Reincarnation – an original Christian doctrine

64 the “recovery of everything” that were removed from Church doctrine by order of Caesar Justinian . The anathemas proclaimed by Caesar Justinian that only deal with the decisive question of reincarnation are no. 1 and no. 9: 1 If someone says or holds the opinion, that the souls of man were pre-existent, insofar as they had been intelligences and holy powers in the past, but became weary of the sight of God and therefore turned to evil, thereby losing their fervour in their Love for God, had received the name “souls” and were send down into a body for punishment - shall be anathematised. 9 If someone says or holds the opinion, the punishment of demon and ungodly people is temporal and will come to an end at some unspecified time; or there will be a return of demons and ungodly people - shall be anathematised. 153 The most important theologian of the Early Christian Church was condemned through these anathemas for purely mundane reasons and his doctrine condemned and listed amongst heretical, false doctrines. Diekamp writes in regards to the evaluation of these events (see P. 137): No ecumenical council was convened to deal with this and it also cannot be verified that the Pope, as the leader of the whole Church, wanted to decide ex cathedra all questions of faith. A unanimous decision by the entire Episkonat, as far as it concerns the doctrine of faith, must generally assert the right to be called infallible in spite of this.” One can assume with certainty that everything was immediately removed from or changed within ecumenical documents that spoke against these dogmatic tenets. Today’s historical research must rely on passages that were obviously overlooked. Unadulterated scrolls from early Christian times might come to light one day that can add further material towards clearing up the question of reincarnation. The Origen supporter Domitian of Ancyra writes fully justified that “the anathemas in regards to the doctrine of pre-existence and apokatastasis and seemingly only in respect to Origen was in reality proclaimed over all holy teachers before and after him.” 154 The idea of a reconciliation with God by the fallen soul was now replaced with eternal damnation, something that had not established itself within the framework of the Church a priory. “The eternal duration of punishment in hell was established in 543 A.D. at the end of a long period of wrestling with the subject in Canon 9 of the Canones ad-versus Origen. (DS 211). The final decision was made under Justinian in his attempt to generally eliminate everything to do with Origen.” 155 4. The 5. Council of Constantinople (553 A.D.) The condemnation of Origen reappears again at the 5. Council of Constantinople. It is unnecessary to depict the confused processes of this council here. Those that require a more comprehensive picture of this are directed to the excellent depictions by Dickamp who undertook an exact examination. 153 Mansi, see P. 534 (DS 403 and 411) 154 Diekamp, see P. 53 155 Höfer-Rahner, see P. 446f.

RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MjI1MzY3