Did Early Christians Believe in Reincarnation?

Episode Outline:
00:00 – Introducing reincarnation and early Christianity
02:30 – Why reincarnation matters for understanding Christian afterlife beliefs
04:39 – Reincarnation in the ancient Greek and Roman world
06:29 – How ancient reincarnation differs from modern assumptions
09:27 – New Testament passages that may suggest reincarnation
11:44 – Carpocrates, Gnostics, and escaping the body
14:15 – Origen of Alexandria and Christian reincarnation
16:16 – Origen’s view of souls, ages, and universal salvation
19:35 – Why Origen’s ideas became controversial
23:04 – Gregory of Nyssa, Melania, and later Christian debates
25:06 – Why reincarnation remained a marginal Christian belief

Episode Description

Many people in the modern western world view reincarnation as a belief predominately from eastern religions - especially buddhism and hinduism.
 Believe it or not, reincarnation was also a theological concept for some early Christians! How does what early Christians taught about reincarnation differ from what we understand it to be? Was it a common idea, or did those who espoused it receive pushback and censorship from their fellow Christians? Why isn’t reincarnation still a widely held view in Christian circles?

Also watch these episodes:
Am I Going to Hell? What the New Testament Says About Death and the Afterlife
Am I Going to Hell? What the New Testament Says About Death and the Afterlife

Do We Have a Soul?
Do We Have a Soul?

Decoding Gnosticism: Secrets of a Heretical Christian Belief
Decoding Gnosticism: Secrets of a Heretical Christian Belief

Megan asks Bart:

- Why is this important to talk about?

- Was reincarnation a common idea in the ancient world?

- Does the ancient concept of reincarnation differ substantially from what we might understand it to mean?

- Did any early Christian groups or thinkers believe in reincarnation? Were there competing ideas of reincarnation?

- Do we see any Christian groups or sects that take this idea of reincarnation and really embrace it?

- Who was Origen of Alexandria, and how does he enter into this conversation?

- What did he teach about reincarnation?

- How widely accepted were his ideas?

- What problems did other early Christians have with reincarnation?

- When did Christian theologians stop arguing for reincarnation as a Christian doctrine?

- Have there been any modern attempts to reintroduce reincarnation to Christianity?