The author of In The Shadow Of His Wings begins with a modest disclaimer. His PhD on angels in the Anglican Tradition was, he says, not something which ever helped him in his Christian relations with others. Well, this reviewer begs to differ.
In The Shadow Of His Wings is a study of the pastoral ministry of angels. It is written with a depth of understanding, an attention to detail, and a creative approach to reading the Biblical text which reflects the painstaking care required in doctoral research, yet which wears that learning lightly.
Dr Macy argues that Christians miss out on agents of God’s ministry if they limit angels to the nativity. He takes the reader carefully through their appearances in Scripture and summarises their treatment in the Christian tradition. He takes a chapter to look at angels in Jesus’ life. He then devotes a chapter to each of the particular acts in which angels participate for the good of humanity: healing, sustaining, guiding and reconciling.
Readers from all Christian traditions will learn from this book. Dr Macy writes from an avowedly conservative evangelical stance, although he admits that not all conservative evangelical will have expected his reading of Scripture. Yet if there are some aspects of his study which sit more easily with readers from traditions other than his own, different parts of it will also surprise such readers. I had never read Revelation 8:3-4 as Dr Macy does but what he wrote made me think anew about the passage.
The book is accessibly and comfortably written, with some quite difficult thinking easily communicated. Its overall tone is, as its title might imply, pastoral: this is not simply about pastoral theology, it does pastoral theology. It is therefore a kindly book, leaving the reader feeling that the creation is perhaps richer than we often realise. It is an uncomfortable book, precisely because it is not easily claimable by any Christian tradition. But then Dr Macy observes, angels often say in Scripture, Do not be afraid – and no Christian of any persuasion should be afraid to read this book.
Revd Canon Dr Jane Steen (The Bridge: March 2011)
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