How are angels differentiated, since they don't occupy space?

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catholic1seeks

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My philosophy knowledge is a minimum.

I know angels are pure spirit, but spirit is not some whispy light (as portrayed in movies). It’s hard to define spirit, but it’s not matter or energy. God, the Infinite Spirit, does not exist in neither time nor space. However, I imagine when say God is spirit and angels are spirit, we mean different things.

So anyway, since there are many, many angels, how are they different from each other. Do they even exist someWHERE? How can they be someWHERE, in a place, if they do not occupy space?
 
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They are different in their tasks.
For example: Guardian angels are assigned to people.
Archangels are given the task of delivering message tot he People of God that are of worldwide significance.
Seraphim praise God at His throne, etc.
The EWTN library has extensive information on the Angels.
They go into detail about the 9 Choirs and their office.
 
That wasn’t quite getting at the concern about space/place. I should have been more specific in my title question.

But I’m more perplexed about like, how they are separate: are they separate in space? In the mind of God? etc.
 
They are a distinct species.
They have powers we don’t have.
The are non-corporal spiritual beings. They don’t operate as we do.
 
so can an angel be in a physical room? if so, what would that mean?
 
The angel Gabriel was with Mary, no?
An angel walked with Tobit.
Their spirit is there, and for the purpose of their message, they appear as humans, but are not.
The disappear as quickly as they appear.
You always know an angelic appearance becuase the first thing they say is “Don’t be afraid”.
 
But their true nature is not to take on physical form. They do not “walk” in that sense.

How is a spirit “there”
 
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Read the book of Tobit. That angel certainly walked with him.
 
You said it yourself: Angels are non-corporeal. Angels do not walk unless they take a physical form.
I’m not talking about that though. I’m talking about their being spirit.
 
Who said? Their primary nature is as spirit. But they can certainly make themselves visible and non-threatening (visible as men) to us.
 
Non-corporal because they don’t exist as human beings.
They exist as Spirit. But their purpose and ministry calls for them to appear to people sometimes.
It was an angel at the tomb, correct? Sitting on a the rock rolled aside?
All of this is in Scripture.
 
I don’t think you’re understanding my question. I do not disagree that angels sometimes appear in the Bible for humans to see. But their true nature, like God, is spirit. So I am asking what it means for there to exist multiple spirits.

Our imagination has us think that spirit is some kind of light or whispy gas or energy. That’s fine for movies. But that’s not really what spirit is: You can’t see or touch spirit, it doesn’t occupy space.

Let me ask this way: WHERE are the angels? Since they are pure spirit, does it even makes sense to ask that?
 
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They are everywhere.
Read up the EWTN info.
Your guardian angel is right there beside you right now.
Say hi for me.
 
I see what you are asking, catholic1seeks, but I’m not sure most humans are equipped to visualize angelic existence.

The only thing that occurs to me as a possible comparison is that a point, as defined in geometry, takes up no space but can be assigned coordinates that specify its location.
 
pianistclare said:
They are different in their tasks.
Click to expand...
Close but no cigar, this is only an accidental difference.

It takes a substantial difference for spiritual beings to be individuated as different from others.

The traditional answer (Aquinas) is that each angel has a slightly different unique “form”.
Humans all have the same human form - but we are individuated by “matter”.

So, as somebody said, each angel is its own single “species.”

Or more technically, pure spirits can be different on the basis of “essence” and “existence”.
Hence all angels are aligned in a naturally perfective hierarchy. Each has a different level of created perfection relative to others. the greater the “essence” the more perfectly that creature “exists”.

We hold that Satan is the most perfect essence/being ever created. The one most like God.
Yet in the supernatural order therefore the most destitute.
 
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i had understood that lucifer was a seraph gone bad/turned traitor/rebel
 
Is anyone denying that?

BTW his name is “Satan” not “Lucifer”.
Lucifer is a title - over the ages variously given to Jesus, Mary and as a common Christian name in the Early Church!

Satan lost that title when he fell.
 
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my brother asked that his confirmation name be “lucifer” (ie light) (he’s a weirdo)

the pastor flat out said no
 
Blessings
Angels can be Spirits and take on form. They can take up space when they take on forms. God stays a Spirit. Jesus was Spirit and human. Holy Spirit stays Spirit. There are many types of angels. Google: types of angels. It will list there jobs. Where is heaven? There are three heavens per scripture. Another dimension?? We’ll find out. Meditation can open us up to communication w God and Spiritual beings.
God bless you in your quest and your journey w God
In Christ’s love
Tweedlealice
 
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