Most Americans Believe in Guardian Angels

"I believe that my father, who died years ago, is one of them. My grandmother is one of them," one person commented.

A majority of Americans, regardless of their religion, believe in angels -- including guardian angels that they say have protected them from harm.

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"Without God and without his angels who have protected me in my life, I wouldn't be here, so it's a major impact," one person wrote.

Ortberg explains how angels may serve as a type of intermediary to better connect people to God.

"Sometimes I think people can be fascinated by angels and talk about them because angels are less threatening than God," Ortberg said. "The idea of a God who is holy and can hold people accountable can be a little scary."

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Many established religions officially teach that miracles only took place during biblical times, but the fact that so many Americans believe that angels play an active role in their lives suggests that many have reinterpreted church teaching and engage in what one theologian has called "casual mysticism."

"There is a real and huge part of the human condition that we want to know that the spiritual is real, that there is a divine presence in our lives," Ortberg said, "and talking about angels is a very important expression of that hunger."