Reincarnation

1
Reincarnation
2
Reincarnation and Hinduism

• We are composed of an immortal soul (Subtle
  Body or Atman) and a Physical Body
• At death the Atman transmigrates either
  immediately or over period of time to another
  physical body
• Karma (deeds) determine form of next incarnation
• After many lives, atman discovers its unity with
  the world soul (Brahman)
• This enlightened state is called moksha, after
  which no more incarnations occur

3
Reincarnation in Buddhism

• Cause of reincarnation is desire (especially
  desire for separateness) Tanha
• Desire leads to traces of self continuing in
  reality
• Idea of individual soul is an illusion
• When this illusion is finally dispelled, one
  achieves enlightenment and the egoless state
  of nirvana
• Nirvana is not heaven or God (Brahman), but a
  state of union with impersonal reality

4
Reincarnation and New Age Religion

• 1950-1980 many discoveries of New Testament
  period documents (30-150 BCE) sparked increased
  interest in non-canonical texts
• References to reincarnation in Nag Hammadi
  scrolls, such as the Gospel of Thomas, and also
  in the Dead Sea Scrolls.
• In the 1980s some new age writers (eg. Shirley
  MacLaine in her 1983 book "Out on a Limb) picked
  up on such discoveries and suggested that
  reincarnation had been removed from the Bible
  by the emperor Constantine at Nicaea (325)
• Perhaps referring to the Council of
  Constantinople (553) rejection of the
  pre-existence of the soul?

5
Canonization Process for Christian Scriptures

• Eusebius (314 - 324) recognized 4 Gospels, Acts,
  13 Pauline Letters, l Peter, 1 John and 1 Clement
• Mentions disputes over Hebrews, James, 2 Peter, 2
  and 3 John, Jude, and Revelation
• 1 Clement didn't make the cut but the "disputed"
  books were all canonized at the Council of Rome
  (382)
• 1st full list of Christian scriptures appears in
  367 in letter of Athanasius, bishop of Alexandria

6
Charles Hartshorne

• Radical Christian theologian promoter of the
  idea of Panentheism Everything occurs in God
• However, God is also independent of the world
  (World God, but God does not just equal the
  World, but also transcends it)
• Not to be confused with pantheism, which is the
  belief that everything is God (WorldGod,
  GodWorld)
• Panentheism attempts to incorporate some of the
  non-personal elements of eastern mystical union
  into Christian outlook on salvation