Christian sects with belief in reincarnation

[ajay0]

The Christian Community is a Christian denomination that had belief in reincarnation as part of its theological doctrine. They consider the soul immortal via reincarnation.

The Christian Community - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

The Christian Community in Germany was banned by the Nazis in 1941 and its leader Emil Bock imprisoned due to the community's alleged "Jewish" and "Masonic" nature, but the community continued its activities in Switzerland and England, and was reestablished in West Germany after the war.

Basic tenets of some priests of the Christian Community are 1) free will, 2) reincarnation and 3) focus on Christ. For example, Jesus of Nazareth is seen as a physical vessel that enabled the spiritual being called Christ to influence the world.

 

[Quintessence]

When I was doing a crash course in religious diversity back in college, it never ceased to amaze me the heterogeneity of Christianity. Or religious demographics just in general. So much so I questioned why we reference religions at all using a term that appears to be singular rather than plural. Add to this the many forms of Christopaganism that are a syncretism between Christianity and indigenous Pagan traditions from back when Christianity was forcing itself upon the New World? Religions adapt and change to fit the environment and times they find themselves in. It's fascinating to watch.

 

[Absolutely Frank]

There were some old sects that believed that God will send you back until you get it right. I wouldn't like that. No kid wants to be sent back to the fifth grade. The fifth grade was hell.

 

[Kenny]

I don’t see much hope for that. I look at myself and the world and figure, “If this is the results of millenniums of reincarnation - then there is no hope. The world is still a mess.

I prefer the one time and forever position.

 

[ajay0]

Catharism was a Christian sect that thrived in northern Italy and southern France between the twelfth and fourteenth centuries.

Reincarnation was part of their religious doctrine.

Catharism - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Zoé Oldenbourg compared the Cathars to "Western Buddhists" because she considered that their view of the doctrine of "resurrection" taught by Christ was similar to the Buddhist doctrine of rebirth.

The Cathars were heavily persecuted to the point of extinction by the Catholic church for their differing theological doctrine , and was the subject of attacks by the Alibgensian or Cathar crusade and the Medieval Inquisition which eliminated the sect completely by 1350.

Many thousands were slaughtered, hanged or burnt at the stake as so-called heretics.

 

[LuisDantas]

If I am not mistaken, several well-known Christian denominations believe in bodily ressurrection - once, when Jesus returns.

Kardecist Spiritism is a very, very popular belief here in Brazil and it is not too off the mark to call it reincarnationist animism with lots of Catholic references. Many a Brazilian considers himself a "Catholic Spiritist" with very definite reincarnationist beliefs.

In Kardecist Spiritism all people are believed to continuously reincarnate to ever greater levels of spiritual evolution, actually going back to inanimate objects even and presumably going on to eventually surpass the spiritual levels of Jesus when he walked on Earth.

It is not a doctrine that fits very well with Catholic teachings, but apparently many, many people don't notice or don't care.

 

[Spice]

Liberal Quakerism accepts the concept of reincarnation since one of their primary tenants is open-mindedness.

 

[Sir Joseph]

The Christian Community is a Christian denomination that had belief in reincarnation as part of its theological doctrine. They consider the soul immortal via reincarnation.

The Christian Community - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

While a limited definition of reincarnation, being "the belief that the soul, upon death of the body, comes back to earth in another body or form" could be associated with Christianity, there is at least one significant difference.

The Bible makes it clear that we have only one life on earth before we receive an eternal judgment and verdict before God. We don’t get several lives here on earth to make the right decision.

Given this difference and a few others I could detail, I don't think the afterlife Christianity offers should be equated to reincarnation.

 

[Spice]

While a limited definition of reincarnation, being "the belief that the soul, upon death of the body, comes back to earth in another body or form" could be associated with Christianity, there is at least one significant difference.

The "soul," separate, is important here.

The Bible makes it clear that we have only one life on earth before we receive an eternal judgment and verdict before God.

True, in the sense of our humanity, our ego, our person and personality. That is a one and done combination, IMB.

We don’t get several lives here on earth to make the right decision.

"We" don't, but the spark of God we are designed around, our "soul" is a separate matter, IMB. That spark grows with each world bound journey. Every good gain remains. Every misstep redeemed, learned from, and forgiven.

Given this difference and a few others I could detail, I don't think the afterlife Christianity offers should be equated to reincarnation.

IMB, (symbolically through the Christian myth) Jesus paved the path, showed with proof The Way he taught, and as stated in Revelation is "the firstborn of the dead." He ripped the veil between death and life everlasting so that every sleeping soul is resurrected into a new body, with a fresh opportunity to gather up treasures of heaven. With his "endurance to the end," asking the Father for forgiveness for his torturers/murderers, putting others before himself even at death, wuth his resurrection, his final resurrection, in love God placed His patience upon humankind. Jesus showed us The Way, by LIVING and dying, that we will "inherit the earth" everlasting. And with the LAST "final resurrection" of humankind, that of the mythological Satan, the earthbound guide and teacher of humanity, there will finally be "below like above" and heaven on earth with Eden fully restored.

 

[rocala]

The Bible makes it clear that we have only one life on earth before we receive an eternal judgment and verdict before God.

All that does is make me wonder why God bothered. At least reincarnation offers us a process, some way of each and every one getting a fair chance.
It is one of the issues that I found most repellant about traditional Christianity.

 

[Kathryn]

I am a Christian and I do not believe in reincarnation.

 

[Balthazzar]

The Christian Community is a Christian denomination that had belief in reincarnation as part of its theological doctrine. They consider the soul immortal via reincarnation.

The Christian Community - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

I dunno, but everything in life seems to recycle, and the scriptures do speak about being born again, and even allude to Elias and John the Baptist as being the same. I know I am my father, fused within and formed by my mother, so this is another type of born-again experience. I'll presume there are many ways this takes place, so it' not isolated to just procreation. So yeah, reincarnation doesn't just seem plausible, I think it's somewhat evidenced in the mechanics of life, natural in nature.

 

[Jimmy]

I don’t see much hope for that. I look at myself and the world and figure, “If this is the results of millenniums of reincarnation - then there is no hope. The world is still a mess.

I prefer the one time and forever position.

Right

 

[Jimmy]

In Christianity there is no reincarnation. When your dead you’re dead and will be reunited with Christ when he returns.

 

[Spice]

In Christianity there is no reincarnation. When your dead you’re dead and will be reunited with Christ when he returns.

That is the mainstream interpretation of the Gospels with the guidance of Paul's Epistles. If you leave out those epistles, you might just find a different scenario to the message of Christ.

 

[Jimmy]

That is the mainstream interpretation of the Gospels with the guidance of Paul's Epistles. If you leave out those epistles, you might just find a different scenario to the message of Christ.

That’s the central theme of Christianity worldwide. That you will be reunited with Christ upon his return.

 

[Spice]

That’s the central theme of Christianity worldwide. That you will be reunited with Christ upon his return.

That's correct - mainstream Christianity as based on the guidance of Paul's Epistles and influenced by the Church Fathers primarily of the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th centuries.
That doesn't make it truth. Nor does my belief make it truth. Truth is the mystery that gives us hope. Our hopes often vary.

 

[Jimmy]

That's correct - mainstream Christianity as based on the guidance of Paul's Epistles and influenced by the Church Fathers primarily of the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th centuries.
That doesn't make it truth. Nor does my belief make it truth. Truth is the mystery that gives us hope. Our hopes often vary.

All text from all centuries is written by men. There’s only one truth regarding the big spiritual mysteries, like how we got here and where we’re going imo. There isn’t two. So some of us are wrong.

Truth isn’t a mystery.
Truth can be known.

 

[Balthazzar]

In Christianity there is no reincarnation. When your dead you’re dead and will be reunited with Christ when he returns.

What makes you think this, specifically? I'm curious because that isn't how I learned Christ. I was taught many things about many things that I never truly picked up until I learned what I now understand as truth.

 

[Jimmy]

What makes you think this, specifically? I'm curious because that isn't how I learned Christ. I was taught many things about many things that I never truly picked up until I learned what I now understand as truth.

All Christians know this. It’s common knowledge