James Leininger reincarnation case
The James Leininger reincarnation case was centered around an American boy, James Leininger (April 10, 1998 – ),[1] who was argued to be the reincarnation of American fighter pilot James Hurston, Jr. Allegedly, beginning at age 2 in 2000, Leininger's behavior and claims resembled Hurston's life, leading his parents, Bruce and Andrea Leininger, and others to believe he was Hurston's reincarnation.[2] Andrea Leininger said her mother was the first to suggest James Leininger was remembering a past life.[3]
Jim Tucker, a researcher in the Division of Perceptual Studies at the University of Virginia, researched Leninger's case and believed it was evidence of reincarnation.[4] Many other researchers disagree and find that "quite ordinary experiences, unsurprising coincidences, and common psychological tendencies adequately account for the basic facts of the story."[2]
In popular culture
In 2009, Bruce and Andrea published Soul Survivor: The Reincarnation of a World War II Fighter Pilot, about their experiences and why they believed their son was Hurston's reincarnation.[2][4]
References
- ↑ Tucker, Jim B. (May 2016). "The Case of James Leininger: An American Case of the Reincarnation Type". EXPLORE. 12 (3): 200–207. doi:10.1016/j.explore.2016.02.003. ISSN 1550-8307. Archived from the original on 2023-11-05.
- 1 2 3 Sudduth, Michael (2021). "The James Leininger Case Re-Examined". Journal of Scientific Exploration. 35 (4). ISSN 0892-3310. Archived from the original on 2025-12-08.
- ↑ "Parents Think Boy Is Reincarnated Pilot". ABC News. Retrieved 2026-08-11.
- 1 2 Jamison, Leslie. "Giving Up the Ghost: From "The Assistant's Loft," an essay from a revised edition of the anthology Goodbye to All That, which was published last month by Seal Press. She had a name, but…". Harper's Magazine. Vol. March 2015. ISSN 0017-789X. Retrieved 2026-08-11.