C.S. Lewis on the Harrowing of Hell
Discovering Christ's Descent Into Hades in Scripture, the Fathers, & Narnia 🦁
Dear Barrel Aged Christians,
🎥 I recently posted a video on the often neglected topic of Christ’s descent to Hades on Holy Saturday or the time period between His death and glorious Resurrection. Check it out above!
📖Read more about what the Bible and the Church fathers say about the doctrine here.
🦁 Read more about C.S. Lewis’ understanding of this historic doctrine and references to it in his books, letters, and Narnia below! 👇
This is what C.S. Lewis has to say explicitly about the topic. In a letter written to Mrs. Sutherford (April 28, 1960), he writes:
“I believe in something like this… The medieval authors delighted to picture what they called ‘the harrowing of hell’, Christ descending and knocking on those eternal doors and bringing out those who He chose…. That would explain how what Christ did can save those who lived long before the Incarnation.”
Lewis explains that Christ was the One who first opened the glorious gates of Heaven for those saints who were delayed in Hades (or Sheol). He writes,
“The New Testament always speaks of Christ not as one who taught, or demonstrated, the possibility of a glorious after life but as one who first created the possibility – the Pioneer, the First Fruits, the Man who forced the door.”
Lewis demonstrates this theme throughout his fiction. Here are some examples: