Belief in transmigration of souls facts. Reincarnation: transmigration of souls and religion. The idea of ​​reincarnation in Buddhism and related religions

All his life a person belonged to the varna in which he was born. It was impossible to move from one varna to another. Within the four varnas, the population of India was further divided into groups by profession - castes. The laws and rules of caste regulated every step of the Indian.

Belief in the transmigration of the soul

Indian yogis

Rita - the universal law of the world

Buddhism

Throughout its history, humanity has refused to believe that death is the complete end of life, after which there is nothing. People have always cherished the hope that everyone has something that does not die - a substance that will continue life after the death of the mortal body. This belief, in particular, served as the basis for many superstitions and even became the reason for the emergence of some religions. In particular, many believe that after death in the other world they will be able to meet deceased relatives, friends and loved ones. As you know, it was also believed that every person has a “Ka”, or immortal soul, which is responsible for everything accomplished during life. In the other world, she will either suffer severe punishment or be rewarded.

Transmigration of souls is one of the teachings that is part of the belief in To this day, many wild peoples of Africa and Asia believe that the essence of a deceased person passes into the body of a newborn. There are also more exotic types of belief in reincarnation. In particular, the belief in the transmigration of the soul into another body of a still living person, as well as into an animal, a tree, or even an object. With the development of culture, this doctrine included the doctrine of retribution (karma). Thus, in the next life, each of us must receive what he “earned” in the previous one. Hindus believe that a good soul can be reborn in divine forms, and an evil soul can be reborn in the form of a person or animal. According to the doctrine of karma, all the troubles, grief and misfortunes that befall someone are retribution for actions that he committed tens and even hundreds of years ago, while in another body. Conversely, luck and success are a reward for good deeds done in a past life. Whether a person will be born a prince or a beggar, stupid or smart - this is predetermined in advance by his actions, which he committed long before. However, in this life he gets a chance to correct his previous mistakes if he does the right thing.

Thus, the transmigration of souls as a process implies that the present is already determined by the past, and the future by what is happening at the moment. This teaching is characteristic not only of Hinduism, but also of Buddhism. It is often believed that the soul passes through many animal forms of life before finally dying. In particular, Buddhists believe in the so-called “wheel of existence.” According to this theory, the transmigration of souls has the following chain of reincarnations: gods, titans, people, animals, spirits and inhabitants of hell. A number of Greek philosophers shared the belief that reincarnation is real. The belief in the transmigration of souls is also reflected in the mystical teachings of Kabbalah.

In general, this theory is, to put it mildly, not entirely scientific. Naturally, no one has yet recorded the transmigration of souls. The facts, however, are that human shortcomings and vices are largely explained by heredity. This is what basically determines the character and basic qualities. Thus, moral and mental, in a sense, passes through generations. This means that, although the transmigration of souls is unprovable, it is not completely absurd. After all, this theory definitely does not sharply contradict scientific data.

The word “reincarnation” is translated as “re-incarnation.” The theory of reincarnation includes two components:

1. The soul, and not the body, represents the true essence of man. This position is consistent with the Christian worldview and is rejected by materialism.
2. After the death of the body, the human soul is embodied in a new body after some period of time. Each of us has lived many lives on Earth and has experiences that go beyond the current life.

Identifying oneself with the body makes a person experience a strong fear of death. After all, after it he will completely disappear, and all his works will be meaningless. This causes people to act as if death does not exist. In order to escape from the idea of ​​the finitude of their existence and the lack of meaning in life, people try to lose themselves in fleeting affairs and entertainment. This could be a focus on your family or a strong immersion in work. A person can also resort to such dangerous entertainment as drug use. Belief in the finitude of life creates a spiritual vacuum in people's hearts. Belief in the eternal nature of the soul allows you to regain the meaning of life.

Reincarnation is a law that affects a person regardless of his faith. The doctrine of reincarnation says that a person is responsible for his own actions. The subsequent birth depends on his actions in previous lives. In this way, justice is established and the difficult circumstances of life of those who have not yet sinned are explained. The subsequent incarnation allows the soul to correct its mistakes and move beyond limiting ideas. The very idea of ​​constant learning of the soul is inspiring. We can get rid of our obsession with current affairs and find a new perspective on difficult and depressing situations. With the help of abilities developed in past births, the soul is able to overcome those problems that were not resolved previously.

Many of us have no memories of our past lives. There may be two reasons for this:

1. We were taught not to remember them. If the family belongs to a different faith or one of the family members is an atheist, then such memories will be suppressed. A child’s statement about the details of a past life can be perceived as fiction or even as a mental disorder. Thus, the child learns to hide his memories, and subsequently forgets them himself.
2. The memories may be difficult or shocking. They can prevent us from maintaining our identity in our current life. We may not be able to stand them and actually go crazy.

The idea of ​​reincarnation has been supported by various scientists and sages for thousands of years. At the moment, the doctrine of reincarnation is largely preserved in Hinduism. Many people travel to India to come into closer contact with this religion and gain spiritual experience. However, there were also followers of this theory in the West. Below we will look at the great personalities of different historical periods who support theory of soul reincarnation.

The doctrine of transmigration of souls in the religions of the East

The doctrine of reincarnation is central to many Indian religions. It is also present in Buddhism. For representatives of Eastern faiths, the idea of ​​reincarnation is natural.

The concept of reincarnation of souls is central to Hinduism. It is written about him in sacred texts: in the Vedas and Upanishads. In the Bhagavad Gita, which contains the essence of Hinduism, reincarnation is compared to changing old clothes for new ones.

Hinduism teaches that our soul is in a constant cycle of birth and death. After many births, she becomes disillusioned with material pleasures and seeks the ultimate source of happiness. Spiritual practice allows us to realize that our true Self is the soul, and not a temporary body. When material attractions cease to control it, the soul leaves the cycle and moves into the spiritual world.

Buddhism states that there are five levels at which one can incarnate: hell dwellers, animals, spirits, humans and deities. The conditions in which the soul will be born next time depend on its activities. The process of rebirth occurs until the creature disintegrates or reaches emptiness, which is accessible to few. The Jatakas (ancient Indian parables) tell of the 547 births of Buddha. He incarnated in different worlds, helping their inhabitants find liberation.

Reincarnation in the philosophy of Ancient Greece

In Ancient Greece, Pythagoras and his followers were adherents of the concept of reincarnation. The merits of Pythagoras and his school in mathematics and cosmology are now recognized. We have all been familiar with the Pythagorean theorem since school. But Pythagoras also became famous as a philosopher. According to Pythagoras, the soul comes from heaven into the body of a person or animal and incarnates until it receives the right to return. The philosopher claimed that he remembered his previous incarnations.

Another representative of philosophers in Ancient Greece, Empedocles, outlined the theory of the transmigration of souls in the poem “Purification”.

The famous philosopher Plato was also a proponent of the concept of reincarnation. Plato wrote famous dialogues, where he conveys conversations with his teacher Socrates, who did not abandon his own works. In the dialogue “Phaedo” Plato writes on behalf of Socrates that our soul can come to earth again in a human body or in the form of animals and plants. The soul descends from heaven and is first born in the human body. Degrading, the soul passes into the shell of an animal. In the process of development, the soul again appears in the human body and receives the opportunity to gain freedom. Depending on the shortcomings to which a person is subject, the soul can incarnate in an animal of the appropriate species.

Plotinus, the founder of the school of Neoplatonism, also adhered to the doctrine of reincarnation. Plotinus argued that a man who killed his mother would in his next birth become a woman who would be killed by her son.

Early Christianity

Modern Christian teaching claims that the soul is incarnated only once. It seems that this has always been the case. However, there are opinions that early Christianity was favorable to the idea of ​​reincarnation. Among those who supported this idea was Origen, a Greek theologian and philosopher.

Origen had great authority among his contemporaries and became the founder of Christian Science. His ideas influenced both Eastern and Western theology. Origen studied with the Neoplatonist Ammonius Sax for 5 years. At the same time, Plotinus studied with Ammonius. Origen said that the Bible includes three levels: bodily, mental and spiritual. The Bible cannot be interpreted literally, because in addition to its specific meaning, it carries a secret message that is not accessible to everyone. Around 230 AD e. Origen created an exposition of Christian philosophy in his treatise On Principles. In it he also writes about reincarnation. The philosopher wrote that souls prone to evil can be born in the shell of an animal and even a plant. Having corrected their mistakes, they rise and regain the Kingdom of Heaven. The soul enters the world with the strength of victories or weakened by the defeats of a previous incarnation. The actions committed by a person in this life predetermine the circumstances of birth in the next.

In 553, the theory of reincarnation of souls was condemned at the Fifth Ecumenical Council. The council was established by the Byzantine emperor Justinian. By voting, the council members decided whether Origenism was acceptable for Christians. The entire voting process was under the control of the emperor, some of the votes were falsified. Origen's theory was anathema.

Middle Ages and Renaissance

During this period, the doctrine of the transmigration of souls developed in Kabbalah, an esoteric movement in Judaism. Kabbalah spread in the 12th-13th centuries. Medieval kabbalists identified three types of migration. Birth in a new body was designated by the term “gilgul”. In the description of gilgul, Jewish texts are similar to Hinduism. The book “Zohar” says that the next birth is determined by what addictions a person had in the previous one. The last thoughts before death also affect him. Kabbalah also mentions two other types of reincarnation: when the soul moves into an already existing body with evil or good thoughts.

Among other figures of that time, the concept was adhered to by Giordano Bruno, an Italian philosopher. From the school curriculum we know that he supported the heliocentric views of Copernicus, for which he was burned at the stake. However, few people know that he was sentenced to burning not only for this. Bruno said that the human soul, after the death of the body, can return to earth in another body. Or go further and travel through the many worlds that exist in the universe. A person’s salvation is not determined by his relationship with the Church, but depends on a direct connection with God.

New time

In modern times, the concept of reincarnation was developed by Leibniz. This manifested itself in his theory of monads. The philosopher argued that the world consists of substances called monads. Every monad is a microcosm and is at its own stage of development. Depending on the stage of development, a monad has a connection with a different number of lower-level subordinate monads. This connection forms a new complex substance. Death is the separation of the main monad from its subordinates. Thus, death and birth are identical to the usual metabolism that occurs in a living being in the process of life. Only in the case of reincarnation does the exchange have the character of a leap.

The theory of reincarnation was also developed by Charles Bonnet. He believed that during death the soul retains part of its body and then develops a new one. Goethe also supported her . Goethe said that the concept of activity convinces him of the correctness of the theory of transmigration of souls. If a person acts tirelessly, then nature must give him a new form of life when the currently existing one cannot hold his spirit.

Arthur Schopenhauer was also a proponent of the theory of reincarnation. Schopenhauer expressed his admiration for Indian philosophy and said that the creators of the Vedas and Upanishads understood the essence of things more clearly and deeply than weakened generations. Here are his thoughts on the eternity of the soul:

• The conviction that we are inaccessible to death, carried by each of us, comes from the awareness of our originality and eternity.
• Life after death is no more incomprehensible than life today. If the possibility of existence is open in the present, then it will be open in the future. Death cannot destroy more than we had at birth.
• There is that existence which cannot be destroyed by death. It existed eternally before birth and will exist eternally after death. To demand the immortality of individual consciousness, which is destroyed along with the death of the body, means to desire the constant repetition of the same mistake. It is not enough for a person to move to a better world. A change needs to happen within him.
• The belief that the spirit of love will never disappear has a deep basis.

XIX-XX centuries

Carl Gustav Jung, a Swiss psychiatrist who developed the doctrine of the collective unconscious, also believed in reincarnation. Jung used the concept of the eternal Self, which is born again in order to comprehend its deepest secrets.

Famous political leader Mahatma Gandhi said that the concept of reincarnation supported him in his activities. He believed that, if not in this, then in another incarnation, his dream of universal peace would come true. Mahatma Gandhi was not only the political leader of India. He was also its spiritual leader. Following his ideals made Gandhi a true authority. Gandhi's worldview was formed thanks to his understanding of the Bhagavad Gita. Gandhi rejected any form of violence. Gandhi made no distinction between simple service and prestigious work.

He cleaned the toilets himself. Among Gandhi's many achievements, the main ones are:

• Gandhi made a decisive contribution to improving the condition of the untouchables. He did not go to those temples where untouchables were prohibited from entering. Thanks to his preaching, laws were passed that prevented the humiliation of lower castes.
• Securing India's independence from Great Britain. Gandhi acted through the tactics of civil disobedience. Indians had to give up titles given by Britain, jobs in the civil service, the police, the army and the purchase of British goods. In 1947, Britain itself gave independence to India.

Russia

L.N. Tolstoy is a widely known Russian writer. Many studied his works in school. However, few people know that Tolstoy was interested in Vedic philosophy and studied the Bhagavad Gita. Leo Tolstoy recognized the doctrine of reincarnation. Discussing life after death, Tolstoy showed the probability of two paths. Either the soul will merge with the All, or will be born again in a limited state. Tolstoy considered the second more probable, because he believed that knowing only limitations, the soul cannot expect an unlimited life. If the soul lives somewhere after death, it means that it lived somewhere before birth, as Tolstoy claimed.

N. O. Lossky is a representative of Russian religious philosophy. He was one of the founders of the intuitionist movement in philosophy. Here is how the Russian philosopher proves the idea of ​​reincarnation:

1. It is impossible to grant salvation to a person from the outside. He must deal with his evil himself. God puts a person in situations that will show the insignificance of evil and the power of good. To do this, it is necessary that the soul continues to live after physical death, gaining new experience. All evil is redeemed by suffering until the heart becomes pure. This kind of correction takes time. It cannot happen within one short human life.
2. By creating a person, God gives her the power to create. A person develops his own type of life. Therefore, he is responsible for his actions, for his character traits and for his external manifestation in the body.
3. Lossky noted that forgetting is a natural property of humans. Many adults don't remember parts of their childhood. Personal identity is not based on memories, but on basic aspirations that influence the path a person takes.
4. If the passion that caused an unseemly act in the previous incarnation remains in the soul at the next birth, then even without the memory of the committed actions, its very presence and manifestation lead to punishment.
5. The benefits and hardships that newborns receive are determined by their previous birth. Without the theory of reincarnation, different conditions of birth are contrary to the goodness of God. Otherwise, the being being born creates them itself. Therefore, it is responsible for them.

Lossky, however, rejected that a person in his next incarnation could be born in the shell of an animal or plant.

Karma and reincarnation

The concept of karma is closely related to the theory of reincarnation. The law of karma is the law of cause and effect, according to which a person’s actions in the present determine his life both in this and in subsequent incarnations. What is happening to us now is a consequence of the actions of the past.

The text of the Srimad-Bhagavatam, one of the main Puranas, says that the actions of a being create its next shell. With the advent of death, a person ceases to reap the benefits of a certain stage of activity. With birth, he receives the results of the next stage.

After physical death, the soul can be reincarnated not only in a human shell, but also in the body of an animal, plant, or even a demigod. The body in which we live is called the gross body. However, there is also a subtle body, consisting of mind, intelligence and ego. When the gross body dies, the subtle body remains. This explains the fact that in the subsequent incarnation the aspirations and personality traits that were characteristic of her in the previous life are preserved. We see that even a baby has its own individual character.

Henry Ford said that his talent accumulated over many lives. He accepted the doctrine of rebirth at age 26. The work did not bring him complete satisfaction, because he understood that the inevitability of death made his efforts in vain. The idea of ​​reincarnation gave him the opportunity to believe in further development.

Reincarnation of relationships

In addition to personal relationships, there are more subtle connections. In previous incarnations we have already met some people. And this connection can last several lives. It happens that we did not solve some problems for a person in a past life, and we must solve them in the present.

There are several types of connections:

• Soul mates. Those souls who help each other move to a new level of consciousness. They are often of the opposite sex to balance each other out. Meeting a soul mate may not last long, but have a strong impact on a person.
• Twin souls. They are very similar to each other in character and in their interests. They often feel each other at a distance. When you meet, you get the feeling that you have known the person for a long time, and a feeling of unconditional love arises.
• Karmic relationships. Such relationships are often difficult, and you need to work hard on yourself. People need to work through some situation together. If there is some debt left to a person from a past life, then it’s time to return it.

Lossky also wrote about the connection of souls in subsequent lives. Beings of the God Realm have a cosmic body and are connected to each other. A person who has true love for another person is united with him by an indestructible bond. With a new birth, the connection remains at least in the form of unconscious sympathy. At a higher stage of development, we will be able to remember all previous stages. Then the opportunity arises for conscious communication with the person whom we have loved with eternal love.

The soul cannot be satisfied with material pleasures alone. However, the highest pleasures can be achieved only through spiritual experience, which helps to realize one’s spiritual nature. The concept of reincarnation teaches us not to get hung up on passing moments, it allows us to realize the eternity of the soul, which will help in solving complex problems and finding the meaning of life.

Reincarnation in Islam, Christianity and other world religions occupies far from the last place, as is sometimes believed. Find out about the attitude towards the transmigration of souls after death among representatives of various religious faiths.

In the article:

Reincarnation in Islam

It is generally accepted that reincarnation does not exist in Islam, as in most orthodox world beliefs. Most Muslims adhere to traditional views on life after death. Few people seek to familiarize themselves with the works of Muslim mystics who deciphered the lines of the Koran that dealt with the problem of rebirth in the afterlife.

There is no transparent information about reincarnation in the Quran, and it is generally accepted that Mahomet didn't say anything on this topic. This source briefly touches on the issues of rebirth of the spirit after the destruction of the physical body. However, like any other religion, Islam teaches that God did not create man to die. The Qur'an contains thoughts of rebirth and renewal. This is what one of the scripture verses sounds like:

He is the one who gave life to you, and He will give you death and then life again.

It is easy to guess that we are talking about Allah. There are several more verses from the Koran that also talk about reincarnation, however, at the same time they serve as a warning to idolaters:

Allah created you, gave you care, and by His will you will die, and then you will live again. Are the idols you call gods capable of giving you the same thing? Glory be to Allah!

And although these lines transparently hint at the possibility of a renewed physical body, they are usually interpreted as promises of resurrection. In general, all references to resurrection in the Koran in one way or another relate to the issue of reincarnation and can be interpreted precisely as promises of rebirth, not resurrection.

Islamic teaching presents man as a soul capable of resurrection as a spirit. Bodies are created and destroyed all the time, but the soul is immortal. After the death of the body, she can be resurrected in another, which is reincarnation. Sufis and other Muslim mystics interpret the Koran this way.

If you believe the interpretations of the Koran, which are considered traditional, after death the human soul goes to the angelic court. Angels in Islam are messengers of Allah. They send the infidels to Jahannam, which can be called an analogy of hell - this is a place for eternal torment after death. Despite the fact that some interpretations of the Koran claim that you can get there only after Sunday, it is generally accepted that the soul gets there after death.

Worthy, devout Muslims do not end up in the judgment of angels. Angels come for their souls and escort them to the Gardens of Eden. The true reward for sinlessness awaits them exclusively after the resurrection, but they expect it in a more pleasant atmosphere than the infidels. In addition, there are Islamic angels who conduct the so-called judgment in the grave. It is an interrogation about good and evil deeds, and it takes place right in the grave of the buried person. There is even a tradition - relatives whisper in the ear of the deceased advice that should help him at this trial and get into Muslim paradise. These are the generally accepted beliefs regarding the afterlife in Islam.

At the same time, it is known that Sufis considered the idea of ​​reincarnation to be a fundamental principle of belief in the afterlife. The teachings of the Syrian Sufis - Druze - were built on it. Recently, it is these principles that have influenced the opinion of Orthodox Muslims. The wisdom of the Sufis is considered lost, but it is known that their teachings had a powerful connection with ancient religious beliefs.

It is difficult to judge what is heresy and what is the correct interpretation of the Koran. That's what he said himself Mahomet:

The Qur'an was revealed in seven languages, and each of its verses has both a clear and a hidden meaning. God's messenger gave me a twofold understanding. And I teach only one of them, because if I revealed the other, this understanding would tear their throats out.

Searching for esoteric meaning in the Qur'an, with this in mind, does make sense. The secret meaning of his texts contained information about reincarnation and many other interesting phenomena. However, over time it was forgotten. For some time, the doctrine of reincarnation and rebirth, the principles of afterlife differing from traditional ones, were considered heretical.

Belief in the transmigration of souls does not endanger a Muslim. Despite this, many fear the reputation of a heretic, and at the moment, reincarnation in Islam is interpreted exclusively as part of the Sufi tradition. Many theologians note that the idea of ​​reincarnation can reconcile Muslim morality with religious teachings. The suffering of innocent people can be found in the form of sins committed in past lives.

Reincarnation in Christianity

Reincarnation in Christianity is recognized as a non-existent phenomenon designed to confuse the mind of a God-fearing person and plunge him into sin. Since the first centuries of its existence, this religious teaching has rejected the possibility of the soul transmigrating into a new physical body after death. According to its fundamental principles, after the death of the physical body, the soul awaits the Last Judgment and the second coming of Jesus Christ, followed by the resurrection of all the dead.

Last Judgment

The Last Judgment is carried out on all people who lived at different times. His goal is to divide them into sinners and righteous people. Almost everyone knows that sinners will go to hell, and the righteous will enjoy eternal pleasure in heaven - the kingdom where God dwells. The human soul lives only one life in one body. After the Day of Judgment, their bodies will be restored; the resurrection will be physical.

The idea that Christianity and reincarnation are teachings that went hand in hand at the very beginning of the emergence of the Christian faith was introduced by. She accepted the idea of ​​reincarnation as a fundamental principle of the structure of the Universe, since to one degree or another it is inherent in all religious teachings of the world. Helena Blavatsky was sure that the presence of the idea of ​​reincarnation in Christianity was intentionally hidden by unscrupulous popularizers of this religious teaching. According to her, initially the teachings of Jesus Christ contained the idea of ​​​​transmigration of souls.

Council of Nicaea 325

It is generally accepted that before First Council of Nicaea 325 Reincarnation was present in Christianity. Blavatsky claimed that this idea was canceled during Fifth Ecumenical Council in 553. One way or another, the transmigration of souls disappeared from sacred Christian texts in the first century after Christ. Theosophists of the 19th-20th centuries and adherents of the New Age movement agree with this concept. Most of them agree with Blavatsky about the common sacred layer of all religious teachings.

The search for the idea of ​​reincarnation in Orthodoxy and Catholicism is usually explained by the importance of this concept in the system of occult ideas about the reality surrounding each person. In addition, it is customary to deny the importance of Christian sources in principle. During the First Council of Nicaea in 325, a majority vote of those gathered determined that Jesus Christ was God. After this, believers began to worship his dying image everywhere. However, Jesus Christ justified his mission quite clearly:

I was sent down to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

However, after his death, it was decided to declare Jesus Christ the savior of all mankind, and not the Jewish people. Reincarnation was initially present in the Bible, but after the Council of Nicea all references to this phenomenon disappeared - they were replaced by ideas about eternal existence in hell or heaven and the only possible salvation through Jesus Christ.

Reincarnation in Buddhism

The possibility of reincarnation in Buddhism is quite clearly emphasized by the words Buddha:

Take a look at your condition today and you will find out what you did in a past life. Look at your affairs today and you will know your condition in later life.

The idea of ​​repeated rebirths of character for this religious teaching. The purpose of rebirth is the improvement of a person, without which it is impossible to achieve enlightenment. This path to enlightenment lasts more than one thousand years - it is impossible to become enlightened in one human life. In Buddhism, life after death is possible in one of five worlds - hell, spirits, animals, people and celestials. The world into which a particular soul finds itself depends on its desire and karma. The principle of karma, without going into details, is simple - everyone gets what they deserve through their actions in previous incarnations.

Bad deeds will have to be worked out in the next incarnation in order to ultimately achieve enlightenment. There is such a thing as “bad karma”. This means that fate constantly sends punishment to a person for the actions of his past incarnation. Good deeds lead to enlightenment, constant work on yourself guarantees a happy life. This is what one of the ancient Buddhist texts says:

The Bodhisattva, with his Divine eyes, which saw much more than is accessible to man, saw how every life died and was reborn anew - lower and higher castes, with sad and solemn destinies, with worthy or low origin. He knew how to discern how karma affects the rebirths of living beings.

Buddha said: “Ah! There are thinking beings who do unskillful things with their bodies, who lack speech and mind, and who hold erroneous views. When death overtakes them and their bodies become unusable, they are again born weak, poor, and sink lower. But there are others who perform skillful deeds with their bodies, have command of speech and mind, and follow correct views. When death overtakes them and their bodies become unusable, they are born again - with a happy fate, in the heavenly worlds.

Buddhists place great importance on getting rid of the fear of death and attachment to the physical body. They represent the latter as an aging and dying container of the immortal human spirit. The bodily perception of life is what prevents true enlightenment. Enlightenment is called a holistic awareness of reality. Upon achieving this, a complete picture of the structure of the Universe is revealed to a person.

Reincarnation in Judaism

Reincarnation in Judaism is not a concept alien to this religious teaching. However, the attitude towards it in the religious philosophy of the Jews and their mystical teachings is different. The main source in Judaism is the Old Testament. He does not speak about the phenomenon of transmigration of the soul after death, but it is implied in many episodes of the Old Testament. For example, there is a saying prophet Jeremiah:

Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you, and before you came out of the womb, I sanctified you: I made you a prophet to the nations.

It follows from it that the Lord formed an opinion about the prophet even before he was in his mother’s womb. He gave him a mission based on the level of spiritual development of the prophet Jeremiah, as well as his qualities and abilities. In other words, he managed to manifest himself even before birth, which means that this was not his first incarnation on Earth or in some other world. Jeremiah had no memory of what caused the Lord to choose him to carry out the mission.

Some moments of the Old Testament are completely impossible to understand if they are not correlated with the concept of reincarnation. A good example is the saying King Solomon:

Oh woe to you, atheists who have abandoned the law of the Supreme Lord! For when you are born, you are born to be damned.

King Solomon addresses the atheists, who will be damned, apparently, after his next birth in a new incarnation. They will be punished only after they are born again. It is impossible not to draw an analogy between Solomon’s words and the Eastern teaching about karma, which also promises punishment for bad deeds in the next life.

Reincarnation

Reincarnation, transmigration of souls, metempsychosis - these are different names for the religious and philosophical rebirth of the soul, a change in the essence of a person. According to legends, people can be reborn into people, animals or plants. One part of the soul is, as it were, endowed with individuality and is inherent in a person only in this life. The other part belongs to the cosmic soul and passes on to subsequent lives. It is believed that the soul often leaves the body through the mouth, nose, eyes and can incarnate, for example, into a bird (as was the case in the “All Souls” series, where the soul of Seraphim’s daughter turned into a white dove).

When a person dies, the soul will remain near the grave for a while, and then look for a new physical shell. According to the ancient Greek belief called Orphism, the soul, having survived the death of the body and later inhabiting another body, ultimately completes the cycle of rebirth and returns to its previous ideal state.

The idea of ​​reincarnation is supported mainly by Asian religions. In Hinduism, the process of birth or rebirth - the transmigration of souls - continues until the soul achieves moksha (salvation), which follows the realization of the truth: the individual soul and the absolute soul are one. Jainism, preaching belief in an absolute soul, believes that karma depends on the actions performed by a person. Thus, the burden of old karma is added to new karma, which is acquired during life in a new incarnation, until the soul is liberated through the observance of religious rituals and rises upward, to where all the liberated souls of the Universe are.

Some researchers believe that some “unoccupied” body can become an object where a new soul will move in - with the same degree of probability it can be said that the return of a person to consciousness after a long period of clinical death is often accompanied by psychoses of the patient. And yet quite a lot of such cases are not associated with anything like that. True, they are characterized only by a more or less “temporary” transmigration of the soul.

There is another category of separation of soul and body - these are cases when the identity of the owner of the body is preserved, but from time to time such a person acts under the influence of a “neighbor in a communal apartment.” Thus, there is a known case dated 1907 with Professor James G. Heaslop. He claimed that he painted under the psychic influence of Robert Gifford, a well-known landscape painter. According to some sources, this artist died the same year that Heaslop began to develop a passion for painting.

Reincarnation and Christianity

If it can be proven
that a disembodied thinking being has
own life, independent of the body,
and that inside the body it feels much worse,
than outside it, then, undoubtedly, physical bodies
are of secondary importance;
they improve only as they
how thinking beings change.
Creatures in need of a corporeal shell
put on it, and the bodies of those who soared to higher matters disintegrate.
Thus, bodies ceaselessly perish and are continually born again.
Origen, one of the fathers of the Christian Church (185-254 BC)

Modern Christians reject the doctrine of reincarnation because they do not find it confirmed in the Bible. They argue that the doctrine of transmigration is a late addition to the biblical tradition, and the revelation of John prohibits adding anything to or removing anything from the sacred texts. However, it should be noted that it is precisely this prohibition on free handling of the scriptures that has given rise to many criticisms, since modern scholars have established that some biblical books were compiled after the “Apocalypse.”

The Revelation of John has not always been considered the final text of the canonical Christian scriptures. And if this is really the case, Christian believers must come to terms with the existence of reincarnation, despite the fact that the teaching about it came into the Christian tradition quite late.

When I begin to explore the role of reincarnation in Christianity, I start from a different premise. Suppose the idea of ​​reincarnation predates the Book of Revelation. Many Bible scholars insist on this - they claim that the doctrine of transmigration is older than the “Apocalypse”, and that it was part of the so-called “pre-censorship” Bible. Prominent clerics and scholars from various denominations of Christianity have acknowledged the possibility that the early Christians favored the theory of rebirth rather than the idea of ​​resurrection and entry into heaven or hell. Leslie Whitehead, a Methodist minister and writer, believes that it is difficult to find direct evidence of the doctrine of transmigration in Christian scriptures, but despite this, the idea of ​​\u200b\u200bthe reincarnation of the soul is quite compatible with the teachings of Christ.

Mention of modern authors who recognize reincarnation in the Christian tradition includes the names of John J. Hirney, professor of theology at Fordham University, William L. De Artega, a Christian minister, John H. Hick, professor of philosophy and history of religion at Danforth; Geddes MacGregor, an Anglican priest and professor emeritus of philosophy at the University of South Carolina; and Quincy Howe, Jr., associate professor of ancient philology at Scripps College and a graduate of Harvard, Columbia, and Princeton universities.

Special mention should be made of Edgar Cayce, a famous Christian writer, a former Sunday school teacher, subject to mystical trances. Many books have been written about Case's special psychic abilities, and most researchers believe that his accounts of his experiences are highly plausible. According to Case, Christ not only believed in reincarnation, but was reincarnated about thirty times before coming into the world as Jesus of Nazareth.

The Society for Research and Enlightenment, founded by Case in 1931, published several successful reports and interpretations of Case's mystical visions.

Keyes outlined his understanding of reincarnation in books. It should be noted that other authors who strictly adhere to traditional religious views have repeatedly set forth their innermost insights and discoveries. Hans Kung, a prominent contemporary Catholic scholar, argues that “Christian theologians rarely take the question of reincarnation seriously,” but he maintains that transmigration should be seen as a central problem in Christian theology.

While the modern Christian church cannot form a consensus on this problem, we will try to answer another question - whether there are direct or indirect references to the doctrine of reincarnation of the soul in early Christian texts.

The Bible does not explicitly acknowledge reincarnation. However, there are many ancient Judeo-Christian scriptures that are not mentioned in the Bible. For example, the doctrine that souls who are not pure enough can go to a certain “middle place,” known to us as purgatory, in order to atone for sins and get closer to heaven. The existence of purgatory is recognized by all Catholics and many Anglicans, but there is not a single direct mention of it in the Bible. In addition, the Bible does not say anything about the threshold of hell, “limbo.”

The Holy Trinity is a classic example of a widely held Christian dogma that has virtually no biblical support. Geddes MacGregor, a Christian theologian and professor emeritus in the philosophy department at the University of South Carolina, states the following:

Nowhere, except for the first letter of John (1 John 5:7) - and this is undoubtedly a very late addition - can one find direct confirmation of the teaching about St. The Trinity, as it was formulated by the church. The lack of direct evidence, however, does not mean that the postulate of the Trinity is alien to the teaching of the evangelists. On the contrary, the doctrine of the trinity was considered, and in the orthodox church is still considered, the only true doctrine of the great Divine truth set forth in the New Testament. Nothing prevents us from assuming that the same applies to the doctrine of reincarnation... In support of this doctrine one can find much evidence in the Bible, in the writings of the church fathers, as well as in later Christian literature.

Despite McGregor's opinion, which is joined by other church historians and progressive theologians, the pillars of Christian orthodoxy still deny the transmigration of the soul and do not classify it as an immutable truth. As history shows, this is why only little-known Christian sects prone to mysticism accepted the doctrine of reincarnation. The most striking example of such a sect is the Albigenses (Cathars). Those who believe in reincarnation also include the Paulicans and Bogomils. The doctrine of the transmigration of souls was considered part of the Gnostic doctrine, based on the early apostolic tradition. During the Renaissance, the Christian community's interest in the idea of ​​transmigration increased dramatically; While the Jews created Kabbalistic teachings, Christians reinterpreted their own mystical traditions. But the church strictly condemned all heresies. The punitive measures taken by the clergy were so cruel that Giordano Bruno, one of the greatest philosophers and poets of the Middle Ages, went to the stake, partly because of his belief in the transmigration of souls.

Although some historical sources say that the doctrine of transmigration of souls in the Christian world was accepted only by a few free thinkers, much more can be said about the fate of this doctrine in the bosom of the Christian religion than is usually said. Now another concept is coming to the fore, according to which Christianity has recognized the doctrine of reincarnation from the very moment of its inception. This was the case until the Second Council of Constantinople (553 AD), when church authorities decided that the reincarnation of the soul was an “unacceptable view”, incomprehensible to ordinary Christians. I will give a more detailed story about this council and its consequences later.

Before we begin a detailed study of reincarnation within the Christian faith, one more important note should be made. It is not so important whether a believer belongs to one of the main branches of the Christian church or is a member of some small sect - his individual idea of ​​\u200b\u200bthe afterlife is determined more by the level of his knowledge (or, on the contrary, ignorance) of the sacred scriptures and his spiritual sense than church tenets. Dr. McGregor develops this idea as follows:

Those whose understanding of the Lord is superficial, those in whose lives there is no permanent place for Him, have an equally superficial understanding of the nature of eternal life, regardless of whether it is associated with reincarnation or not, although they claim to believe in life after death. Formalist Christians, both Protestants and Catholics, imagine heaven as a place in heaven where everyone plays harps, where the streets are paved with gold, where God dwells in the center of the city, replacing the municipality. Such popular ideas are born from an impoverished or immature understanding of God. However, reasonable Christians should not deny the possibility of an afterlife just because no one knows what it is like.

New Testament

According to the views of most Christian theologians, in the last lines of the Old Testament the prophet Malachi predicted what was to happen immediately before the coming of Jesus Christ: “I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and terrible day of the Lord.” Malachi spoke these words in the fifth century BC, predicting the reappearance of Elijah four hundred years after Elijah's life. This fact should greatly puzzle those who completely reject the doctrine of reincarnation of souls.

In the first book of the New Testament, Matthew mentions this prediction several times. In total, the evangelists refer to the prophecy of Elijah at least ten times. It is clear from the New Testament verses below that the writers and early interpreters of the gospels believed that the prophet Elijah would return as John the Baptist, and that the other Hebrew prophets would also come in other guises:

Having come to the countries of Caesarea Philippi, Jesus asked His disciples: Who do people say that I, the Son of Man, am? They said: some for John the Baptist, others for Elijah, and others for Jeremiah, or for one of the prophets (Matthew 16:13-14).

And His disciples asked Him: How come the scribes say that Elijah must come first? Jesus answered them: It is true that Elijah must come first and arrange everything, but I tell you that Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him, but did to him as they wanted; so the Son of man will suffer from them.

Then the disciples realized that He was speaking to them about John the Baptist (Matthew 17:10-13).

Truly I say to you, of those born of women, none was exalted higher than John the Baptist; but the least one in the Kingdom of Heaven is above him.

For you can accept that he is Elijah, who must come.

He who has ears, let him hear! (Matt. 11:11,14-15).

Despite the fact that these lines clearly refer us to reincarnation, some researchers try to refute the obvious by quoting verses 19 and 20 of the Gospel of John. Jerusalem priests approached John the Baptist and asked him: “Are you Elijah?” He answered them: “No.” Then they asked him again: “Are you a prophet?” And he answered again: “No.” John rejected all attempts to identify him with Elijah, and generally denied that he had a prophetic gift, although this is often explained by the modesty of the Forerunner.

When the priests finally gave John a chance to speak, he answered their questions by quoting the prophecy of Isaiah 40:3: “I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness. Prepare the way of the Lord." In fact, he never told the priests who he was. Perhaps he did not remember his previous incarnations; This happens quite often. However, it seems that John the Baptist wanted to find a deeper answer that would not be reduced to the usual re-interpretation of an already existing tradition. He was not just Elijah, but Elijah who came with a new, special mission. Although this interpretation may seem far-fetched, it provides us with the only possible solution to the controversial issue. There is no other way to reconcile the negative responses of John the Baptist with the above statement of Jesus Christ, which clearly identifies Elijah the prophet with John. Christian doctrine is based on faith in the word of Jesus, and since he testified to the identity of Elijah with John, his statement must outweigh the words of John the Baptist himself. In fact, Christian theologians have accepted this interpretation precisely because they too find it absurd, even heretical, to partially believe in the word of Jesus.

In another episode, which is also mentioned in the gospels, Christ again speaks out in support of the idea of ​​\u200b\u200bthe reincarnation of souls. When Christ and his disciples met a man blind from birth, the disciples asked: “Rabbi! Who sinned, he or his parents, that he was born blind?” (John 9:2). The very fact that Jesus' early followers asked him such a question suggests a belief in previous existence and reincarnation. Most likely, they were sure that before his birth this blind man lived in another body. Otherwise, how could a person who was blind from birth be punished with blindness for allegedly committing a sin?

One of the Bible scholars, R.S.H. Lenski, analyzing these words, suggests that in this case there is an indication of some special sin, punishable by loss of vision. The use of the Greek past tense verb hemarton, according to Lenski, suggests that someone has actually sinned - if not the blind man himself, then his parents.

Another famous Bible scholar, Markus Daudet, analyzed the hidden meanings of the verb hemarton and came up with five possible explanations. First: the sin was committed by a blind man in some amorphous state prior to birth. Second: the sin was committed by him in a past life, which implies the existence of reincarnation. Third: the sin was committed in the mother's womb, after conception, but before birth. Fourth: the sin must be committed in the future life of this person, and he suffered punishment for some future act. And finally, fifth: this was an idle question, and should not be taken too seriously.

Dods's interpretation is notable in that he proposes reincarnation as a possible explanation. John Calvin also believed that this verse could be talking specifically about reincarnation, but he categorically rejected the very idea of ​​\u200b\u200bthe transmigration of souls.

Biblical scholars Smith and Pink also cite the idea of ​​reincarnation as a possible background to the question of Christ's disciples. However, a deeper examination of their works reveals that these authors do not make much of a distinction between reincarnation and other forms of life before birth - for example, the fetal state. Therefore, they cannot be classified as scientists who support the theory of reincarnation.

However, Geddes MacGregor states unequivocally regarding this episode:

“This refers to the past life (or lives) of this person, during which a sin was committed that entailed such terrible consequences. A newborn baby could not be a sinner, unless we assume that he sinned while in his mother’s womb, which, of course, is absurd.”

Despite the claims of scientists who agree with McGregor's opinion, many Christian theologians deliberately discredit statements in favor of the doctrine of reincarnation. According to them, Christ's answer to the disciples implies that the cause of the blind man's illness was not the sins committed by him or his parents. He was born blind so that Jesus could heal him and thereby increase the glory of the Lord.

Jesus actually answered this way, but he did not at all say that the question asked by his disciples was stupid or incorrect - and at that moment he had a great opportunity to condemn the idea of ​​\u200b\u200bthe transmigration of souls. Other Bible quotations say that Christ usually did not restrain himself, always pointing out to the disciples that their questions were inappropriate. If the doctrine of reincarnation were completely incompatible with Christian teaching, Jesus Christ would not have failed to say so at the appropriate moment. However, he did not do this.

It should be noted that Jesus' answer may explain why this particular man was born blind, but it does not explain why such things happen in the first place. Besides the blind man that Jesus and his disciples encountered, there are other people born with the same disease. Their suffering will undoubtedly not increase the Glory of the Lord - Jesus Christ is unlikely to be next to each of them and perform a miraculous healing. Why are people born blind? As stated above, Christ's disciples offered two possible explanations.

Another reference to the doctrine of reincarnation can be found in the writings of St. Paul. In a commentary on the story of Jacob and Esau, he says that the Lord loved one and hated the other before they were born.

It is impossible to love or hate someone who has not yet been born, someone who does not yet exist. Opponents may argue that for God anything is possible and that, bypassing the laws of logic, He could have certain feelings for two unborn people who had no life before their birth. But such a statement should hardly be taken seriously, since there are a number of examples of the fact that when any logical connections are violated in the Bible, an explanation for such illogicalities is immediately given. But in this case we can only accept these verses as they are. Unfortunately, later comments do not shed any light on them either. Apparently, Jacob and Esau lived at least one human (or some other) life before their known birth.

Paul's letter to the Galatians can also be interpreted as indicating the existence of reincarnation: “Whatever a man sows, that will he also reap” (6:7). One human life is clearly not enough to reap all that has been sown. In addition, it should be remembered that in verse Five of the above-mentioned Epistle to the Galatians, the idea of ​​​​karmic, or causal, responsibility for our actions is emphasized. In the same part of the Epistle, immediately after the statement about sowing and harvest, St. Paul explains how this harvest occurs: “He who sows his own flesh will reap from the flesh,” that is, the consequences of our actions will overtake us not in some ephemeral purgatory, but in the next earthly life.

Despite the fact that Christian philosophers put forward alternative, and even quite logical, interpretations of these lines of scripture, reincarnation is exactly the same logical explanation, in favor of which many arguments can be found. Christian teaching says that heaven, hell and purgatory are places where a person “reaps” what he sows. Is it not possible to assume that rewards and punishments - the “harvest” of our deeds - will go to us in another earthly life? If “purgatory” exists in reality, then it can be assumed that we atone for our sins over several lifetimes here on Earth.

The Book of Revelation contains the following words: “Whoever leads into captivity will go into captivity; whoever kills with the sword must himself be killed with the sword” (13:10). Although they are usually understood in the figurative sense: “If you have committed a crime, then the same crime will subsequently be committed against yourself,” another, quite natural interpretation of this verse can arise from the doctrine of the law of karma (cause and effect) and rebirth of the soul. If we interpret these words literally - as other passages in the Bible are often interpreted - we inevitably come to the idea of ​​​​reincarnation. Many soldiers, for example, die calmly in their bed, far from the battlefield - and, by the way, not from swords - therefore, for the words of Revelation to come true, retribution must await them in the next life.

Bible passages similar to the ones above led Francis Bowen, one of the foremost Harvard philosophers of the 19th century, to think:

The fact that scriptural commentators have been unwilling to accept the obvious meaning of straightforward and repeated statements, but instead have attempted to create fictitious metaphorical interpretations, only proves the existence of an ineradicable prejudice against the theory of transmigration.

Origen controversy

The founders of the Christian Church, such as Clement of Alexandria (150-220 AD), Justinian Martyr (100-165 AD), St. Gregory of Nyssa (257-332 AD), Arnobius (c. 290 AD) and Saint Jerome (340-420), repeatedly supported the idea of ​​reincarnation. St. Augustine himself, in his Confessions, seriously thought about the possibility of including the doctrine of reincarnation in Christian doctrine:

“Was there a period of my life that preceded infancy? Was it the period that I spent in my mother’s womb, or some other one? ...And what happened before this life, O Lord of my joy, did I dwell anywhere, or in any body?”

Origen (185-254), who was named by the Encyclopedia Britannica as the most significant and famous of the church fathers (with the possible exception of Augustine), spoke out most openly about reincarnation.

Great Christians, such as Saint Jerome, who, in fact, translated the Bible into Latin, characterized Origen as “the greatest teacher of the church after the holy apostles.” Saint Gregory, Bishop of Nyssa, called Origen “the prince of Christian teaching of the third century.”

What was this influential and highly educated Christian thinker's opinion on reincarnation? Origen's views on this subject were set forth in the famous Gifford Lectures by the Rev. William R. Inge, Dean of St. Paul's Cathedral in London:

Origen took a step that would have seemed the logical conclusion of the belief in immortality to any Greek - he taught that the soul lives even before the birth of the body. The soul is immaterial, so its life has neither beginning nor end. ...This teaching seemed so convincing to Origen that he could not hide his irritation at the orthodox belief in the Day of Judgment and the subsequent resurrection of the dead. “How can one restore dead bodies, each particle of which has passed into many other bodies? - asks Origen. - Which body do these molecules belong to? This is how people fall into the mire of nonsense and cling to the pious assertion that “nothing is impossible with God.”

According to the Catholic Encyclopedia, Origen's teachings largely echoed the ideas contained in the theory of reincarnation, which can be seen in the teachings of the Platonists, Jewish mystics, and also in the religious scriptures of Hindus.

Historian and religious scholar Isaac de Beauzobre, commenting on Origen’s statements, derives from them a doctrine that almost literally reproduces the dictionary definition of reincarnation: “Without a doubt, Origen believed that the soul inhabits successively several bodies and that its migrations depend on good or evil deeds this soul."

Origen himself stated this in no uncertain terms:

Some souls, inclined to do evil, end up in human bodies, but then, after living the period allotted to man, they move into the bodies of animals, and then descend to plant existence. Following the reverse path, they rise and regain the Kingdom of Heaven.

Despite the fact that the founders of the Church highly valued Origen and his teachings - including his views on reincarnation (like those outlined above), the Roman Catholic Church noticeably changed its attitude towards Origen after his death. It should be noted, however, that this change was not at all caused by his judgments about the transmigration of souls. Rather, it is explained by the fact that young Origen, in a fit of excessive zeal, castrated himself in order to forever maintain chastity. According to churchmen, anyone who is capable of mutilating his own body will never achieve holiness.

Origen paid dearly for his youthful fanaticism. The Church refused to canonize him precisely because of this, and not because of his views on reincarnation.

However, no matter how high the price paid by Origen, the Church paid even more. Because he was not officially declared a saint, his teachings were only selectively accepted by church authorities. As a result, his views on life after death were not accepted even by loyal adherents of the Christian faith. It is a pity, but the most hidden truths discovered by one of the fathers of Christianity were covered in the darkness of oblivion. And the entire Christian world is still paying the price for rejecting Origen.

The persecution of his ideas, however, fit perfectly into the religious and political situation of the 6th century. It was then that Origen's teachings came under official persecution by church authorities. Emperor Justinian (c. 527-565) wanted to convert all his subjects to Christianity, which was already very popular in his empire, pursuing certain selfish goals. However, among the Christians of that time, Origenists, Gnostics and other sects that accepted reincarnation predominated. The far-sighted emperor was afraid that believers would begin to neglect the commandments, rightly believing that more than one life was allotted to them to achieve spiritual perfection. If people were confident that they had several lives left during which they could correct the mistakes they had made, many would actually begin to postpone the fulfillment of their religious duty “for later.” And this would prevent Justinian from using the Christian faith as a political weapon.

Justinian reasoned that people would take their religious duties seriously if they were taught that they had only one life at their disposal, at the end of which they would go to either heaven or hell. In this case, their zeal can be used for political purposes. He was not the first to think of making religion a kind of drug that unites people. However, Justinian went further - he began to manipulate religious doctrines and beliefs in order to acquire worldly power. He chose to give people one single life and then send them to either heaven or hell.

Justinian was confident that such radical measures would strengthen the desire of believers to be good “Christians”, and therefore law-abiding citizens loyal to their emperor.

History is silent about how noble Justinian's intentions were. Some researchers claim that in the end he himself believed in the doctrine of the “single life” concocted on his orders. Be that as it may, the ban he imposed on the teachings of Origen took the form of a papal decree: “If anyone believes in the inconceivable existence of the soul before birth and in the most absurd rebirth after death, he should be anathematized [cursed].”

Writer and historian Joe Fisher draws a logical conclusion from the above facts:

Since 553 AD. e., when Emperor Justinian decisively rejected the idea of ​​​​"the most absurd rebirth", Christians began to believe in eternal life, while forgetting about its sister - reincarnation. Christians are taught that eternity begins at birth. But, since only that which has no beginning can be infinite, we can just as well believe in the ability of a table to stand on only three legs!

Three legs of a table are clearly not the Holy Trinity, and Christianity can easily do without such a symbol of faith.

Refutation of the anathema

Some historians firmly believe that the church never actually cursed Origen, or that the curse was later lifted. Therefore, modern Christians can accept the concept of transmigration of souls proposed by him. Such judgments are set out in detail in the Catholic Encyclopedia.

There is evidence that Pope Vigilius, the main representative of church authorities at the Second Council of Constantinople, did not at all insist on condemning Origen and even opposed the ban on his teachings. According to some sources, it was this church leader who later rescinded the anathema decree.

History says that the Second Council of Constantinople took place on May 5, 553. The Patriarch of Constantinople presided; In addition, representatives of the church authorities of the western and eastern parts of the Christian world were present at the council, who had to decide by voting whether Origenism (as the doctrine of reincarnation was called) was acceptable to Christianity. But Emperor Justinian controlled the entire voting procedure. Historical documents indicate that there was a conspiracy to forge the signatures of Western representatives, most of whom shared the views of Origen. Among the one hundred and sixty-five bishops who signed the decree against Origenism, there could not have been more than six envoys from the West. Realizing that foul play was being played at the council, Pope Vigilius refused to be present at the final verdict.

The results of the Council of Constantinople have been summarized by theologians and historians of the Christian church as follows:

Opponents of Origenism convinced Emperor Justinian to write a letter to the Patriarch of Constantinople, in which Origen was described as a malicious heretic. By order of Justinian, a church assembly met in Constantinople in 543, the result of which was an edict that listed and condemned the errors allegedly committed by Origen. This edict, which was supposed to reconcile the West with the East, only deepened the rift between them. Pope Vigilius rejected the imperial edict and quarreled with the Patriarch of Constantinople, who supported Justinian. But after some time, the pope changed his mind and, prudently leaving no official confirmation of the emperor’s right to interfere in theological discussions, nevertheless issued a decree in which he anathematized the teaching prohibited by the imperial edict. This decree displeased the bishops of Gaul, North Africa and many other provinces, and Vigilius revoked it in 550 (that is, only three years before the ecclesiastical court dealt the final crushing blow to Origen's teachings).

Conclusions and Conclusions

Given the fact that the anathema imposed on Origen was revoked by the pope himself, most sensible Christian historians and theologians have argued throughout the centuries that believers should not reject the teachings of Origen. Despite the official ban, many educated Christians shared Origen's views on reincarnation both before and after the Council of Constantinople. Many books have been written about Justinian's foul play, referring us not only to scriptures and historical facts, but simply to logic and common sense. Judge for yourself - could the merciful Lord give his children only one single opportunity to achieve the Kingdom of Heaven? Is it possible to admit that an all-forgiving God doomed a person to eternity in hell, giving him one and only chance to atone for his sins? A loving father will always give his lost children every opportunity to return to his arms. Isn't God the loving father of all people?

In order to trace the history of Christian philosophy and understand how the theory of rebirth of the soul gradually lost the significance that it had for Western religious thought, we will summarize what we have already learned. Initially, Christian philosophy accepted the idea of ​​reincarnation. The idea of ​​transmigration of souls was given an important place in the works of Pythagoras, Socrates and Plato. However, it was criticized by Plato's student, Aristotle, criticism that greatly influenced and, one might say, shaped late Christian thinking. Nevertheless, Plotinus, the founder of the Neoplatonic tradition, again turned to the concept of transmigration of souls, although his works were accepted only by a few mystical sects. For these and other political reasons, the Second Council of Constantinople condemned the teachings of Origen, and as a result the Aristotelian tradition came to the fore in the Western world. This led to the formation of a certain materialistic picture of the world. As a result, science relegated religion to the background, and religion itself turned out to be too busy with the world around us to deal with the problems of the future (or past) life.

This worldview is due, in particular, to the activities of such Christian philosophers as Augustine, Bonaventure, Dune Scott, Descartes and John Locke. Many people note the depressing state of the Christian religion in the West, and, alas, no improvement is expected. Modern authors such as Douglas Langston agree with Gilbert Ryle that the time is not far off when Western philosophy will begin to deny the existence of the soul, since the very idea of ​​the existence of the soul is logically related to the idea of ​​reincarnation. They believe that the denial of the soul is “just a matter of time,” and after this moment comes, all Christian religious movements known to us may cease to exist.

In conclusion, it should be noted that if Christian thinkers do not turn again to Platonic-Augustian Christianity and to the logic inherent in the teachings of Origen, one day they will find that their religion goes side by side with materialism, which it has always zealously opposed . Truly, Christ himself could not recognize such a religion as Christian.