Lucas Sampaio (photo), was born in Santo Antônio de Jesus and currently lives in Salvador, the capital of the Brazilian state of Bahia. He is a 40-year-old lawyer, married and father of a son. He first came into contact with Spiritism 20 years ago and later joined Telma - Spiritist Theatre Leopoldo Machado, founded by the late Spiritist researcher, Carlos Bernardo Loureiro. With him, Lucas developed a passion for research and eventually travelled to France to investigate documents linked to two books by Alllan Kardec, “Genesis” and “Heaven and Hell.” He has now published a book with the result of his research, entitled “Nem céu nem inferno – As leis da alma segundo o Espiritismo” (“Neither Heaven nor Hell – The Laws of the Soul According to Spiritism”). The book was written in partnership with Paulo Henrique Figueiredo. Lucas Sampaio speaks in the following interview about the research and all the work that led to the publication of the book.

How did you become a Spiritist?

When I was 20, I received as present a session of therapy of past lives, which made me see reincarnation as a logical and fair explanation for the problems of we face in our lives. I spoke to a Spiritist friend at the time, who advised me to read the books of Allan Kardec, which I did when I lived abroad. When I returned to Brazil, I began looking for a Spiritist Centre and attended many organisations before I met Carlos Bernardo Loureiro. He stood out as someone who introduced me to the Teachings as a faithful representation of what Kardec had written.

I believe we are going through a time of significant changes in Spiritism. How do you assess these recent discoveries, including the letters and other manuscripts of Kardec, which can now be accessed by the public?

This is indeed a very special time, as you have evidence, documents, which prove that there was an internal dispute during and after the days of Professor Rivail [Allan Kardec]. This will help us overcome the effects of the attacks carried out since then by the dogmatic wing of Spiritism and vindicate those who have stood by the liberal and progressive aspects of the Teachings. The adulterations that we have unveiled help us understand what is on in our Movement and the dogmatism that is still very much part of Spiritism. Kardec predicted that, after a religious period, Spiritism would go through an intermediate period before reaching the phase of Regeneration. Significant developments that have been taking place, allowing us to regain access to the original Teachings, show that we are now going through that transition period, from where Spiritism will emerge stronger and fully fit to contribute with the new phase of social Regeneration.

Let us continue to talk about the new facts unveiled of the life of Kardec. Can you tell us a bit more about the book that you are publishing, along with Paulo Henrique de Figueiredo?

Many people gave valuable and anonymous contributions to our book. We have done extensive research at the André Luiz Foundation (Centro de Documentação e Obras Raras da Fundação Espírita André Luiz -- CDOR-FEAL). I also researched during a visit to Paris, prompted by our suspicions that Kardec’s “Heaven and Hell” had been subjected to substantial adulterations. Not only we were able to confirm that unauthorised changes had taken place, but we were able to establish that the dogmatic wing of Spiritism carried out numerous plots. They staged a coup against Spiritism, which paved the way for the adulterations and the serious replacement of the message of autonomous and liberating moral with the dogmatic heteronomy of the ancestral religions. Spiritists of good faith have been fooled for 150 years. The recovery of the original texts, along with Paulo Henrique’s recent discoveries, open up new and auspicious horizons for better understanding the Spiritist Teachings.

What is the most important aspect of the book that you are publishing with Paulo Henrique Figueiredo?

The most relevant aspect of the book is, without a shadow of a doubt, is recovering the original texts of Kardec, which have been hidden for so long by many adulterations and unauthorised changes. We now have confirmation that Spiritist moral is essentially autonomous, as Paulo Henrique had said in 2016, in his book, “Revolução Espírita” (Spiritist Revolution). The emancipating force of Spiritism lies exactly on that innovative and experimental metaphysics that separates its scientific morals from the systems, which are merely human and open the doors for all sorts for dogmas, suffering, privileges and unfair structures of social domination. For that reason, we have written a special chapter dedicated to the moral theory according to Kardec and we analysed the two chapters of the book which suffered the greatest number of unauthorised changes.

Is there anything else you would like to add?

Let us no allow that our liberating Teachings remain attached to the dogmas of the past, which produce so much suffering and social injustice. Let us try to understand the deviations and damage caused by the false prophets so we can remain vigilant. In order to overcome the legacy of those false ideas, our generation of Spiritists must have a better understanding of what autonomous moral means. Now we have at our reach more tools to understand it, like Spiritualist psychology and Rational Spiritualism. They are very important tools for us to read and understand the original work of Kardec, with the perspective of the days when those books were written. We can then understand why an optimistic Kardec said then the time has come. We are able to say the same now.