Theos-Talk Archives (June 1996 Message tl00226)

Alexis Dolgorukii <alexei@slip.net> said: "Reincarnation was rejected as
Christian doctrine after The Council of Constantinople even though some of the
Father's of the Church, ie. Clemens Alexandrinus, ad argued in it's favour".

I already send a message with some documents from Council of Constantinople
that clearly states that the subject of condenmnation was the doctrine of
pre-existence of souls, never reincarnation. This concept, pre existence of
soul was particularly developed in Alexandria school at the time of Origen.
At this message I send some parts of Origen'work that explain such subject.
Observe that Origen never speak of reincarnation but pre existence of souls.
The file can be fopund in http://ccel.wheaton.edu/fathers in file ECF04.TXT

ORIGEN DE PRINCIPIIS. BOOK III.CHAP. I.--ON THE FREEDOM OF THE WILL,[2] WITH AN
EXPLANATION AND INTERPRETATION OF THOSE STATEMENTS OF SCRIPTURE WHICH
APPEAR TO NULLIFY IT.
"in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and of earth, and
some to honour, and some to dishonour. If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be
a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the Master's use, prepared unto every good
work."[4] He, accordingly, who purges himself, is made a vessel unto honour, while he who has
disdained to cleanse himself from his impurity is made a vessel unto dishonour. From such
declarations, in my opinion, the cause of our actions can in no degree be referred to the Creator.
For God the Creator makes a certain vessel unto honour, and other vessels to dishonour; but that
vessel which has cleansed itself from all impurity He makes a vessel unto honour, while that which
has stained itself with the filth of vice He makes a vessel unto dishonour. The conclusion from
which, accordingly, is this, that the cause of each one's actions is a pre-existing one; and then
every one, according to his deserts, is made by God either a vessel unto honour or dishonour.
Therefore every individual vessel has furnished to its Creator out of itself the causes and
occasions of its being formed by Him to be either a vessel unto honour or one unto dishonour.
And if the assertion appear correct, as it certainly is, and in harmony with all piety, that it is due
to previous causes that every vessel be prepared by God either to honour or to dishonour, it does
not appear absurd that, in discussing remoter causes in the same order, and in the same method,
we should come to the same conclusion respecting the nature of souls, and (believe) that this was
the reason why Jacob was beloved before he was born into this world, and Esau hated, while he
still was contained in the womb of his mother.

Abrantes