The Argument over Reincarnation in Early Christianity
The Argument over Reincarnation in Early Christianity
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| The Argument over Reincarnation in Early Christianity
4 Basilides, who considered himself a Christian, had to explain how his belief in reincarnation and his belief in Jesus Christ’s teachings could coincide. Although most of Basilide’s writings have been destroyed or edited later by his opponents 5 two theories have been inferred from his surviving works: the first being that Christ was sent to save the gentiles from Jewish domination, and the second, that Christ was sent to save all people, both Jew and Gentile, from human religion. 6 Neither of these ideas involves Christ making redemptive sacrifices for all mankind, and both describe Christ merely providing earthly redemption. We can see from these beliefs why Basilides was able to believe in reincarnation and still consider himself a Christian believing in some aspect of Christ’s Godly mission on earth. To Basilides, Christ offered no way for repentance to occur in this life, so punishment and repentance for sins must occur in the next life through reincarnation cycles. Basilides was not the only early Christian who blended the beliefs of Jesus Christ and Plato. He had many followers and it is believed that Basilides himself may have taught a man name Valentinus. 7 Valentinus was also a Christian educated in Alexandria who taught from 100-175 A.D. According to Tertullian of Carthage, another early Christian theologian, Valentinus was at one time was a candidate for Bishop for the Christian Church but was not selected. 8 Valentinus was responsible for one of the major Gnostic movements, having a widespread following throughout the Roman Empire and provoking many writings by fellow Christian opponents in response to his teachings. 9 Similar to those previously discussed, Valentinus believed all souls lived in a perfect state with God, fell, were imprisoned in bodies, and will be imprisoned until enough knowledge and experience is gained for spiritual resurrection and return to God’s presence. 10 Regarding the mission of Christ, he believed that Christ did not come among men to provide any kind of salvation but to provide an example for how to live and motivation for all that can be done. Christ was crucified to simply end 5 Segal, Alan F., Life After Death: A History of the Afterlife in Western Religion. (New York: Random House Incorporated, 2004), 546-549. 6 Layton, “Basilides in Ancient Christian Thought,” 144-46 7 Lampe, Peter. From Paul to Valentinus: Christians at Rome in the First Two Centuries. (Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2003), 200. 8 Osborne, Eric Frances. Tertullian: First Theologian of the West. (London: Cambridge University Press, 1997) 187. 9 Lampe, From Paul to Valentinus, 201-03. 10 Segal, Life After Death, 550-51. |