Angels and wings go together naturally in popular culture. Images of winged angels are commonplace on everything from tattoos to greeting cards. But do angels really have wings?

After all, powerful spiritual creatures aren't bound by the laws of physics, so they don't actually need wings to fly. Yet, people who have encountered angels sometimes report that the angels they saw had wings. Others report that the angels they saw manifested in a different form, without wings. So do some angels have wings, while others don't?

Art throughout history has often portrayed angels with wings, but sometimes without them. Could it be that angel wings symbolize something?

The wings that angels sometimes feature when appearing to human beings may serve as symbols of God's power and loving care for people. The Torah and the Bible use wings as a metaphor in that way in Psalm 91:4, which says of God: "He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart." The same psalm mentions later that people who make God their refuge by trusting him can expect God to send angels to help care for them.

Popular culture often presents the idea that angels must earn their wings by successfully completing certain missions. One of the most famous portrayals of that idea occurs in the classic Christmas movie It's a Wonderful Life, in which a "second class" angel in training named Clarence earns his wings after helping a suicidal man want to live again.