Reincarnation—an idea so central to Indian spirituality that it flows like a silent river through every ancient scripture, every temple chant, every meditation hall. But what if this concept once existed in Christianity too? What if rebirth was not a foreign idea to the West, but a buried truth—silenced, censored, and erased?
This is not merely a claim. It is a realization I arrived at during my in-depth reading of Holger Kersten’s groundbreaking book, Jesus Lived in India. The book was more than a revelation—it was a starting point. What followed was my personal investigation, an intense and emotional journey across scriptural fragments, lost teachings, and spiritual echoes that had been long suppressed.
Rebirth and the Words of Christ
One passage in the Gospel of John struck me with new meaning: “Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” I had read it before, like most people, as a metaphor. But reading it after Kersten’s interpretation—and my own contemplation—it felt literal. It aligned more closely with the Indian view: that the soul returns, time and again, to evolve.
I discovered that early Christian sects, particularly the Gnostics, openly believed in reincarnation. Church Fathers like Origen also supported the idea of the soul’s pre-existence. It was not heresy—it was once a foundational belief.
The Council That Changed History
My further research led me to the Second Council of Constantinople in 553 AD. Here, a turning point in history occurred. Emperor Justinian, driven by theological and political objectives, officially declared the doctrine of reincarnation as heresy. It was erased from scripture, purged from teachings, and forgotten by design.
The question was not theological. It was psychological. Rebirth makes one independent—it shifts power to the individual. No fear of eternal damnation. Just a chance to grow, to return wiser. Such a belief didn’t suit the empire’s need for control.
India’s Influence on Jesus
As I continued tracing Kersten’s journey, and expanded it with my own readings and notes from travels in Ladakh and Varanasi, the picture became clearer. Jesus, during his so-called “lost years,” may have lived in India. He studied with sages, learned the dharmic truths of karma and rebirth, and internalized the yogic path.
He didn’t preach this as an outsider. He absorbed it. And when he returned to the West, his message bore this influence. “The kingdom of God is within you” is not a threat—it’s a spiritual truth echoed across Vedantic and Buddhist traditions.
Hidden But Not Gone
Even though the Church tried to erase it, traces remain. In the Nag Hammadi scrolls. In the writings of early mystics. In verses still preserved within the New Testament, albeit obscured by reinterpretation.
And, more importantly, in the intuitive understanding of seekers around the world. Deep within us, we know—we sense—that one lifetime cannot possibly hold all lessons. Rebirth is not a doctrine; it is a deep inner knowing.
Why This Matters
This blog is not meant to offend belief, but to open it. It is a personal journey to reclaim a truth that was once shared between East and West. Reincarnation connects us not just to India’s spiritual heart, but perhaps even to the original teachings of Jesus—before they were institutionalized.
Rebirth was not rejected because it was false.
It was buried because it made people free.
And now, perhaps, it is time to bring that truth back to light—not to destroy faith, but to complete it.