Zstąpienie Chrystusa do piekieł jako zbawcze wydarzenie w historii zbawienia

Abstract

The history of salvation is God’s design whose purpose is to restore the original balance in the world after the original sin. The plan was carried out by Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Thanks to Him, the idea of a human as a child of God has been renewed. An event called in the Credo ‘descending into hell’ is its part. Hell, originated from ancient traditions, identified with the area inhabited by the dead and the land of demons, in Christian religion has gained a new dimension. In the Bible it is perceived as the lower parts of the earth (Ef 4, 9), to which the Son of God descended to lead the unfortunate people who have lived before His Incarnation, to the land of happiness and endowed them with ,,visio beatifica”. It does not have in common with Origen’s apocathastasis, because Christ descends into hell not to rescue the damned, but the just who have lived before Him. The event does not refer to the one, chosen nation, but all mankind. Thus the idea of salvation is a universal one.