Whether calling upon them for solace or divine protection, nearly 70% of U.S. adults believe in angels, according to a July 2023 poll conducted by the AP-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.
It's a stat that beats out a belief in the devil and even hell.
"I think people want to believe that the universe is friendly and benevolent toward them," George Mason, 66, senior pastor emeritus at Wilshire Baptist Church in Dallas, Texas, told Fox News Digital.
"Angels are consistent with the character of a loving God," he also said. "They are present in our lives in order to communicate that, whether through messages of grace and encouragement somehow received intuitively in human spirit or through human beings."
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The role angels occupy in people's worldview can be attributed to various religious, psychological, sociocultural and historical factors, according to Dylan Potter, PhD, author of the book "Angelology."
"The belief in angels is deeply rooted in religious and spiritual traditions and their significance can differ across different cultures and belief systems," Potter said.
Angels are part of what Mason calls the "invisible creation that we call heaven."
"I think some people think of creation as being only this visible world that we have, but in the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth — and heaven is the invisible realm of creation," Mason said.
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"It's where God and the angels and those who are departed, who live with God and the angels, continue to exist," he added.
Comfort is one of the most common reasons people call out to angels, both in biblical and modern times, Potter said.
"The belief in angels can provide psychological comfort and reassurance, especially in times of distress, grief or uncertainty," Potter said.
"One sees this in the biblical text quite frequently," he also said, "where a notable individual is perplexed or in danger, and an angel comes to comfort them, often with the message to 'fear not.’"
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People also turn to angels for protection, but Mason said he does not think "guardian" is their role.
He prefers "messenger."
"If you believe that angels are in the business of protecting you," Mason said, "then you also have to answer the question of why some people are not protected from tragedies and others are."
The word angel is derived from the Greek word "angelos," which, in this case, means heavenly messenger, Mason said.
"The subtext of the role of angels in the biblical text is complex, but generally supports the idea that God is active in the world," Potter said.
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"So God dispatches higher-order beings, which we call ‘angels,' to intercede in the physical world," Potter continued.
"Angels in the biblical text are always quick to clarify that they are simply messengers."
Chuck Treadwell, 63, rector of St. David’s Episcopal Church in Austin, Texas, agreed with that.
"When you think about all the New Testament stories where angels come to see the blessed Virgin, and they go and see Joseph, and they come and they minister to Jesus — they're carrying messages between the divine and the heavenly and the earthly realm," Treadwell said.
He also said he thinks the deep need or desire for some angelic encounter is an access to the divine.
"It's how we communicate with the greatest thing that there is," he said.
The role of angels, Potter explained, illustrates the notion that God is transcendent but also active in many ways throughout the created order.
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"Angelic interventions represent a more extreme example of that divine activity and represent abstract concepts such as the presence of goodness, purity and divine intervention," Potter said.
"They offer a tangible representation of higher-order values and ideals, which we are often prone to lose sight of in the midst of our hectic lives," he added.
Of those who said they believe in angels, 84% of people claim a religious affiliation, according to the AP-NORC poll.
"People who trust the narratives of the Bible would say that if the Bible records an interaction with angels in ancient times, then they would naturally assume that somehow angels continue to be an active and present part of the world today," Mason said.
But it’s not just religious folks who turn to the winged ones, the poll revealed.
Thirty-three percent of those who believe in angels do not claim any sort of religion.
Also believing in angels are 2% of atheists and 25% of agnostics who responded to the survey.
Potter said he believes there's a good reason for that.
"The concept of benevolent celestial beings watching over individuals may offer a sense of support and protection because angels do not appear to be tied to any religious or moral obligation" Potter said.
"They may be perceived as guides who provide a sense of control or help when dealing with life's challenges," he said.
Mason said the nonreligious may even get special attention from angels.
"I almost would suggest that angels have more of a role to play, in a positive way, for those who are not religiously oriented," Mason said.
"Those who are already [religiously oriented] have a sense of God's presence in the world," he noted.
"And so angels might be in an even more important role for those whose spirits are maybe unaware."
He added that he does not think angels are simply "put on duty for those who are believing people."
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"I think everyone that God has made — God has a desire for them to know the truth and to experience God's love and grace in their lives," Mason said.
"God wants us all to know that we are loved and that we have a future with God, that God desires."
Treadwell, for his part, said, "Angels come and go where God tells them to come and go and they talk to whomever God tells them to talk to."
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He added, "And it doesn't seem to be based around a whole lot of doctrine, like angels only speak to Christians. I don't see any biblical support for that because there's actually no such thing as a Christian in the Bible."
The AP-NORC poll also revealed that 60% of respondents believe in heaven, which is greater than their beliefs in the devil (56%) or hell (58%).
Additionally, at least two-thirds of Americans also believe in heaven, the power of prayer and that some things just can’t be explained by science or nature, according to the poll.
Potter said he believes angels foster a sense of belonging to a community with shared spiritual beliefs, offering a sense of higher purpose and destiny.
"The long historical continuity in belief in angelic or higher-order beings demonstrates the enduring appeal and hunger for the transcendent in contemporary societies," he said.
