Pollution

If it can be shown that an incorporeal and reasonable being has life in itself independently of the body and that it is worse off in the body than out of it, then beyond a doubt bodies are only of secondary importance and arise from time to time to meet the varying conditions of reasonable creatures. Those who require bodies are clothed with them, and contrawise, when fallen souls have lifted themselves up to better things their bodies are once more annihilated. They are thus ever vanishing and ever reappearing.
~Origen

A Select Library of the Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers of the Christian Church, P. Schaff and H. Wace editors

What a messed up period in time. One of the most frequently quoted church "fathers" believed in reincarnation. Is there anyone we can trust from the 2nd century? My guess is no. About the best we can surmise is what the prevailing beliefs of the period were and try to match them against what's in the Bible.

Difficult to say the least. Who can say what effect these guys had on modern Christianity and what heresies of theirs are still incorporated within our own churches?