He Descended into Hell

The 'he descended into hell' phrase of the Apostles' Creed caused a major controversy in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, yet this debate has been largely overlooked in modern scholarship. Camlin reapproaches the descensus clause in the context of its initial composition, the Reformation and the Tudor period, showing how theological perspectives have shifted over time. He Descended into Hell considers how thinkers departed from Reformation perspectives during the reigns of Henry VIII & Edward VI and re-embraced the patristic doctrine of the descent. Camlin also explores how views morphed again during Elizabeth I's reign, pulling away from the Church Fathers' thought as the Church of England sought to distance itself from Catholic teachings on purgatory. Drawing on liturgical, catechetical and devotional material, Camlin shows how understandings of the purpose of Christ's descent changed during the Tudor period, leading to the established Anglican creeds we see today. Camlin's investigation thus offers new insight into this often overlooked or even misunderstood part of the Creed.



by Charles F. Camlin