This short (112 pages) book is a concise overview of how reincarnation does and does not fit into Christian doctrine.

This book begins by defining Platonist, Hindu and Buddhist beliefs on reincarnation and defining their differences. It then proceeds onward to third century scholar,Origen, and his writings for the Christian church. Many of Origen's beliefs were influenced by his classical education and so included some of Plato's ideas on reincarnation.

In 543 the emperor, Justinian, issued edicts against Origen and his writings. Origen was declared anaethema as many of his beliefs were in direct conflict with many Church doctrines. Included in these were first and foremost the Church's belief that the need for a Savior was trivialized if every soul was already on the path to perfection through multiple lives.

However, there are a handful of scriptures in both the New Testament and the Old Testament that show that the authors were familiar with reincarnation. As this belief is not denounced per se in the Bible, it is up to the reader to look at the evidence as to whether Biblical authors may have believed in the doctrine and to decide if this doctrine can give them a more richly deeper spiritual life within the Christian church today.

The main drawbacks of this book are that it is very short and that it also written in a scholarly, somewhat dry style.

Nevertheless, I found it a very good introduction to subject of reincarnation and its place in Christian theology. ( )