Reincarnation – an original Christian doctrine

49 2. Statements by Fathers of the Church (First to seventh Century) Many past Fathers of the Church have quite clearly voiced their opinion in regards to this idea. It is therefore certainly not self-evident that this, their knowledge, can in parts still literally be found. As the following passage will show, this doctrine was purposefully removed from theology in the 6 th Century. What is even more momentous are the things that have survived the falsifications and the destruction of these scriptures. We are generally dealing with statements made by the patriarchs of the Catholic Church in the eastern parts of Greece. The following retains the classification of evidence in regards to pre-existence – apokatastasis – reincarnation – karma . The statements by Origen must, for reasons of his importance in regards to people’s condemnation of the doctrine of reincarnation, be allocated a separate chapter. a) Patristic evidence in regards to the pre-existence of the soul Philo of Alexandria: “About dreams”, I, 181 “When it (the soul, editor) left the heavenly place, a place only just recently discussed, it entered the body like entering a foreign land. The Creator Father now said that he would not leave it unobserved locked up in its care for ever, but he would feel compassion for it, undo its fetters and guide it safely to its hometown… 59 Justinian, dialogue LXXIX, 1 “…because you assert that the angels sinned and fell away from God.” 60 The footnote says the following about this passage: It can have been easily possible that Justinian could have been talking at length about the Fall from Grace of the angels in the now lost segment after 74, 3 , particularly because this segment must have contained an explanation of Psalm 91, 5. But one may assume that the text was deliberately shortened here. Augustine, Confessions 1, 6, 7. O Lord my God, but that I know not whence I came hither into this life-in-death. Or should I call it death- in-life? I do not know.” 61 Tatian, Oration to the Greeks, Chapter 13 “The spirit lived with the soul at the beginning, but left it because it wouldn’t follow it. It did however remain in possession of a few sparks of ethereal energy, but was unable to perceive perfection due to the separation.” 62 Gregory of Nyssa, Beatitudes, 1. Oration “Through the same sin that made our antagonist fall down to Earth, he also dragged the unfortunate human race with him; and no evil is as bad for us as that of arrogance.” 63 Clement of Alexandria, Dunning Oration 1, 6, 4. “But we were before the foundation of the world, we that were destined to be in Him, were created by God beforehand, we, the divine logos of sound creatures are ancient through him.” 64 Clement of Alexandria, Dunning Oration 11, 25, 3. “Human beings were congenitally tied to a community within heaven from the beginning, one that was indeed clouded by ignorance, but managed to suddenly break through this darkness into bright brilliance 59 Philo, Volume VI, see P.209 60 Justinian, Dialogue, see P. 130 61 Augustine, Confessions, see P.21 62 Tatian, oration, see P.47 63 Gregory, Beatitudes, see P.159 64 Clement, Dunning oration, see P.77

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