Abstract
Content
- Introduction
- 1. Topicality
- 2. Purposes and tasks. Practical results. Scientific novelty
- 3. The review of researches and development on a subject
- 4. Idea of reincarnation in religious culture of Christians
- Conclusion
- References
Introduction
The
modern situation in the sphere of spiritual needs of the person differs
an
extreme variety and diversity. At present there is a set of the
multidirectional processes characterizing a spiritual condition of
society, as
a whole, so locally, within certain regions. The history and the
present show
that the spiritual condition of society isn't less important, than its
material
welfare, and at times has and taking priority value. The significant
role in
the spiritual sphere belongs to religion. Religious processes make a
great
impact the general spiritual climate of society, a condition of masses,
collectives and separate individuals.
Regularities of emergence, distribution,
functioning of religions, their interactions with each other and with
other
forms of public consciousness were the for each cultural area and a
temporary
interval. The analysis of these regularities allows reacting adequately
to the
questions arising in the religious sphere, to promote respecting the
rule of
law, to improve a spiritual condition of society which is in
indissoluble
communication with the material.
1. Topicality
The
topicality of research of a problem of reincarnation is caused by high
degree
of prevalence of this idea in many religious and spiritual and
philosophical
systems. Due to the tendencies of globalization interpenetration
religious
semantic concepts in different parts of the globe in different
religious
systems is observed. Idea of reincarnation not exception: until
recently being
considered as especially east doctrine, the idea of transformation of
souls
finds reflection and in many western religions that generated a
question of
universality of idea of reincarnation and of obvious or its indirect
inclusiveness in the majority of religions of the world. Comprehensive
study of
a problem of reincarnation in world religions is means to settlement of
the
relations between her supporters and the opponents, after all the
similar
relations often have disputed character.
Ukraine is one of the most dynamic states in
the sphere of religious processes. The question of incorporation of
idea of
resettlement of souls in the religious systems which are traditionally
widespread on the territory of Ukraine is represented very actual and
thus
low-studied.
Phenomenon
of "household religiousness" which can include the elements
which are not
relating to tradition, religious "fusion" among certain sectors of
society, a ratio of unconscious belief with accurate postulates of this
or that
doctrine – here those companion problems without which objective
idea of
religious processes in Ukraine isn't obviously possible to make today.
2. Purposes and tasks. Practical results. Scientific novelty
The
purpose of a master's work – detection of nature of ideas of
reincarnation in
religious culture of Christians of modern Ukraine.
Performance
of the following tasks is planned:
- Clarification of the content of concept of
reincarnation. The analysis of essence of the doctrine about
reincarnation in
east religious and spiritual and philosophical systems.
- The analysis of
a problem of existence and a role of ideas of reincarnation in
Christian dogma
and works of Christian authors.
- Studying of features of ideas of reincarnation in religious culture of Christians of modern Ukraine (on an example of Donetsk).
Practical results. During performance of work sociological poll in December - January, 2011-2012 within Donetsk among various segments of the population about their understanding and the relation to idea of reincarnation was carried out. Leaders of active church life took part in a question as the listeners of the theological courses having accurately postulated views of Christianity and the formulated Creed, and the average citizens ranking as Christians, however not. The solution of the tasks put in work allowed to determine certain consistent patterns of interaction of idea of reincarnation with traditionally Christian ideas, and also to draw conclusions concerning extent of cultural globalization and interaction.
Scientific novelty. At
present there is quite extensive layer of literature devoted to a
problem of
reincarnation, including existence of idea of resettlement of souls in
Christianity. Nevertheless, still it was not undertaken attempts
scientifically
to characterize extent of occurrence of idea reincarnation in religious
culture
of Christians. The principle of objectivity of research provides work
with the
actual material. Arguments of confessional character are considered in
work
only as a part of object of research. Novelty of research also consists
that
besides the general conclusions work has the annex to a concrete
existential
location, considering a situation in modern Ukraine.
3. The review of researches and development on a subject
The
problem of reincarnation received development in scientific works of
such
authors, as: Jan Stevenson, this American psychiatrist took up the
problems of
reincarnation from the scientific point of view, it studied cases when
people
remembered that moment that already lived earlier, gave the facts which
it is
possible to check and the events connected with hypothetical
antecedents [7].
Raymond Moudi told about reincarnation, as that our life only a link in
a chain
of several lives lived earlier. His book forced many people to become
interested past, put a number of questions on which there were no
answers
before a science [4]. Doctor Morris Neterton presented a method in the book
under
the name: "Therapy of antecedents" which emphasized keywords and
phrases from self-written messages of his subjects.
Doctor Edith Fior
carefully concentrated her
work on the cases connected with obsession and developed therapy
against it.
Dr. D. Scott Rogo presented summary of researches of transformations
till 1985,
and pointed to a discussion essence between researchers of
reincarnation and
skeptics. Dr. Joel Uitton noted and carried out research of the cases
connected
with a psychological phenomenon of knowledge of foreign languages,
without
studying it ever.
Doctor Roger
Vuldzher, with especially deep
understanding of analytical psychology, developed a method of research
of
transformation which assumes both the theory and practice. Carol Boumen
with
absolute confidence proves reality and possibility of transformations,
on the
basis of a death mention, Brown Silvia in the researches argues over
that the
person himself chooses the world in which he is going to live [1]. Our
souls
repeatedly move from one world in another.
Christopher Beych is
engaged in
consideration of rhythms of human life. The idea that vital circles
(cycles) of
the person need to be perceived as movement from a sort by the birth,
where
death a promezhutny link is inherent in it [2]. Michael Newton supports
idea of
that after death of a shower leaves a body and goes "home". Till that
time when souls come back to that place which they call the house, the
terrestrial aspect of their life changes. It is impossible to call them
people [5].
The soul has possibility at the same time to live in several bodies.
P. Ramster, at
communication with the
patients refers to the description them a large number of details of
the past,
names of people and places where they lived earlier.
In 1983 Ramster and
local historians looked
for the specified data in archives. Some villages called under
hypnosis, were
found on old cards. Other villages didn't exist anymore, but many
mentioned
names appeared correct. Ramster's research was almost completely
ignored by
scientific community.
Charles Sagan the scientist and the skeptic was the member cofounder of group which dealt with such problem as exposure of unscientific researches. Certainly, to tell that he believed in reincarnation would be too loud, but that he believed that to these researches should be paid more close attention, and reject them without research and discussion would be unscientific already speaks about his interest the matter. And as they say, where there's smoke there's fire!
Idea of reincarnation in religious culture of Christians
One of
the key concepts characterizing development of the modern world, the
concept of
globalization is. It is considered to be that globalization is a set of
the
processes conducting to emergence of uniform universal economic,
political,
ecological, cultural space. Globalization as a phenomenon of public
life is
accompanied by integration – process of penetration of various
elements of two
subjects participating in it. These elements can be various –
from capital
investments and investments to habits and behavior and features of
daily kitchen
of the population. We interests, first of all, interaction of religious
representations of those cultures which it is free or involuntarily
join in
globalization process. Thanks to a situation in the modern world, ideas
and the
doctrines widespread in one cultural areas, pass to other cultural soil
and
often get accustomed there, definitely changing. Besides, the
understanding of
each religion or spiritual philosophical doctrine is influenced
inevitably by
certain general regularities of modern spirituality.
Didn't become an exception
and the doctrine
about reincarnation. Reincarnation traditionally understands as
immortal
existence of soul which periodically revives in various bodies which,
in turn,
are mortal [5]. Process of regeneration has the regularities which this
or
that
tradition treats in own way.
The doctrine about reincarnation was traditionally inherent in east religious and spiritual and philosophical systems, as that: to Hinduism, Jainism, and Buddhism. XIX century when educated Europeans start to show interest to east cultures, and representatives of the last, in turn, start to adapt the views for the European perception and to leave abroad, the idea of reincarnation among many other east ideas starts to gain popularity in the West [11].
Pic 1. Idea of reincarnation is disseminated in the world
by the globalization influence.
(Animation,
5 frames, 7 repeats, 127 kb)
Originally the idea
of reincarnation in the
West had elite character – philosophers, historians, simply
educated people
were interested in it. The considerable push in development already
purely the
western understanding of reincarnation was received as a result of
distribution
in Europe various esoteric societies. Since the end of the 50th of the
XX
century the hobby for the East becomes mass, east philosophical and
religious
ideas, and also subjects of a life and culture take root into an
everyday life
of Europeans and Americans. The idea of reincarnation causes interest
and in
Christians, mainly Protestants of evangelists and five-foremen [9].
There are works
generally the theological,
confessional character, the existence of ideas devoted to the proof
about
resettlement of souls in Christianity. Thus the official position of
traditional Christian faiths, such as Orthodoxy and Catholicism,
concerning
reincarnation was reserved. Supporters of idea of reincarnation in
Christianity
address to texts of the Scripts and heritage of Fathers and teachers of
Church.
There is an opinion that the in itself doctrine about resettlement of
souls
isn't so alien to traditional European spirituality. In the Ancient
Greek
environment it existed in the form of representations about
reincarnation (μετεμψύχωσις).
Further it was absorbed by Christianity through Fathers, teachers of
Church and
church writers. It was connected with that the Christian tradition was
formed
mainly in the east (European) – in Greece, Asia Minor, and North
Africa.
Christian theologians leaned including the Greek philosophy [12].
Certainly, many
church authorities expressed
and against the doctrine preexistence and resettlement of souls.
Already in the
present it generated a certain dispute between supporters and opponents
of
existence of reincarnation in Christianity. Both the first, and the
second were
guided by fragments from the Scripts and the Legend, but their
interpretation
was various.
Despite the cold
relation to reincarnation
from traditional faiths, her supporters are and among the last. However
the
specific situation here takes place. On the one hand, neither Catholic
church,
nor any of orthodox churches didn't express negatively reincarnation in
special
official documents on universal cathedrals. On the other hand, the
private
theological opinion of representatives is more often the negative. But
just in
the environment of traditional Christianity, and in particular,
Orthodoxy, the
belief in resettlement of souls occurs not at level of accurate
confession, and
it is rather as not up to the end realized representation. Such
situation is
typical for a phenomenon of so-called household religiousness [8].
Household
religiousness is characteristic for the people who have not received
special
Christian education but living by Wednesday, historically Christian. In
the
course of socialization of people associates itself with orthodox
community,
using a pronoun "we". However he doesn't conduct active church life
and often has rather vague idea of the dogmatic person of Christianity.
Religiousness in this case is formed not as a result of purposeful
assimilation
of the certain provisions concerning a subject of belief and behavior,
and is
spontaneous, on examples and the stereotypes widespread in the daily
environment.
Without having an accurate restrictive framework, household
religiousness can
absorb in itself the elements which initially aren't present, for
example, at
Orthodoxy. Thus in basic provisions the believer can be very
consecutive. As a
result of aforementioned processes the Christianity starts to include
the
elements borrowed from other cultures and traditions. It concerns also
reincarnation [10].
Ukraine is very
indicative example of those
processes, in the religious sphere which are typical and for the whole
world.
However activity and dynamics of these processes in Ukraine is higher,
than,
for example, in Europe. This results from the fact that Ukraine long
time was
behind "Iron Curtain", and manifestation of religiousness wasn't
encouraged. The religious boom showed 90th years that spiritual demand
for
religion in Post-Soviet society is extremely high.
Conclusion
Results
of the sociological poll which has been carried out within work, as a
whole
confirm the declared theses. Really it is not enough cases of accurate
and
direct confession of reincarnation, however considerably bigger percent
of
believers recognize transformation of souls in the indirect or not up
to the
end realized look. And degree of Christian erudition has inversely
proportional
communication with number of supporters of reincarnation in this
environment.
It testifies that religiousness of bulk of the Christians, loyally
relating to
idea of resettlement of souls, has household character while the
detailed
knowledge dogmatic persons, Christian sources and tradition negatively
affects
support by the person of the doctrine about reincarnation. The done
work
doesn't consider questions of the validity of statements of existence
or
absence of reincarnation in Christianity. As the question of
reincarnation was
never essentially developed in Christianity, some moments, or even
hints on
them, probably, to interpret how it is convenient, in this or that
advantage,
opponents or supporters. Work contemplates a problem of existence or
not
existence of this idea therefore any opinion about it will be useful
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