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The Eleventh Lesson: The Ancient Wisdom.1087
an emanation from the Father in the shape of Spirit; that the Spirit becomes
plunged in the confining sheaths of Matter, and is then known as “a soul,”
losing for a time its pristine purity; that the soul passes on through rebirth,
from lower to higher, gaining fresh experiences at each incarnation; that the
advancing soul passes from world to world, returning at last to its home
laden with the varied experiences of life and becomes once more pure
Spirit.
The early Christian Fathers became involved in a bitter controversy with
the Greek and Roman philosophers, over the conception held by some
of the latter concerning the absurd doctrine of the transmigration of the
human soul into the body of an animal. The Fathers of the Church fought
this erroneous teaching with great energy, their arguments bringing out
forcibly the distinction between the true occult teachings and this erroneous
and degenerate perversion in the doctrines of transmigration into animal
bodies. This conflict caused a vigorous denunciation of the teachings of the
Pythagorean and Platonic schools, which held to the perverted doctrine
that a human soul could degenerate into the state of the animal.
Among other passages quoted by Origen and Jerome to prove the
pre-existence of the soul was that from Jeremiah (1:5): “Before thou comest
from the womb I sanctified thee and I ordained thee a prophet.” The early
writers held that this passage confirmed their particular views regarding
the pre-existence of the soul and the possession of certain characteristics
and qualities acquired during previous birth, for, they argued, it would be
injustice that a man, before birth, be endowed with uncarnal qualities; and
that such qualities and ability could justly be the result only of best work and
action. They also dwelt upon the prophecy of the return of Elijah, in Malachi
4:5. And also upon the (uncanonical) book “The Wisdom of Solomon,” in
which Solomon says: “I was a witty child, and had a good Spirit. Yea, rather,
being good, I came into a body undefiled.”
They also quoted from Josephus, in his book styled “De Bello Judico,” in
which the eminent Jewish writer says: “They say that all souls are incorruptible;