The Nine Heavenly Choirs
The late 5th/early 6th century Syrian mystic Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite (also known as Dionysius the Areopagite, or Denys the Areopagite) coined the word "hierarchy" from the Greek hieros, "holy," and -arch, "ruler." So hierarchy literally means "rule by the holy ones." Fifteen hundred years later the word has an unsavory reputation as it connotes a rigid, structured system of governance by those in ranked authority: think military hierarchy. But this is hardly what Pseudo-Dionysius meant when he used the word: he was riffing on the Neo-Platonist idea that all forms emanate from (and ultimately return to) the single, formless One. Thus the "ranks" of the hiearchy (whether celestial or earthly) simply refer to the dynamic nature of a universe where all that exists is continually in a state of flux and flow, pouring out from the Divine source, or seeking return to the same.
With this in mind, Pseudo-Dionysius’ map of the nine heavenly choirs (Seraphim, Cherubim, Thrones, Dominions, Powers, Authorities, Principalities, Archangels, Angels) represent not so much a way of speculating about how heaven is run (!), but rather considers that endless beings exist who are beyond us mere mortals in evolutionary terms. Human beings have no inherent authority over dogs or mushrooms or the amoeba, even though clearly we are beyond those fellow-beings in terms of evolution (and never mind how we feeble-minded primates think we have authority!). The Archangels and Seraphim relate to us the same way.
Why should we bother speculating on the minutiae of the celestial hierarchy? Forget about all the Protestant jibes about Catholic theologians counting the angels who dance on the head of a pin. Pseudo-Dionysius’ model of the celestial hiearchy works fine just as a metaphor, thank you very much. But a metaphor of what? Why, of our future mystical evolution, of course.
