Manichaeism

"Manichaean" redirects here. For the writing system, see Manichaean script.
Not to be confused with Mandaeism.

Manichaeism
آیینِ مانی 摩尼教
Sealstone of Mani
Sealstone of Mani, rock crystal, possibly 3rd century CE, Iraq. Cabinet des Médailles, Paris.[1][2] The seal reads "Mani, messenger of the messiah", and may have been used by Mani himself to sign his epistles.[3][1]
TypeUniversal religion
ClassificationIranian religion
ScriptureManichaean scripture
TheologyDualistic
RegionHistorical: Europe, East Asia, Central Asia, West Asia, North Africa, Siberia Current: Fujian, Zhejiang
LanguageMiddle Persian, Classical Syriac, Parthian, Classical Latin, Classical Chinese, Old Uyghur language, Tocharian B, Sogdian language, Greek
FounderMani
Origin3rd century AD
Parthian, Sasanian Empire
Separated fromJewish Christian Elcesaite sect, and the teachings of Jesus, Buddha, and Zoroaster
Separations
A portrait of a Persian Manichaean. Line drawing copy of two frescoes from cave 38B at Bezeklik Grottoes.
An image of a Manichaean temple with stars and seven firmaments. Line drawing copy of two frescoes from cave 38B at Bezeklik Grottoes.

Manichaeism (/ˌmænɪˈkiːɪzəm/;[4] in Persian: آئین مانی Āʾīn-ī Mānī; Chinese: 摩尼教; pinyin: Móníjiào) is a former major world religion,[5] founded in the 3rd century CE by the Parthian[6] prophet Mani (216–274 CE), in the Sasanian Empire.[7]

Manichaeism teaches an elaborate dualistic cosmology describing the struggle between a good, spiritual world of light, and an evil, material world of darkness.[8] Through an ongoing process that takes place in human history, light is gradually removed from the world of matter and returned to the world of light, whence it came. Mani's teaching was intended to "combine",[9] succeed, and surpass the teachings of Platonism,[10][11] Christianity, Zoroastrianism, Buddhism, Marcionism,[9] Hellenistic and Rabbinic Judaism, Gnostic movements, Ancient Greek religion, Babylonian and other Mesopotamian religions,[12] and mystery cults.[13][14] It reveres Mani as the final prophet after Zoroaster, the Buddha and Jesus.

Manichaeism was quickly successful and spread far through Aramaic-speaking regions.[15] It thrived between the third and seventh centuries, and at its height was one of the most widespread religions in the world. Manichaean churches and scriptures existed as far east as China and as far west as the Roman Empire.[16] It was briefly the main rival to early Christianity in the competition to replace classical polytheism before the spread of Islam. Under the Roman Dominate, Manichaeism was persecuted by the Roman state and was eventually stamped out in the Roman Empire.[5]

Manichaeism survived longer in the east than it did in the west. Although it was thought to have finally faded away after the 14th century in South China,[17] contemporary to the decline of the Church of the East in Ming China, there is a growing corpus of evidence that shows Manichaeism persists in some areas of China, especially in Fujian,[18][19][need quotation to verify] where numerous Manichaean relics have been discovered over time. The currently known sects are notably secretive and protective of their belief system, in an effort to remain undetected. This stems from fears relating to persecution and suppression during various periods of Chinese history.[20][failed verification]

While most of Manichaeism's original writings have been lost, numerous translations and fragmentary texts have survived.[21]

An adherent of Manichaeism is called a Manichaean, Manichean, or Manichee, the last especially in older sources.[22][23][further explanation needed]

  1. ^ a b Grenet, Frantz (2022). Splendeurs des oasis d'Ouzbékistan. Paris: Louvre Editions. p. 93. ISBN 978-84-125278-5-8.
  2. ^ "Believers, Proselytizers, & Translators The Sogdians". sogdians.si.edu. Archived from the original on 14 October 2023. Retrieved 26 March 2023.
  3. ^ GULÁCSI, ZSUZSANNA (2010). "The Prophet's Seal: A Contextualized Look at the Crystal Sealstone of Mani (216–276 C.E.) in the Bibliothèque nationale de France" (PDF). Bulletin of the Asia Institute. 24: 164. ISSN 0890-4464. JSTOR 43896125.
  4. ^ "manichaeism". Oxford English Dictionary (Online ed.). Oxford University Press. (Subscription or participating institution membership required.)
  5. ^ a b R. van den Broek, Wouter J. Hanegraaff Gnosis and Hermeticism from Antiquity to Modern TimesSUNY Press, 1998 ISBN 978-0-7914-3611-0 p. 37
  6. ^ Yarshater, Ehsan The Cambridge History of Iran, Volume 3 (2), The Seleucid, Parthian and Sasanian Periods, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 1983.
  7. ^ "Manichaeism". New Advent Encyclopedia. Archived from the original on 8 May 2020. Retrieved 4 October 2013.
  8. ^ "Manichaeism" at Encyclopædia Iranica
  9. ^ a b Turner, Alice K. (1993). The History of Hell (1st ed.). United States: Harcourt Brace. p. 50. ISBN 978-0-15-140934-1.
  10. ^ Corrigan, Kevin; Rasimus, Tuomas (2013). Gnosticism, Platonism and the late ancient world: essays in honour of John D. Turner. Nag Hammadi and Manichaean studies. Leiden: Brill. ISBN 978-90-04-22383-7.
  11. ^ Dardagan, Amer (13 May 2017). "Neoplatonism, The Response on Gnostic and Manichean ctiticism of Platonism". doi:10.31235/osf.io/krj2n. Retrieved 4 June 2024. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  12. ^ Widengren, Geo Mesopotamian elements in Manichaeism (King and Saviour II): Studies in Manichaean, Mandaean, and Syrian-gnostic religion, Lundequistska bokhandeln, 1946.
  13. ^ Hopkins, Keith (July 2001). A World Full of Gods: The Strange Triumph of Christianity. New York: Plume. pp. 246, 263, 270. ISBN 0-452-28261-6. OCLC 47286228.
  14. ^ Arendzen, John (1 October 1910). "Manichæism Archived 1 December 2023 at the Wayback Machine". The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 9. New York: The Encyclopedia Press, Inc.
  15. ^ Jason BeDuhn; Paul Allan Mirecki (2007). Frontiers of Faith: The Christian Encounter With Manichaeism in the Acts of Archelaus. BRILL. p. 6. ISBN 978-90-04-16180-1.
  16. ^ Andrew Welburn, Mani, the Angel and the Column of Glory: An Anthology of Manichaean Texts (Edinburgh: Floris Books, 1998), p. 68
  17. ^ Jason David BeDuhn The Manichaean Body: In Discipline and Ritual Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. 2000 republished 2002 p.IX
  18. ^ Li, Linzhou (2004). 福州摩尼教重要遗址——福州台江义洲浦西福寿宫 (in Chinese) (1 ed.). p. 44.
  19. ^ Chen, Yizhou; Tu, Yuanji (2004). 福建摩尼教寺院遗址考 (in Chinese) (1 ed.). p. 82.
  20. ^ Clarence, Siut Wai Hung. "The Forgotten Buddha: Manichaeism and Buddhist Elements in Imperial China". Archived from the original on 29 January 2024. Retrieved 29 January 2024.
  21. ^ Gardner, Iain; Lieu, Samuel N. C., eds. (2004). Manichaean Texts from the Roman Empire. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
  22. ^ Such as the Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers First Series, ed. Philip Schaff, writing of Augustine
  23. ^ "Definition of MANICHAEAN". merriam-webster.com. 15 July 2023. Archived from the original on 4 January 2017. Retrieved 12 March 2018.