For centuries this was the mainstream view of Christianity but 300 years later it became a huge issue and the belief was made illegal because Emperor Constantine believed it was dangerous to the Empire to believe in reincarnation.
How and why the doctrine of reincarnation was purged from Christianity
Emperor Justinian
In the sixth century A.D., Emperor Justinian and Pope Vigilius disagreed on whether or not the teachings of Origen should be condemned as heresy. The Pope supported the teaching as being consistent with the teachings of Jesus the Messiah. The Emperor was determined to eradicate the belief even though the Pope and the church believed in reincarnation. The fact that the doctrine of reincarnation had been a part of Christian theology for over 500 years did not sway the Emperor.
A powerful group of Cardinal’s and Bishop’s explained that if every soul had once pre-existed with God, then Christ wasn’t anything special to have come from God. These Cardinals convinced the Emperor that if people realized they were the children of God they might begin to believe they no longer needed an Emperor, or to pay taxes, or to obey the Holy Church.
But since they reasoned that only Christ had come from God but God made brand new souls at the time of conception and only the Holy Church could bring these souls to God. Without the protection of the Empire or the guidance of the church, all people would be doomed to be forever cut off from God in Hell. This doctrine was very acceptable to the Emperor. Once Justinian understood the political danger inherent in Origen’s teachings, the rest was simply an Emperor doing what was in his best interest.
The council, as instructed by the Emperor, produced fourteen new anathemas and the very first one condemned reincarnation and the concept that souls pre-existed with God.
“If anyone asserts the fabulous preexistence of souls, and shall assert the monstrous restoration which follows from it: let him be anathema.”
The greatest teacher of the Church after the apostles: Origen
Church Father Origen
Father Origen (A.D. 185-254) (The Encyclopedia Britannica states that Origen was “the most prominent of all the Church Fathers with the possible exception of Augustine”. We also know of the high standing of Father Origen from St. Jerome who said of him, “the greatest teacher of the Church after the apostles”. St. Jerome did the first latin translation of the Bible) wrote:
“Is it not more in conformity with reason that every soul for certain mysterious reasons is introduced into a body, and introduced according to its deserts and former actions? Is it not rational that souls should be introduced into bodies, in accordance with their merits and previous deeds, and that those who have used their bodies in doing the utmost possible good should have a right to bodies endowed with qualities superior to the bodies of others?” (Contra Celsum)
“The soul has neither beginning nor end… Every soul… comes into this world strengthened by the victories or weakened by the defeats of it’s previous life. Its place in this world as a vessel appointed to honor or dishonor is determined by its previous merits or demerits. Its work in this world determines its place in the world which is to follow this…” (De Principiis)
Origen wrote about the pre-existence of the soul. He taught that the soul’s very source was God and that the soul was traveling back to oneness with God via the lessons learned in multiple lives. He taught that Christ came to show us what we can become.
Origen’s writings were considered heresy by important cardinals in the sixth century. None the less, his teachings had been considered as profound spiritual wisdom for three centuries.
A Pope is jailed for not renouncing reincarnation and condemning Origen’s writings!
Pope Vigilius
Emperor Justinian wanted Origen’s writings and teachings to be condemned and destroyed but Pope Vigilius refused to sign a papal decree condemning Origen’s teachings on reincarnation. As a result of his disobedience, the Emperor had the Pope arrested and put into jail. In 543, Justinian convoked the Fifth General Council of the Church and told the Pope he would sign whatever into doctrine whatever the council decided. On the way there, under guard, the Pope escaped to avoid being forced to condemn Origen’s writings. The Emperor commanded the council to continue despite the Pope’s refusal to attend.
There was a logical reason why the Emperor was opposed to the concept that all of mankind originally came from God and was returing to God via the cycle of birth and death. Justinian had been convinced by high ranking cardinals that it was not in the interest of the empire to allow Origen’s writings to continue to be copied and distributed.
What Josephus the historian wrote about the Essenes and the Pharisees
“They [the Essenes] smiled in their very pains and laughed to scorn those who inflicted torments upon them, and resigned up their souls with great alacrity, as expecting to receive them again.” (Jewish War, Book 2, Chap.8,Nos.10-11)
“[The Pharisees] believe that souls have an immortal vigour in them [and that the virtuous] shall have power to revive and live again: on account of which doctrines they are able greatly to persuade the body of the people.” (Antiquity of the Jews, Book 18, Chap.1, No.3)
Other famous church fathers that believed in reincarnation
Saint Gregory (A.D. 257-332) writes: “It is absolutely necessary that the soul should be healed and purified, and if this does not take place during
its life on earth it must be accomplished in future lives.”
St. Clement (A.D. 150-220), St. Augustine (A.D. 354-430), and St. Jerome (A.D. 340-420) were among others who also believed in or were open to
the ideas of pre-existence of the soul and reincarnation.
Reincarnation is found in the Gnostic gospels
“Souls are poured from one into another of different kinds of bodies of the world.” Jesus Christ – Pistis (Knowledge) Sophia (Wisdom)
“‘I shall give you what no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, what no hand has touched, and what has never arisen in a human mind.” So the disciples said to Jesus, ‘Tell us about the end.’ Jesus said, ‘Have you already discovered the beginning that now you can seek after the end? For where the beginning is, the end will be. Blessed is the one who stands at the beginning: that one will know the end and will not taste death. Blessed is the one who came to life before coming to life.’” Jesus Christ – Gospel of Thomas (Saying 18-19)
Docrine of reincarnation no longer condemned as heresy by the Catholic Church
Recently though the Catholic Church has come out disclaiming any crusade against Father Origen and his teachings. Also the Catholic Encyclopedia
(Vol.11,p.311 under “Origen”, and Vol.4, p.308-309 under “Councils of Constantinople”) permits at least on technical grounds, that there is no
barrier to belief in reincarnation nor pre-existence for Catholic Christians...
Even though these events are in the history books, modern Christianity treats the doctrine of reincarnation today as if Jesus never taught it or that the early church ever believed it.
Sources:
(The Anathemas against Origen), attached to the decrees of the Fifth Ecumenical Council, A.D. 545, in Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, 2d ser., 14: 318).”
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