The Book of Common Prayer (1662) states that after Jesus "was crucified, dead and buried" he "descended into hell"; Common Worship (2000) that he "descended to the dead". Both these translations of the Apostle's Creed are authorised in the Church of England. The latter translation concurs with that included in the Roman Catholic Catechism.
If you'd like to read more the soteriological significance of this day and reflect on its place in the progress of Holy Week, I can do no better than recommend you pay a visit to the blog of "His Grace", "Archbishop Cranmer". His Grace expends his online energy "examining religio-political agendas with politico-religious objectives". Here's how he's described on his blog:
Archbishop Cranmer takes as his inspiration the words of Sir Humphrey Appleby: "It’s interesting," he observes, "that nowadays politicians want to talk about moral issues, and bishops want to talk politics." It is the fusion of the two in public life, and the necessity for a wider understanding of their complex symbiosis, which leads His Grace to write on these very sensitive issues. Things got just a little bit too hot on 21st March 1556. His Grace hasn't been around much since, but he is as keen as ever to investigate and expose religio-politics or politico-religiosity, so email Cranmer with your insights, and he shall investigate - whatever the cost...
Here's a link to His Grace's blog entry for today, entitled "Holy Saturday: devastation, anguish, hell". Read and think on: http://archbishop-cranmer.blogspot.com/2011/04/holy-saturday-devastation-anguish-hell.html
Follow Archbishop Cranmer on Twitter: @His_Grace
Bless you, Mr Ballentyne.
ReplyDeleteA joyous and blessed Easter to you.
This entry was picked up and published by Seven Whole Days - today! (Sun 24 Apr 2011) http://paper.li/scottagunn
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