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Document Details :

Title: Extra Ecclesiam nulla salus, sed extra mundum nulla damnatio
Subtitle: Reappropriating Christ's Descent into Hell for Theology of Religions
Author(s): BIESBROUCK, Wouter
Journal: Louvain Studies
Volume: 37    Issue: 2-3   Date: 2013   
Pages: 107-132
DOI: 10.2143/LS.37.2.3038708

Abstract :
This article is a systematic theological discussion and evaluation of the contemporary use of Christ’s descent into Hades in relation to the salvation of adherents of other religions. It does this by linking this article of the Apostles’ Creed to its historical roots and to the evolution of the idea in the history of church and theology. We start with a discussion of the origin of the conviction that Christ descended into Hades and what its major interpretations were. Next, we give both a historical sketch of the relation between Christ’s descent and the salvation of non-Christians and an evaluation of a contemporary proposal that Christ’s descent plays a role in the salvation of adherents of other religions. Finally, we evaluate this locus theologicus in the light of the conviction that salvation is mediated socio-historically, and we close with an alternative proposal about the intermediate state.

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