Oddcast episode

June 10, 2025

Coming Back for More, Part VII: Reincarnation in Early Christianity

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Part VII of this series could also be seen as Part II of Part VI, if you see what I mean: the methodological stuff we discussed last time now plays out in historical details on the ground. We discuss the evidence of Simon Magus, Basilides, Karpokrates, Clement, and Origen, among others. We also discuss early Alexandrian theology more generally, exploring M. David Litwa’s thesis that reincarnation was a signature Alexandrian eschatological element, make a digression about St Paul the Gnostic, and explore various other byways.

Works Cited in this Episode (slightly incomplete due to Yuletide festivities; but will be updated):

Primary:

Basilides: Evidence for Basilides’ theory of reincarnation: Origen, Comm. Rom. 5.1, Comm. Matt. 38, Origen, Comm. Ser. 38 on Matthew; Clem. Al. Strom. 4.81.1–83.1.

Doketai: Refutation of all Heresies VIII.10.1.

Elkhaisites on the returning Prophet: Refutation of all Heresies X.29.2. Cf. ibid. 9.14.1; Epiphanios, Panarion 53.1.8; 30.3.3–6.

Karpokrates of Alexandria:

  • Evidence for Karpokrates’ theory of reincarnation: Irenaeus, AH 1.25.6.
  • More generally, see Clement, Strom. 2.5–10; Origen, Cels. 5.62; Irenaeus, AH 1.25.1; Ref. 7.20; Eusebius, HE 4.7.9–11, 4.22.5; Epiphanius, Pan. 1.27; Tertullian, An. 23.2, 35.1–2.

Simon Magus:

  • Acts of the Apostles on Simon Magus: Acts 8:9-24; we have selectively quoted this passage in the episode; find the full King James version here.
  • Justin Martyr on Simon: 1 Apol. 26.2–3.
  • Irenæus on Simon: AH 1.23.2. Cf. Tertullian, An. 34.4; Ref. 6.14.
  • The Refutation of All Heresies on Helen’s reincarnations: VI.19.2.
  • The Acts of Peter on Simon: English text online here.

Secondary:

Bogdan Bucur. Angelomorphic Pneumatology: Clement of Alexandria and other Early Christian Witnesses. Brill, Leiden/Boston, MA, 2009.

Hans Jonas. The Gnostic Religion: The Message of the Alien God and the Beginnings of Christianity. Beacon, Boston, 2001.

M. David Litwa. Early Christianity in Alexandria: From Its Beginnings to the Late Second Century. The University Press, Cambridge, 2024; we quote pp. 104-5 and 103.

Nautin, P. “Les fragments de Basilide sur la souffrance et leur interprétation par Clement d’Alexandrie et Origène.” Pages 393–404 in Mélanges d’histoire des religions offerts à Henri-Charles Puech. Paris: Presses Universitaires de France, 1974. See esp. 394–98 for the argument about Basilides’ reincarnation-doctrine.

For Recommended Reading, see CB4M Part VI.

Themes

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