the Lord.”

THE DIVINE LITURGY 57
A COMPANY WITH HEAVEN

“Thus humility and the feeling of need, together with a contrite heart. similar to
the publican who stood with a bowed head are a requirement for attending the
Liturgy.”8

The deacons and choir should not sing with pride or loud voices, but rather with
soft angelic voices and with reverence, as the Didascalia says.

Translated by Lily Soliman

References
1. Theotokia of Wednesday, in the Daily Office.
2. Prayer of the third hour. In:The Agpeya. Los Angeles, CA.: Sts. Athanasius

and Cyril of Alexandria Orthodox Publications, 1982.
3. Charles de Foucauld
4. EM. Ishak: A Complete Translation of the Coptic Orthodox Mass and the

Liturgy of St. Basil. Toronto, Ontario, 1973; p. 31
5. Ibid,: p. 89
6. The Agpeya: Op. Cit.
7. F. M. Ishak: Op. Cit.; p. 33
8. From an article by Father Matta El-Meskeen, “Bow your heads”, in St. Mark

Monthly Review.

ANGELS AND DEMONS THL 3790.01 • Spring 2018
Fr. Francis J. Caponi, O.S.A. MWF 10:30-11:20 • Tolentine 309

Research Papers: Guidelines and Timetable

Length: 10 pages, including bibliography

Research Discussion: Students are welcome, but not required, to meet with me anytime up to
Monday, March 19th, to discuss themes and bibliography.

Outline: No later than 5:00 p.m., Friday, March 23rd, students must submit by email a
one-page outline of their proposed paper. (See the example below.)

Paper Submission: Papers are due at the start of class on Monday, April 30th.

Guidelines for Papers: Checklist

__________1. You may use both sides of the paper, as long as the paper is of sufficient quality to
maintain easy legibility on both sides. The paper must be STAPLED in the upper
left-hand corner.

__________2. Use 12-point font with 1-inch margins all around.

__________3. Double-space.

__________4. The first page is not numbered, but all succeeding pages should be.

__________5. The paper must have no marks on it (pen, pencil, white-out, etc.).

__________6. The paper must be carefully proofread, with proper attention given to spelling,
grammar, and punctuation. This is a major part of the grade.

Bibliography

Students may use books, articles, websites, television programs, class lectures and notes from
previous courses at Villanova, conversations with experts/specialists, etc. All such sources must
be properly documented (see next section). The bibliography must contain no fewer than 8 items,
at least 4 of which must be published works (either ebook or print). If in doubt about the
acceptability of a source, check with me.

Format

In all matters concerning quotations, punctuation, footnotes, and bibliography, students are to
follow Kate L. Turabian, Manual for Writers of Research Papers, Theses, and Chicago Guides to
Writing, Editing, and Dissertations, 8th Edition, revised by Wayne C. Booth et al. (Chicago: The
University of Chicago Press, 2013). A copy of this is available on the Blackboard content page
for this course. Students are to use the “Notes-Bibliography” style (chapter 17), with footnotes,
not endnotes. Be sure to look at the examples provided on pp.392 and 394.

Topics

Anything substantial, interesting, and related to what we have covered in class. For example:

• how angels/demons have been portrayed in art, architecture, literature, film, music (e.g.,
demons in 18th century theater, angels in American cemetery statuary)

• angels/demons in non-Christian religious traditions
• efforts to investigate scientifically angels/demons
• historical incidents (the Angel of Mons, the Angel of Peace at Fatima)
• the influence of the book of Revelation on subsequent depictions of Satan
• popular conceptions of angels/demons in a particular culture

Policies on Extensions; Penalties for Lateness

1. Requests for extensions should be made only for a serious reason, generally an unexpected
situation beyond the student’s control. I decide whether this is the case or not. Athletic
events, job interviews, and non-emergency travel plans do not qualify.

2. A request for an extension must be made at least 48 hours in advance, i.e., before 11:30 a.m.
of Saturday, April 27th.

3. Requests can be made only via email.

4. Papers can be submitted only at the start of class, unless I have specifically given a student
permission to do otherwise.

5. Students must submit their own papers, unless I have specifically given a student permission to
do otherwise.

6. Papers submitted after the start of class will be docked 5 points.

7. Papers submitted after the assigned date will be docked 5 points per day.

Please note: An excused absence is not the same thing as a paper extension. For example, you
may be excused (with proper documentation) because of an athletic event or job interview,
but your paper is still due at the start of that class. You must ask permission for another
student to submit it.

N.B. Printer problems do not excuse late submissions. Make sure you complete your
paper with time to spare, in the event that the closest printer is unavailable.

Angels and Demons: THL 3790.01 • Research Papers – Guidelines and Timetables • Spring 2018 / Page 2

Outline Example

Name
Course title and number
Date

Topic: Persian influence on the later Old Testament and post-biblical portraits of Satan

Goal: This paper will consider the contested question of whether, and to what degree, Persian/
Iranian ideas played a role in the development and final forms of the depiction of Satan in
post-exilic Judaism, both canonical and extra-canonical.

Key Points/Questions:
1. The general question of whether, where, and to what degree Persian ideas and language

influenced Second Temple Judaism has by no means received a uniform answer in recent
decades.

2. Scholars may make vague references to “undoubted Persian influence” on post-exilic
demonology, but offer few specifics. Often, these claims are based on similarities of plot
and character – parallels, rather than clearly demonstrated dependencies.

3. Rather than regarding Satan as a “foreign import,” is it possible to regard other religious
traditions, such as Zoroastrianism, as catalysts which caused the Jewish religion to
develop latent elements in its own traditions?

Important Vocabulary:
1. pseudepigrapha
2. apocrypha
3. dualism

Bibliography:

Barr, James. “The Question of Religious Influence: The Case of Zoroastrianism, Judaism, and
Christianity.” Journal of the American Academy of Religion 53, no. 2 (June 1985): 201-235.

Carus, Paul. The History of the Devil and the Idea of Evil. London: Kegan Paul/Trench, Trüber &
Co., 1900.

Hamilton, Victor P. “Satan.” In The Anchor Bible Dictionary. Vol. 5. Edited by David Noel
Freedman, 985–989. New York: Doubleday, 1992.

Langton, Edward. Essentials of Demonology: A Study of Jewish and Christian Doctrine, Its
Origin and Development. Eugene, Oregon: Wipf and Stock, 2014.

Russell, Jeffrey Burton. The Devil: Perceptions of Evil from Antiquity to Primitive Christianity.
Ithaca: Cornell University Press, 1987.

Angels and Demons: THL 3790.01 • Research Papers – Guidelines and Timetables • Spring 2018 / Page 3