The Western Doctrine of Reincarnation. A Critique From the Point of View of Catholic Theology

Seminar paper from the year 2002 in the subject Theology - Comparative Religion Studies, grade: 1,0, RWTH Aachen University (Philosophisches Institut), course: ¿Über die Seele III: Weltseele - Seelenwanderung - Parapsychologie¿, language: English, abstract: In this contribution I am not looking for confrontation with those who believe in a doctrine of reincarnation. Nor do I want to be a dogmatic know-all or the kind of person who superciliously dismisses the faith-context of two world religions (i.e., Hinduism and Buddhism). Explicity, what I am offering is a clear, positive statement of the Christian faith itself, which has been increasingly called into question in our society in recent decades. Unfortunately this questioning goes hand-in-hand with a (by now) widespread religious indifference on the part even of those of our fellow-citizens who regard themselves ¿ in the broadest sense ¿ as adherents of the Christian religion. My critique is therefore quite deliberately addressed to those within the Christian fold who would attempt to fabricate a western-style syncretizing version of the doctrine of reincarnation and amalgamate it with Christian convictions.