Although karma remains a key concept in modern Japanese religiosity, we can see a substantial amount of reinterpretation of its content, on the level of both official doctrine and individual belief. In classical expressions of karma theory, the idea of ethical retribution extending across multiple lifetimes plays a central role. Previous research, however, has shown that the fatalism often associated with such a concept is alleviated by the incorporation of beliefs concerning ancestor veneration, the transfer of merit, astrology, or theistic intervention. This study focuses on the expression of karmic beliefs in the doctrine of two Japanese New Religions and the results of interviews conducted with members of those movements involved in social welfare work, and examines how the concept of karma is reinterpreted to allow for modern understandings of freedom and human potential.