The doctrine of reincarnation and Christianity.

1. Entity type Lemma
2. Original titleДоктрина реинкарнации и христианство.
3. Language term Russian
4. lemma author Saprykin, Dmitry
5. lemma category Scientific theories and disciplines > Religious studies
6. Publication date 1998
7. lemma work Шохин Владимир [Author]. The doctrine of reincarnation and Christianity.
8. lemma manifestations Раннее христианство и переселение душ : Early Christianity and transmigration of souls.
9. Keywords reincarnation - Theosophy - Origen
10. Citations
    1. http://www.k-istine.ru/sects/roerichi/roerichi_shohin.htm
11. Lemma body

    1. The author examines the reincarnation doctrine in terms of its relation to Christian dogmatics, arguing with the theosophical concept of "a single Religion with its set of archetypes found in all 'private' religions and just receiving in them different ways of expression and formulation."

       The doctrine of reincarnation, the author writes, presupposes, firstly, the originality of what corresponds to the soul, and the "free", "non-fixed" nature of its connection with corporal formations performing the function of outer garments which can easily be changed. Both these "positions" are completely incompatible with the basic Christian dogmas (on creation, on Incarnation, Resurrection, Ascension). The ultimate goal of man in Christianity is "theosis", to which "liberation" - the ideal of the reincarnation doctrine – is opposed in most radical way, the author asserts.

       Shokhin notes that the ambiguous attitude of individual thinkers, who were generally Christian (for example, Origen) toward this doctrine, is explained entirely by their fascination with ancient philosophy and by the fact that the process of churching of this philosophy in patristic tradition in their epoch was just beginning.

       The author gives other objections in connection with the doctrine of reincarnation in the general context of Christian worldview. In the light of the patristic thought, the spiritual origins of the reincarnation doctrine can be observed, in the author's opinion, in the desire to avoid that "uncomfortable" moment when a person determines his future destiny once in this short life which despite its temporality, has endless consequences.

       Therefore, the author concludes, the Theosophist's attempt to impress upon their audience the possibility of compatibility of the reincarnation doctrine with the Christian worldview is only an attempt to prove (contrary to the logical law of contradiction) the compatibility of A and not-A and is reckoned on the desire of an average person to combine the incompatible in order not to lose something.