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Definition:
Mani was born in southern Babylon sometime around the year 215 or 216 CE and received
his first revelation at the age of 12. Around the age of 20 he seems to have completed
his system of thought and began missionary work around the year 240. Although he found
some support early on from Persian rulers, he and his followers were eventually
persecuted and he appears to have died in prison in 276. His beliefs had, however,
spread as far as Egypt and attracted a great many scholars, including Augustine.
Manicheism, the belief system named after him, is an extreme form of dualistic gnosticism. It is gnostic because it promises salvation through the attainment of special knowledge of spiritual truths. It is dualistic because it argues that the foundation of the universe is the opposition of two principles, good and evil, each equal in relative power.
Today it is not uncommon for extreme dualism in fundamentalist Christianity to be labeled as a form of modern Manicheism.
Also Known As: none
Alternate Spellings: none
Common Misspellings: none
Related Resources:
What is Theism?
What is the difference between monotheism and monolatry? Between pantheism and panentheism? How about between animism and shamanism? Or theism and deism? What the heck is henotheism? For that matter, what is and is not a religion?What is Religion?
A system of human beliefs, ideals and practices which is harder to define than it may at first appear.
