Introduction -- The descent into Hades in Scripture and patristic tradition -- The New Testament, Apocryphal literature and early Christian poetry -- The patristic tradition -- Eastern Fathers of the second and third centuries -- Eastern Fathers of the fourth century -- Eastern Fathers of the fifth to eighth centuries -- Western church writers -- The descent into Hades in liturgical texts -- Eastern Christian liturgical poetry of the fourth through sixth centuries : from Ephrem the Syrian to Romanos the Melodist -- The hymns of Ephrem the Syrian -- The Kontakia of St. Romanos the Melodist -- Liturgical texts of the Orthodox Church -- The Oktoechos -- The Lenten triodion -- The Pentecostarion -- The theological significance of Christ's descent into Hades -- General church doctrine and personal opinion -- The descent into Hades and the theodicy -- The soteriological implications of the doctrine of the descent into Hades.