Reincarnation

The spirit returns to new bodily existences in a process of learning and reparation.

72%

Confidence

Supportive

Contrary

Neutral

What it is: Reincarnation is the belief that the spirit lives multiple bodily existences over time.

How the tradition understands it: Each existence offers opportunities for learning, reparation, moral maturing, and intellectual development. The plurality of existences is presented as a key to understanding inequalities, suffering, and vocations.

Textual basis and context: It is one of the most distinctive doctrines of Kardecist spiritism and appears widely in The Spirits' Book.

Debates and variations: It is a point of strong divergence with many historical Christian branches and with biblical readings that understand human life as unique in the earthly sense.

Supportive

John 3:3-7

bible,new-testament,reincarnation,doctrinal-debate

A passage about being born again, used by Spiritists in defense of reincarnation.

Reference: John 3:3-7.
Content: Jesus speaks of the need to be born again in dialogue with Nicodemus.
Use in debate: In Spiritism, the passage is often read as support for reincarnation; many Christian interpreters understand it as spiritual rebirth, not a plurality of bodily lives.

Matthew 17:10-13

bible,new-testament,reincarnation,elijah,john-the-baptist

A text about Elijah and John the Baptist often mobilized in debates on reincarnation.

Reference: Matthew 17:10-13.
Content: Jesus relates John the Baptist to the coming of Elijah in language interpreted in different ways by Christian traditions.
Use in debate: Spiritists often cite it as favorable evidence for reincarnation, while other groups read it as prophetic fulfillment without reincarnated personal identity.

The Spirits’ Book, questions 166-171

spiritism,kardec,reincarnation,plurality-of-existences

A central passage on the purpose of reincarnation.

Reference: The Spirits’ Book, questions 166 to 171.
Content: The passage presents reincarnation as an instrument of expiation, trial, and moral and intellectual progress.
Use in debate: It is a principal reference for the plurality of existences in Spiritism.

The Spirits’ Book, questions 222-222a

spiritism,kardec,reincarnation,future-life

Questions about the desire for a new existence and reincarnatory conditions.

Reference: The Spirits’ Book, questions 222 and 222a.
Content: The text deals with the spirit’s condition between incarnations and its relation to a future bodily life.
Use in debate: It complements the doctrine of reincarnation by addressing the transition between existences.

Contrary

Hebrews 9:27

bible,new-testament,reincarnation,judgment,doctrinal-debate

A classic verse used against reincarnation.

Reference: Hebrews 9:27.
Content: The text states that human beings are appointed to die once, and after that comes judgment.
Use in debate: It is one of the main passages mobilized by critics of reincarnation and the plurality of existences.