The Restoration of Adam Much of the story of faith comes from Ancient times, and sometimes there are things we find that have been tucked away in our history, and perhaps nearly forgotten. The region of Cappadocia has been recently in the news, crossing the boundary between modern Turkey and Syria, and being subject to a string of earthquakes and a humanitarian crisis. We should perhaps know more about this region than we do, as in the 4th century 3 famous Bishops, Basil the Great, Gregory of Nazianzus and Gregory of Nyssa, worked together on the theology of the Church and at the 1st Council of Constantinople the substantive text of the Nicene Creed was adopted, pretty much as we say it Sunday by Sunday to this day. This region also has held a part of the resurrection memories of the Church in the Icon, the Restoration of Adam. Icons are of course written, not painted, because they tell a story, and are not to be looked at, but to be read, or gazed through as the windows of heaven. In the icon, we notice some features depicted that may seem unfamiliar to many, especially those of us who are used to Western images. Jesus is not standing, but moving forward, with his robes flowing and his feet apart. Christ is holding Adam by the arm, and he is being pulled along by Jesus. The victory of Jesus over death is for all of humankind, beginning symbolically with Adam, and restoring us all to our place in the garden before the fall. In the mid-ground, we see Kings and Prophets from the Old Testament gazing on depicted as well as this is their redemption as well. At Christ’s feet, the Gates of Hades have been broken in the shape of a cross, telling us that it is by the cross Jesus has entered into Hell, and Satan now lies bound and defeated in his own chains. The Creation Stories in Genesis are described by some as simply factual accounts, and by others as allegorical or symbolic stories. The icon here shows that this approach is not a novelty, but rather has a long and valid history. Some of this theology has been caught in the James McAuley Hymn By Your Kingly Power, O Risen Lord By your kingly power, O Risen Lord, All that Adam lost is now restored: In your resurrection be adored. Sing the joyful Easter cry, sound it to the souls in prison, Shout our triumph to the sky: Sing Christ risen, sing Christ risen. Sing the joyful Easter cry, let all times and peoples listen: Death has no more victory, Sing Christ risen, sing Christ risen. By J. McAuley © 1976
I had a conversation about the line of the Apostles creed dealing with Christ's descent with our family doctor. Well educated man, been in Lutheran churches for 60 years and had never had the Creed explained in a way that made sense to him. His pastor gave the subject a commendable treatment for Easter though.
What line of descent would that be then? "Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, Born of the Virgin Mary,"? What did he not understand about that? It seems that Christ was descended from The Holy Ghost and the Virgin Mary as far as the Apostles Creed is concerned. As far as his descent into hell is concerned though it just means put in the grave or the realm of the dead. Jews didn't believe in 'Hell'. They believed in Sheol, the realm of shades. .
I believe he was referring to the “descended to hell” clause (from the Apostles’ Creed, not the Nicene Creed).
He had never had anyone give him a satisfactory explanation why Christ would go into hell. He had also never had Greek cosmology explained and had the thought of a place of torment rather than simply the abode of the dead.