„Descensus ad inferos”. Aspekty „zapomnianego artykułu wiary”

Abstract

Christ’s descendance into the kingdom of the dead, defined as „going down into the abyss”, has long intrigued the whole of Christianity. In the New Testament descensus Christi is pictured, among other things, in Mt 12, 40; 27, 51b-53; Rom 10, 7; Acts 2, 24-28; Eph 4, 8-10; Heb 12, 23; 13, 20; Rv 1, 18. This subject matter is very distinct in St. Justin, St. Clement Alexandrian, Origen, St. Augustine, St. Gregory the Great and others. At present, some theologians think it is outdated and „obsolete” Thus it seems necessary to shed some light on the whole reality of „Christ’s going down into the abyss” with a view to the development of the biblical conception of death, so that we could highlight this event as a universal salvation event. Contemporary theology should perceive the mystery in question in an integral manner, in the whole mystery of life, passion, death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ.