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Ask who the archangel Michael is, and most Christian and Muslim traditions give the same kind of answer: one of the great angels, named in scripture, commander of the heavenly host. Four religious movements born in the United States each hold a different account of him, and no two of the four hold the same one.

One Figure, Four Accounts

Jehovah's Witnesses teach that Michael is a name borne by Jesus Christ in his heavenly office, so the archangel and the Son are one person under two names. Seventh-day Adventism reaches a related but distinct conclusion, identifying Michael with Christ and reading the name as a title meaning who is like God rather than a proper name for a separate being.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints holds a third account: Michael is Adam, the first man, in his premortal and resurrected office, rather than an angel of a separate order from humanity. Christian Science holds a fourth, reading the angels of scripture as God's thoughts passing to man rather than as personal created beings, so that Michael names a spiritual quality and not an individual at all.

Held Plainly Elsewhere

Set against that, both Sunni and Twelver Shia Islam hold Michael, Mikail in the Quran, as one of the angels named alongside Gabriel and counted among those closest to God, with no reinterpretation attached. The four American movements did not inherit a settled figure and argue over the details. Each rebuilt the office of Michael from its own founding premise, and none of the four rebuilt it the same way as any other.

Where To Read More

• MichaelPlanetary ArchangelsThe figure all four movements hold a different account of
• Jehovah's WitnessesChristianityHolds Michael and Christ as one person under two names
• Seventh-day AdventismChristianityReads Michael as a title belonging to Christ
• Latter-day Saints (Mormonism)ChristianityHolds Michael as Adam before and after mortal life
• Christian ScienceChristianityReads Michael as a spiritual quality rather than a being
• SunniIslamHolds Michael, Mikail in the Quran, plainly and without reinterpretation
• Shia (Twelver)IslamHolds Michael plainly as well, alongside Sunni Islam