The Spirits Part 2
His Holiness Pope Shenouda III discusses the nature of the spirit, the immortality of the soul, and the rejection of reincarnation, clarifying the false ideas derived from pagan philosophies. He asserts that salvation is completed once through the redemption of Christ, and that human life is not repeated but ends in resurrection and judgment.
1. Unity of Reincarnation Sources
The Pope explains that most writings about “Reincarnation” share one single source, both Arabic and foreign, copying the same arguments such as the story of the man born blind or John the Baptist and Elijah. He stresses that these ideas come not from divine revelation but from Eastern pagan thought.
2. The Immortality of the Soul
The Church believes in eternal life after death, as the soul, created in God’s image, does not perish. God’s justice is fulfilled in the afterlife where the righteous are comforted and the wicked judged, as shown in the story of the Rich Man and Lazarus.
The intercessions and miracles of saints after death testify to the living reality of the soul.
3. Refutation of Material Views of the Spirit
The Pope rejects the notion that the spirit is an electrical charge or etheric substance. The spirit is a spiritual, rational, immortal being, not matter. He dismisses myths about spirits dispersing in light or taking ghostly forms, since angels themselves appear in light without fading.
4. Rejection of Reincarnation
He refutes the belief that souls return to other bodies for improvement or punishment, declaring it contrary to the doctrine of redemption. Christ’s sacrifice on the Cross was complete — “It is finished.”
Thus, punishment in another body is meaningless, and reincarnation into animals denies that man is made in God’s image.
5. No Repentance After Death
He cites Hebrews 9:27 — “It is appointed for men to die once, and after this, the judgment” — affirming that repentance is possible only in earthly life. The Church prays, “Repent, O my soul, while you are in the body,” showing that repentance is for the whole human being, spirit and body together.
6. Rebuttal of Post-Death Evangelism
The Pope clarifies that no preaching or conversion occurs after death. The story of the Rich Man and Lazarus shows clearly that “a great gulf is fixed,” preventing movement or change after death.
7. Are Souls Born or Created?
He addresses the question of whether souls are born or created, teaching that all humans are created by God because Adam, their origin, was created.
He cites verses such as “The Lord… forms the spirit of man within him,” affirming that souls are created, not divine emanations nor preexistent.
He rejects Origen’s idea of preexistent fallen souls as unbiblical heresy.
Conclusion
The Pope concludes that Orthodox Christian faith rests upon:
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The complete redemption of Christ.
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The immortality of the soul and resurrection.
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The rejection of reincarnation and repentance after death.
Man was made in God’s image for eternal life — not for repeated earthly cycles.
