Reincarnation or Continuous Manifestation?

To discuss the topic of Reincarnation is uncommon in Christian theology, especially since neither Protestant nor recent Catholic theology show much interest in eschatology. Yet i t is a stirring issue, of the greatest importance to any human individual. This is a sufficient reason to take it seriously, even more so in view of the growing number of psychological, thanatological and parapsychological publications on the subject. Theology cannot escape the challenge and refuse to discuss the issue, on the mere assumption that the Bible excludes reincarnation. Apart from the fact that the idea of reincarnation has been constantly present in Western tradition though admittedly in marginal currents, outside the Church, it now enjoys more and more support from (former) Christians, so that, at least for pastoral reasons, an analysis of the issues calls for urgent attention. Christian theological polemic, inmost of the cases, is totally inadequate because usually, it fails to distinguish between differ­ ent ideas of reincarnation and to analyze the philosophical and logical problems carefully enough to cast light on the subject. One of the few notable exceptions in English language is the study by John Hick 1 whereas the recently published studies in German still lack sufficient care, fairness and differentiation. The topic of reincarnation is absolutely central in our encounter with the Asian cultures. In India, all the indigenous traditions, Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism and Sikhism, as well as the originally foreign Zoroastrianism, believe in reincarnation,