He Descended to the Dead: An Evangelical Theology of Holy Saturday

“This is a book every evangelical and Reformed pastor should read, especially those whose churches recite the Apostles’ Creed. Not everyone will agree with Emerson’s answer. But it deserves to be considered, and it has the potential to bring greater unity and understanding to the body of Christ.”

“It would be an understatement to say the descent of Christ is overlooked in the evangelical tradition. Emerson puts our eyes back on this important event and demonstrates how it is biblical, historical, and clarifies and informs other doctrines. Once you see the descent, it is hard to go back to neglecting it. This book shines a helpful light on this derelict doctrine. Tolle lege.”

“Matthew Emerson has ably recovered a theology of Holy Saturday, Christ's descent into the place of death, for churches that are normally suspicious about ancient creeds. He shows that it is biblical, theologically necessary, integral to the work of Christ, and even intrinsic to the very identity of the God we worship. A concise and convincing account of a contested topic.”

“A treasure trove of biblical and theological wisdom! Matthew Emerson has read everything on the subject. For Catholics, his correction of Balthasar needs to be listened to—especially given that, with Balthasar and the creedal tradition, he insists upon the profound importance of Christ's descent to the dead. This book is a word that needs saying in our death-despairing age.”

“Emerson's book retrieves a seriously neglected yet helpful doctrine—Christ's descent to the dead—with exegetical insight, theological acumen, and a pastoral heart. I highly recommend it.”

“I can't recall the last time I read a new book that gave me so much insight into an event from the mission of Jesus Christ. In this retrieval of the doctrine of Christ's descent to the dead, Emerson clears away misconceptions, corrects erroneous interpretations, establishes solid foundations, and explores the vast implications of this single line of the classic creed. This book deserves a wide readership but will be especially helpful for evangelicals who have mumbled their way through, or have misunderstood, the creedal descent clause.”

“Matthew Emerson has given us here a major study of the historic, but too often distorted and neglected, doctrine of the descent of Jesus Christ to the dead. In doing so, he demonstrates the coinherence of biblical and historical theology and their relevance for the Christian life.”

“This is a tour de force! Emerson has given us a superbly written, incisively argued volume that makes the case for a doctrine that is often neglected or rejected outright by Protestants, illuminating many facets of its theological, liturgical, and pastoral importance along the way. Not everyone will agree with all the details, but this is an outstanding biblical, historical, and theological survey of Christ's descent to the dead. I expect it to become the benchmark Protestant account of the subject for years to come, and it also opens up rich and fruitful avenues for further exploration.”