The Apostles' Creed 'He Descended into Hell'.

• Superior document: Studies in theology and religion ; Volume 24
• Author: Marcel Sarot; Archibald L.H.M. van Wieringen (Volume Editors)
• TeilnehmendeR: Sarot, Marcel,; Wieringen, A. L. H. M. van 1963-
• Place / Publishing House: Leiden, , Boston: : Brill, , 2018.
• Year of Publication: 2018
• Language: English
• Series: Studies in Theology and Religion 24.
• Physical Description: 1 online resource (219 pages).

Though the number of Christians in Western societies is declining, many areas of our daily life are still influenced by Christian thoughts, expressions and images, sometimes without people being aware of it. This volume is about Christ's descent into hell as it appears in The Apostles' Creed 'He descended into hell' , the Apostles' Creed professes. But what are Christians who recite this Creed supposed to believe in when they profess their faith in the descent into hell? Or, to put the same question more poignantly, what is at stake if people deny the descent? Would it make any difference if we did not believe in the descent? How did the early Church interpret this belief? What influence has this article of faith had on contemporary theology and culture? Starting with a biblical view, the volume covers the history of theology by discussing the ideas of Augustine, the liturgy of the Early Church, the role of Christ's decent in Franciscan spirituality and in the theology of Thomas Aquinas. It also asks whether similar theological ideas are present in Judaism. In addition, it gauges the meaning of Christ's descent for today by reflecting on pastoral activities and on computer games. The volume concludes with a fundamental theological reflection which systematises and summarises all the material presented in this volume. These and other questions are discussed by theologians against the background of various disciplines: Biblical Studies, History of the Liturgy, Jewish Studies, History of Theology, History of Spirituality, Practical Theology, Cultural Theology and Systematic Theology. Contributors are: Frank Bosman, Toke Elshof, Paul van Geest, Harm Goris, Marcel Poorthuis, Gerard Rouwhorst, Marcel Sarot, William Marie Speelman, and Archibald van Wieringen.

Table of Contents

Front Matter -- Copyright page -- Theology from the Abyss / Marcel Sarot and Archibald van Wieringen -- Descent into the Netherworld / Archibald L. H. M. van Wieringen -- Augustine’s Certainty in Speaking about Hell and His Reserve in Explaining Christ’s Descent into Hell / Paul J. J. van Geest -- The Descent of Christ into the Underworld in Early Christian Liturgy / Gerard A. M. Rouwhorst -- The Redemption of an Arch-Heretic / Marcel J. H. M. Poorthuis -- Thomas Aquinas on Christ’s Descent into Hell / Harm J. M. J. Goris -- How Low Can You Go? / Willem Marie Speelman -- Descending into Hell as a Challenge to Ecclesial Praxis / Toke Elshof -- ‘The Bell Tolled Six on Easter Sunday’ / Frank G. Bosman -- The Scope of Redemption on Finding Meaning in Christ’s Descent into Hell1 / Marcel Sarot -- Back Matter -- Index of Ancient Sources.