Is Reincarnation Compatible with the Christian Faith?: a Survey Through Christian Theology

Many Christians react in alarm when being confronted with reincarnation. They tend to regard it as an alien or exotic idea or sometimes even as an occult or dangerous teaching that leads away from the Christian path. Thus, belief in rebirth is often regarded as clearly not compatible with orthodox Christianity. However, no less than 30% of people in the Western world believe in a form of reincarnation, which indicates the urgency for an academic examination of this subject. Patrick Diemling examines under what conditions or restrictions a person who is attracted by the notion of reincarnation could at the same time remain fundamentally loyal to Christ. In a survey through the pivotal sections of Christian theology (such as soteriology, cosmology and eschatology), he investigates the critical points regarding the question of a possible compatibility of reincarnation with the Christian faith. What does the Bible say about reincarnation? What are the points of disagreement between orthodox Christians and defenders of the idea of rebirth? How would Christian theology need to be modified so as to integrate belief in reincarnation? The present volume tries to answer these questions.