MSI Press Blog

  1. The Question Why do Christians say things like “That’s karma” — when karma isn’t part of Christian theology? Is it just a slip of the tongue? Or is something deeper going on? 2. The Human Angle You hear it all the time: “She got what was coming to her — karma.” “I try to put good energy out there so karma comes back around.” “That’s karma for being selfish.” And yet, these are Christians talking. People who believe in grace, not reincarnation. So what’s happening? 3. The Inquiry Let’s start with definitions. Karma is a concept from Eastern religions — especially Hinduism and Buddhism — that says your actions in this life determine your fate in future lives. It’s part of a cycle of rebirth and moral consequence. Christianity , by contrast, teaches: One life, followed by judgment (Hebrews 9:27) Salvation by grace, not merit (Ephesians 2:8) Forgiveness through Christ, not through working off moral debt Resurrection, not reincarnation So why do Christians use the word ka...

  1. The Question What is reincarnation? Not as a fantasy trope or a casual metaphor — but as a serious spiritual claim: That life continues after death, not in heaven or hell, but in another body, another form, another chapter. 2. The Human Angle You meet someone who says they remember a past life. You hear a child speak of things they couldn’t possibly know. You feel a strange familiarity with a place you’ve never been. And you wonder: Is this coincidence? Memory? Imagination? Or is it something deeper — a soul’s echo? 3. The Inquiry Reincarnation is the belief that some essence — soul, consciousness, spirit — survives death and is reborn in a new form. It’s central to many traditions: Even ancient Greek philosophers like Pythagoras and Plato spoke of metempsychosis — the soul’s migration from one body to another. Why do people believe in it? Karma : Actions have consequences beyond this life. Justice : Reincarnation explains suffering — not as punish...

  From Arthur Yavelberg, author of A Theology for the Rest of Us -- Not So Still, Small Voice In times of terrible tragedies—whether personal or world-wide—many in the West think of the Bible and pray.  While the text of the prayer may be general–”Please fix this!”–there is usually the hope that there will be some dramatic, divine intervention—much like, say, God splitting the Red Sea in the Book of  Exodus .  However, while there are many examples of such miracles in both the Old and the New Testaments, there are also accounts where God’s presence is not at all obvious.  For instance, in the Book of Genesis, the  Joseph  of “The Coat of Many Colors” fame is despised by his brothers, sold into slavery and spends years in an Egyptian dungeon—only to rise to power by the side of the Egyptian vizier, save the lands from a devastating drought and rescue his family.  As Joseph tells his bewildered brothers, “You intended to harm me, but God intended i...