4: Helpful Background on Reincarnation

Helpful Background on Reincarnation

1.              The definition of reincarnation is: the rebirth of “the aspect of an individual that persists after bodily death” (sometimes referred to as soul or spirit) in another body (The Editors of Encyclopedia Britannica, 2024). The Bible distinguishes between the soul and the spirit (Hebrews 4:12, 1 Thessalonians 5:23). The “soul” is who a person is, and it is that aspect that reincarnates if reincarnation is real. Adam, for examples was “a living soul” (Genesis 2:7). The biblical distinction between the soul and the spirit is explained in more depth in a later post.

2.         Main Religions and Basic Beliefs

The main religions that believe in reincarnation are Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism, Sikhism, and Kabbalah Judaism. The general belief is that how a person reincarnates largely depends on their earthly deeds. Hindus believe that the cycle of life and death ultimately leads the soul to salvation and oneness with God. Actions in a soul’s life impact how quickly they reach ultimate salvation (called “moksha”). Once they reach this, there is no more life and death cycle.

            In Jainism, a soul is responsible for its own life and death through the consequence of its actions. Souls can be bad or good and move forward or backward based on their karma. Once a soul is liberated, they are known as Siddhas, and they are then free from the cycle of reincarnation. They are perfect and god-like. (What major religions believe in reincarnation?, 2020)

            In Buddhism, a person’s next life is the outcome of the previous life. Just like Jainism and Hinduism, people can be reborn as animals. A person’s karma is based on the thoughts and deeds of each person. Rebirth ends when the person is set free from desire and self-focus. They then reach oneness with the universe. (What major religions believe in reincarnation?, 2020)

            In Sikhism, the escape from rebirth is only achieved when they unite with God and end the cycle of reincarnation, which is based on the principles of karma. Someone with good deeds is reborn as a person in good circumstances, while a person with a past life of bad deeds will lead a miserable life. Reunion with God breaks reincarnation. (What major religions believe in reincarnation?, 2020)

            In Kabbalah Judaism, the soul in a person’s body once lived in another person’s body. No other form of Judaism believes in reincarnation. Three types of reincarnation exist: gilgul, ibbur, and dybbuk.

            These other religions’ views of reincarnation point to human effort as being the means by which people are united with God – directly opposed to the Christian view that, while there is effort needed, God meets us in His mercy and grace. Salvation is a free gift, not something that needs to be earned through multiple life cycles. Moreover, the Bible teaches that salvation cannot be earned through multiple life cycles – no one can earn their way to heaven, they need the mercy and grace of God through the person of Jesus Christ. (What major religions believe in reincarnation?, 2020)

3.     Biblical Reincarnation (if it exists) would need to be different than the type of reincarnation described in other religions.

I do not think the reincarnation (perhaps) evidenced in the Bible is identical to other religions’ belief in reincarnation. “Karma”, specifically the idea that what someone does in one life impacts future lives, is not a doctrine explicitly found in the Bible. I do not think that people in good circumstances must have “good” karma, and those who suffer more have “bad” karma. This idea is contradicted throughout Scripture. Job, for example, was a good man, and suffered terribly. Jeremiah was a devout prophet of God who suffered greatly. The founder of the Christian faith, Jesus, suffered intensely. Early Christians were, and many Christians are now, terribly persecuted despite their devout faith and devotion to God. Hebrews 11 is full of stories of followers of God who suffered despite their character and devotion to God. Many of the holiest people in the world have suffered the greatest. Jesus explicitly says in John 9 that a man born blind was blind not because of his sin but so that “the works of God might be displayed in him” (John 9:3). Moreover, the Bible says God uses suffering for our good to make us more like Christ. For a brief theology of suffering see the last part of my post: Universal Salvation Part 1: What is salvation according to the Bible? 

Nevertheless, God’s justice as seen throughout the Bible demonstrates that human action has consequences. Mosaic law upheld “an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth” (Exodus 21:24) as justice. We reap what we sow, as Galatians 6:7 says, “Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.”  Yet God’s loving actions towards His people, which include discipline (Hebrews 12), are undoubtedly more complex – and exceedingly more loving – then the straightforward law of karma found in religions that believe in reincarnation.

If reincarnation is true, the God of the Bible leaves us with a much more nuanced and unclear view of reincarnation. God is a God of justice, but He is also a God of mercy and grace. He relents from judgment. Sometimes He changes His mind when people intercede or repent (Exodus 32, Joel 2). Certainly, as the Christian gospel proclaims, because of Jesus’ sacrifice we do not get what we deserve. What is more, while people may think the “ideal” life is one of little suffering, the Bible declares that the best life is one lived in a deep and intimate relationship with God – a life that, to gain intimacy with God and strong character, Scripture insists must include suffering (for example, James 1:2-4, Romans 5:1-5, Romans 8:28, 1 Peter 1:3-9, and many more). We cannot understand much of God’s ways. Isaiah 55:8 says, “’For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,’ declares the Lord. ‘As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.’” We cannot fathom the good purposes God has in and through suffering and life circumstances. If reincarnation is true, we are certainly in no place to judge any person’s or community’s situation or our own personal circumstances on past life actions. Ephesians 1:11 states that God “works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will.” A will that we can trust is good.

4.     Reincarnation is found in some Jewish teaching, which is significant as, of course, Christianity’s roots are in Judaism.

The Talmud, a collection of Jewish writings and theology, mentions “gilgul neshamot”, which is the “judgment of the revolutions of the souls”. A notable Rabbi, Mannasseh ben Israe, states in his book Nshmat Hayyimm that reincarnation is real. The Zohar, a book from the Jewish mystical tradition, states, “All souls are subject to revolutions. Men do not know the way they have been judged in all time.” (Williams, 2019d).

            So, reincarnation has been and still is a belief for some Jews. Rabbi Benjamin Resnick stated, “The notion that souls can be reborn after death figures prominently in Jewish mysticism.” The concept of “gilgul” is described in the Kabbalah, a school of thought in Jewish mysticism. “Gilgul” is similar to the Buddhist concept of “samsara” and means “to spin”. The first historical evidence of this concept showed up in the Zohar, a Torah commentary and foundational text of Jewish mysticism. For Jews who believe in reincarnation, the ultimate goal of reincarnation is to become one with God. This is a form of mysticism that is not believed by the majority of Jews and does not prove the existence of reincarnation. But it does prove that reincarnation has emerged at times as Jewish belief, specifically in Jewish mystical history, (“6 things Jews believe about reincarnation”).

5.     Reincarnation was believed by some in the early church.

Reincarnation was also believed in the early church by some percentage of people for the first 500 years of Christian history. For example, Origen of Alexandria, one of the first fathers of the early Church, wrote about preexistence and reincarnation, writing that people could only reincarnate as other people, and that this continued rebirth happened for purification of the soul. The goal was to be restored to oneness with God. Origen was a disciple of Clement of Alexandria, who was a disciple of Mark, the disciple that wrote the Gospel of Mark. Later in life, however, he questioned reincarnation and its validity (Klimczak, 2016).

Other Church leaders, Valentinus and Basilides of Alexandria, affirmed reincarnation. Jerome, another church father, said reincarnation was taught for a long time among the early Christians.  St. Gregory (257-337) said that the soul should be healed and purified, accomplished in future lives if possible. Some think they were influenced by Plato, who believed in reincarnation (Klimczak, 2016). Could they have instead been influenced by the Spirit of God?

Most recently, when early Judeo-Christian sources were found in 1945, including the Dead Sea Scrolls, some information on reincarnation was also found. Some texts described two concepts of resurrection – spiritual and bodily. Spiritual rebirth is by the Holy Spirit. Bodily resurrection of a human could be called reincarnation. One author considered the Bible itself included many mentions of reincarnation (Klimczak, 2016).

6.     Reincarnation was finally decreed heresy by the Roman Church in 553 A.D. at the Second Council of Constantinople.

The fact that it needed to be declared heresy shows that some percentage of the Church believed reincarnation to be true. Many think it was declared heresy largely because the Church believed reincarnation minimized Christian salvation, conflicted with resurrection of the body, presented an unnatural separation between body and soul, its proof was too speculative of a use of Christian scriptures, and practically, people did not remember past lives.

Others think the Church did not reject reincarnation solely because of theological issues. Some think that the Church was self-motivated in doing so, afraid the priests’ source of wealth would be in danger if people believed they would come back to life multiple times and were therefore not as dependent on the Church (Klimczak, 2016). Others think the Catholic Church declared reincarnation heresy because of the bishops worrying if people were not motivated by fear of judgment and eternal torment resulting from a single life, they would grow slack in their faith (Klimczak, 2016). 

Ultimately, however, the Bible, the Christian’s authority on truth, has the final word on reincarnation. So: does the Bible at all support reincarnation?