Christian Reincarnation?

[Lavazza]

Hey mystical Christians,

I've heard a few times in the past that reincarnation was originally a part of Christianity but that around the third century AD it was "stricken from the records", and thanks to a few inquisition movements, given no more thought by that religion. Can anyone point me to a good solid resource on this sort of information?

many thanks,
Lavazza

[Peregrinus]

You could try here http://www.thelostbooks.com/list.htm
This one is built with a CMS and has a search feature http://www.carm.org/lost-books
http://www.spiritualawakeningradio.com/lostbooks.html

[Ali Quadir]

Yes, check out the Christian church father Origen of Alexandria. There is also a grail movement in Europe today that is Christian in essence and still believes in reincarnation.... The two are not connected. I just want to indicate that reincarnation is still believed in officially by some Christian groups today.

The basic story goes that in those early days Christians were very diverse. There were a lot of varying beliefs. The early church had some big meetings to decide on the doctrine. Big shots from all over the area came together to speak about what Christians should believe. Some of these were roman emperors. It was during one of these meetings that Origin was officially rejected. And along with him the doctrine of reincarnation. Fortunately for Origen he was dead for a long time already at that point so he never personally experienced the rejection. Mind you this was during the start of the middle ages already so relatively late if we're speaking about early Christianity.

Wikipedia has good history on the early Christian church, and it's an interesting read. I can recommend it. Origen and Christianity is good to know about. And while you're at it: Plato's influence on Christianity is good to understand.

[Lavazza]

Wow, two highly informative responses in less than 15 minutes. Please accept my applause, and thanks!

[Monica]

Here's the best one I've found...This is from the Gnostic Christians and it's very scholarly.

May a Christian Believe in Reincarnation?

[Debaser4STO]

Might as well read the free information pertaining to your subject, rather than buying a book. BUT, if you are so inclined to delve into the mysteries behind reincarnation, I recommend this book. Reincarnation: The Missing Link in Christianity

I didn't get to finish it, but everything made perfect sense in great detail.

[Peregrinus]

Yes, check out the Christian church father Origen of Alexandria. There is also a grail movement in Europe today that is Christian in essence and still believes in reincarnation.... The two are not connected. I just want to indicate that reincarnation is still believed in officially by some Christian groups today.

The basic story goes that in those early days Christians were very diverse. There were a lot of varying beliefs. The early church had some big meetings to decide on the doctrine. Big shots from all over the area came together to speak about what Christians should believe. Some of these were roman emperors. It was during one of these meetings that Origin was officially rejected. And along with him the doctrine of reincarnation. Fortunately for Origen he was dead for a long time already at that point so he never personally experienced the rejection. Mind you this was during the start of the middle ages already so relatively late if we're speaking about early Christianity.

Wikipedia has good history on the early Christian church, and it's an interesting read. I can recommend it. Origen and Christianity is good to know about. And while you're at it: Plato's influence on Christianity is good to understand.

When Constantine (a Turk) sacked Rome in the fourth Century AD, he became the Emperor of Rome. He decided to get all the books of Christianity together along with the most holy men from both sides of the Mediterranean and have all these men work together to provide a consistent working book containing a amalgamation of the variety of many books. This original book was copied 50 times exactly, and hence became known as the Bible.

What was left out was many things which were not considered to be in the best interests of the church which would increase the ability to control, such as the story of the young Jesus, or the gospel of Mary (Magdalene, a disciple, not a prostitute), as well as so many more...

here is some other info on specific books (gospels)

Insisting on Only Four Gospels Circa 185 CE
“Of the many gospels written in antiquity, exactly four gospels came to be accepted as part of the New Testament, or canonical. An insistence upon a canonical four, and no others, was a central theme of Irenaeus of Lyons, c.185. In his central work, Adversus Haereses Irenaeus denounced various Christian groups that used only one gospel…as well as groups that embraced the texts of new revelations.…Irenaeus declared that the four he espoused were the four pillars of the Church: ‘it is not possible that there can be either more or fewer than four’ he stated, presenting as logic the analogy of the four corners of the earth and the four winds (1.11.8). His image, taken from Ezekial 1, of God’s throne borne by four creatures with four faces—‘the four had the face of a man, and the face of a lion, on the right side: and the four had the face of an ox on the left side; they four also had the face of an eagle’— equivalent to the ‘four-formed’ gospel, is the origin of the conventional symbols of the Evangelists: lion, bull, eagle, man. Irenaeus was successful in declaring that the four gospels collectively, and exclusively these four, contained the truth. By reading each gospel in light of the others, Irenaeus made of John a lens through which to read Matthew, Mark and Luke“ (Wikipedia article on Gospel, accessed 12-04-2008).

The Making of a Gospel Book Circa 200 CE – 300 CE
“Following the custom of the Synagogue, the Scriptures of the Old Testament were read at the primitive Christian assemblies. According as the Canon of the New Testament was decided on, certain extracts from it were included in these readings. Justin tells us that in his day, when the Christians met together, they read the Memoirs of the Apostles and the writings of the Prophets (First Apology 67). Tertullian, Cyprian, and other writers bear witness to the same custom; and in the West the order of lector existed as early as the third century. For want of precise testimony we do not know how the particular passages were decided on. Most likely the presiding bishop chose them at the assembly itself; and it is obvious that on the occurrence ofcertain festivals the Scripture relating to them would be read. Little by little a more or less definite list would naturally result from this method. St. John Chrysostom in a homily delivered at Antioch exhorts his hearers to read beforehand the Scripture passages to be read and commented on in the Office of the day (Homilia de Lazaro, iii, c. i). In like manner other Churches would form a table of readings. In the margin of the manuscript text it was customary to note the Sunday or festival on which that particular passage would be read, and at the end of the manuscript, the list of such passages, the Synaxarium or Capitulare, would be added. Transition from this process to the making of an Evangeliarium, or collection of all such passages, was easy. Gregory is of opinion that we possess fragments of Evangeliaria in Greek dating from the fourth, fifth, and sixth centuries, and that we have very many from the ninth century onwards (according to Gregory they number 1072). In like manner, we find Lectionaries in the Lain Churches as early as the fifth century. The Comes of the Roman Church dates from before St. Gregory the Great (P.L., XXX, 487-532." (quoted from the New Advent Encyclopedia article on Evangeliaria).

[Ali Quadir]

Good points Peregrine,

Some (parts) of the left out books have been found, the gospel of thomas, the gospel of Mary Magdalene. They can be found on the internet, and especially Mary shows an insider account of someone who is clearly part of a mystery tradition. She describes Jesus his ascention from the perspective of one who is a direct witness to it something the other disciples could only dream of. And what she describes would clearly be objectionable to the modern church. A prostitute indeed. It's more likely she was Jesus his partner and at least as initiated as he was.

In those days it would be highly unusual and very dangerous for a woman to hang out with a man who is not her family or her husband. Yet no where in the bible are any suggestions that anyone saw Mary as anything other than family.

But I'm drifting away from the reincarnation here.