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CHANGES IN THE ROMAN MISSAL, PART 12: The Apostles Creed
[EDITOR’S NOTE: This column is part of an ongoing series written by Father Daniel Merz highlighting many of the historical and theological bases of the upcoming publication of a revised English translation of the Roman Missal. Father Merz is the chairman of the Liturgical Commission for the Diocese of Jefferson City, Mo.]
This continues the commentary on the changes in the new Mass translation that will affect the assembly’s parts of the Mass. Last column, we examined changes in the Nicene Creed. This issue, we will look at the Apostles’ Creed.
PRESENT TEXT
I believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord.
He was conceived
by the power of the Holy Spirit
and born of the Virgin Mary.
He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried.
He descended to the dead.
On the third day he rose again.
He ascended into heaven,
and is seated at the right hand
of the Father.
He will come again to judge
the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. Amen.
NEW TEXT
I believe in God, the Father almighty,
Creator of heaven and earth,
and in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived
by the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died and was buried;
he descended into hell;
on the third day he rose again from the dead;
he ascended into heaven,
and is seated at the right hand
of God the Father almighty;
from there he will come to judge
the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and life everlasting. Amen.
Some of the changes made in the Apostles’ Creed have already been given comment in the Nicene Creed last issue. There remain two changes to highlight. First, “he descended into hell.” The original Latin word for “hell” here is inferos, literally, “the lower ones,” i.e. the underworld. In early English, this abode of the dead was called “hell.”
Thus, the story of Christ in the tomb, descending to the lower regions to free all those from Adam and Eve on who were awaiting redemption, was given the title in medieval times “the harrowing of hell.” Here, “hell” refers to this abode of the dead, and not to a place of eternal damnation.
The second change to mention is the phrase, he rose again “from the dead.” The new version has two phrases: Christ descended to “hell” (inferos), and he rose again “from the dead” (a mortuis). The current translation only renders one of these phrases and leaves the other out. The new translation pays attention to both.
It is important to state that Christ rose “from the dead” because it makes clear that he has conquered death and left behind all traces of it. Because of Christ’s resurrection, there is no death in him at all, and this is the hope for all who follow him!
[NEXT COLUMN: We look at the other prayers in the Mass.]
(This column was reprinted with permission from The Catholic Missourian, the newspaper of the Diocese of Jefferson City, Mo.)
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