Archangel Michael Beyond Orthodoxies

This open access book explores the various manifestations of the archangel Michael in history, politics, and popular culture. One of the most venerated intermediate beings of the belief systems of all Christian traditions, the archangel Michael has assumed multiple roles that go far beyond the ways in which he has been defined by his major cults.

Chapters explore how the archangel Michael has often accompanied processes of Christianization as well as being the divine messenger par excellence. Covering a broad variety of academic perspectives and historical contexts, the book explores how the archangel Michael has subsumed ancient cults, been endowed with magical and ritual powers and guided religious and secular leaders in their exploits. The figure of the archangel Michael is shown to have even inspired educational systems, and in more recent times become a “commercial brand” of blessings and protections.

Going beyond orthodoxies, this book reveals how the history and interpretations of the Archangel’s manifestations have been redefined by Christians of Adventist beliefs, by politicians using religious apocalypse in their rhetoric, and by New Age leaders in highly innovative and individualistic manners.

The ebook editions of this book are available open access under a CC BY 4.0 licence on bloomsburycollections.com. Open access was funded by the University of Bergen, University of Oslo, Austrian Academy of Sciences, University College Cork, University of Liverpool and Fundatia Noua Europa.

Alexandros Tsakos is Scientific Director of the Manuscripts’ and Rare Books’ Collection at the Special Collections of the University of Bergen Library, Norway.
Marie von der Lippe is Professor of Religious Studies at the University of Bergen, Norway
Alf Tore Hommedal is Associate Professor in the Department of Cultural History at the University Museum of Bergen, Norway.