Academic literature on the topic 'Manichaeism'

This article examines part of the development of North African Manichaeism, with a specific focus on Aduersus Manichaeos, an anti-Manichaean tretaise attributed to Evodius of Uzalis. Evodius, a friend of Augustine of Hippo, probably wrote Aduersus Manichaeos in the years 425. The treatise constitutes an important source on North African Manichaeism, written two decades after the major anti-Manichaean works of Augustine. A preliminary section discusses Evodius’ sources. Unlike Augustine he was not a former member of the Manichaean movement, and his Adversus Manichaeos lacks the insiders’ knowledge of Augustine’s treatises. Nevertheless, it will be argued that Evodius had prepared himself thoroughly in order to write his anti-Manichaean treatise. The subsequent section offers an overview of testimonia on the Manichaean canon in the Latin world. These testimonia seem to suggest —that over time— the North African Manichaeans held one particular letter of Mani, the Epistula Fundamenti, in high esteem. The concluding section briefly addresses the genre, status, contents and circulation of Mani’s letter.

The article is devoted to the study of Manichaeism in Uyghur written monuments. Manichaeism is a religious belief that emerged in the Middle East in the 3rd century AD. Manichaeism contained Zoroastrian, Christian, Judaic, Mithraic and Buddhist elements. However, it is a holistic, complex religious system based on the dualistic philosophy of the struggle between good and evil, darkness and light, bright and dark. After the demise of the Old Turkic Khaganates, the Uyghur Begyu Khagan made Manichaeism the state religion of the Uyghur Khaganate. One of the reasons for the adoption of Manichaeism by the Uyghurs was the Begyu Khagan’s desire to establish relations with the Sogdians, the missionaries of Manichaeism, who were trying to spread it in East Turkestan, China and Mongolia.The spread of Manichaeism among the ancient Uyghurs is attested by Chinese and Arabic sources, but especially by several Uyghur monuments. Among these monuments is the Karabalgasun inscription, found by N.M. Yadrintsev in 1889 during an expedition to Mongolia, Ordu-Balyk (Karabalgasun). The author of the article analyzes the content of the Karabalgasun inscription and other Uyghur texts, explores the essence of the ideas of Manichaeism and reveals its origin, spread and close connection with Buddhism

The subject ‘Augustine and Manichaeism’ is a very extensive one. In this article the author confines himself to some main lines and argues that the subject is of central importance in the history of Christianity He shows how the theology of the most important Western Church Father was influenced by Manichaeism and suggests that without Manichaeism Western theology cannot really be comprehended.

ABSTRACT When enmity seizes language, speech needs be silenced to give meaningful communication a chance. But current Manichean structures making life a moral battleground have to first be undone to make shared problem solving possible. It is suggested that a rhetoric of the essay is better suited to this task than the rhetoric of speech.

AbstractEznik of Kołb's famous script without a title, which modern editors have called Ełc ałandoc' "Against the Sects" or "De Deo", is rightly valued as a source on Zoroastrianism/Zurvanism. It's importance as a source of information on Manichaeism has been less appreciated. What does Eznik actually tell us about Manichaeism? In the following some relevant topics are presented.

This article proposes a methodology for the study of Manichaeism in the Sermones ad populum. Sermons provide a unique perspective on Augustine’s thought: they offered him the opportunity to share theological and ethical concerns with a responsive audience. Because his sermons have only recently been (re-)discovered as loci of Augustine’s ideas, and because they constitute a specific genre within his oeuvre, the development of a method for studying them is in order. To illustrate the proposed method, the present contribution examines anti-Manichaean content in the Sermones ad populum by means of two key concepts. The first concept is that of crypto-Manichaeism. Although they do not refute Manichaeism in its totality, the sermons are regularly concerned with specific aspects of Manichaeism, such as those that were relevant to the sermon’s liturgical occasion or those Augustine feared were attractive to his flock. Crypto-Manichaeism refers, on the one hand, to the tendency of Manichaeans to refrain from openly identifying themselves as such. After all, they considered themselves true Christians. Nor was Manichaeism the only movement in late antique Christianity that espoused dualistic beliefs, rejected bodily desires and material wealth, and criticized the Old Testament. Anti-Manichaean argument was therefore more broadly applicable than refutation of Manichaeism stricto sensu. Our attention to crypto-Manichaeism therefore does justice to the pastoral and exhortative function of Augustine’s sermons. A second key concept is the perspective of the audience. The setting of each sermon is unique, the composition of audiences varied, and attendance no doubt fluctuated. Each sermon ought to be considered as its own literary and theological whole, hermeneutically influenced by its concrete Sitz im Leben (i.e., composition of the audience, time and place, liturgical setting, etc.). The audience’s theology can be reconstructed in a bottom-up fashion, with each sermon supplying complementary and cumulative theological information that the audience could have gathered by participating in the liturgy. In this article we apply the proposed methodology to a group of four early anti-Manichaean sermons.

This paper examines the Irish philosopher, theologian and divine William King’s (1650–1729) discussion of Manichaeism in the essay De Origine Mali (On the Origin of Evil) (1702). King intended to demonstrate that the Manichaeist solution to the problem of the origin of evil, consisting in assuming the existence of two opposite principles of, respectively, good and evil, leaves the problem untouched and, therefore, cannot compete with the orthodox view, according to which the presence of evil, despite appearances to the contrary, is compatible with the one and perfect principle of all creation. Following preliminary remarks about the text, context, and King’s terminology, this paper argues that his criticism is flawed.

This thesis will investigate, by means of the historical-critical method, Augustine of Hippo's understanding of the Manichaean idea of the Good, and how this understanding affects his own related notions of summum bonum and personal evil, and, as a corollary, his doctrine of predestination. The question of a possible Manichaean influence is particularly pertinent because Manichaeism is at heart a dualistic solution to the issue of good and evil. The focus is not on Manichaeism per se but on Augustine's perception of it, as more directly affecting his thinking. Augustine's treatise De natura boni (399) in part summarizes his treatment of "the nature of the Good" in earlier polemics. From his first writing, De pulchro et apto (380), to that point, Augustine understands the Manichaean concept as equating the Good with the Beautiful, the latter taken to mean that which engenders tranquil pleasure. Conversely, evil is thought of as a disturbance of this state, whether spiritually or physically. Wickedness and mortality are deemed to be both spiritually and physically evil in Manichaean terms because they disturb a person's tranquil existence. In his non-metaphysical theory he designs to explain intrinsic personal evil developed in De uera religione (390), Augustine redefines these two notions as "sin" and "penalty," hence imposing on them a casual relation that makes the conception of a vicious circle mechanism possible. Augustine's development of the idea of predestination reveals the Manichaean concept of the Good at work in three ways: on the framework of that development, in the implication of determinism, and on the context of the doctrine. Despite the presence of evil, he believes that the whole cosmos is in harmonious beauty so long as evil is assigned to its proper place. God is to preserve this order in both the physical and the spiritual (moral) creations, an order portrayable with a two-tiered frame. Initially (around 388), Augustine thought that an individual person, as a spiritual creature, should have self-determination by the exercise of the will. But gradually, due to his conviction that personal evil is inevitable, Augustine assigned determination of one's destiny to the jurisdiction of God. Determinism, however, is not the only characteristic feature of Augustine's version of predestination. The cosmological and eschatological contexts of his doctrine demand the notion of summum bonum to warrant the beauty of the cosmic order as well as to assure the elect's eternal tranquil beatitude. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)

Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2014.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Augustine of Hippo remains one of the most prominent and influential figures in the world of Catholicism, famous for his many writings and sermons on Catholic Christianity as well as his ardent defence of it. His debate with Fortunatus, a member of the Manichaean faith presented Augustine with one of his defining moments as a member of the Catholic clergy. This is because Augustine had only been a presbyter in the Church at Hippo for a few months when this debate took place and therefore had much at stake against his wily opponent. To make matters even more complicated for Augustine, he himself had been a Manichee for at least nine years and knew Fortunatus as a skilled debater. But rhetoric, or the art of persuasion, was a field in which Augustine excelled, having both a natural proclivity for speaking as well as the formal education behind it. Chapter one begins with an introduction to the debate, the primary characters, and the religions involved. Chapter two continues with an exposition of Augustine and his association with Manichaeism and then goes on to describe Augustine‟s anti-Manichaean works. From this point, chapter two continues with a section on Manichaeism, its spread, its myth and its practice. From this contextual basis, chapter three deals with the methodology of Critical Discourse Analysis and the three most important characters in the form of Halliday, Fairclough and van Dijk. This chapter is followed by another chapter on theory: Argumentation Theory. Chapter four includes subsections on van Eemeren and his methodologies of Pragma-Dialectics and Strategic Maneuvering. The analysis chapters of this dissertation begin with chapter five which deals with concepts from Critical Discourse Analysis and Argumentation Theory. This chapter includes subsections on categories of enquiry, followed by a section on a number of recurring devices, namely: answering questions, changing the topic and quoting scripture. A Critical Discourse Analysis section follows with subsections that include difference, evaluation and knowledge as a common ground component of contexts. This in turn is followed by sections on Argumentation Theory and Strategic Maneuvering, which include subsections on economy, efficacy and coherence; realism and wellfoundedness; logical reasoning process and pragmatic inferences; reasonableness versus effectiveness; the rhetorical perspective; discussion strategies; dialectical aims versus rhetorical aims and deceptive manoeuvring. The final analysis chapter, the Contra Fortunatum in context, includes subsections on the opening of the debate, the structure of the debate and the topics of discussion. Within this last section subsections on the Nebridian conundrum, the origin of evil, and free will occur. The next subsection dicusses topics not mentioned in the debate: the Manichaean myth, Mani and the previous friendship between Fortunatus and Augustine. Following this there are sections on Manichaeism presenting itself as a form of Christianity, the debaters talking past each other and the issues of audience composition and power relations between the various role players. Chapter seven takes a concluding look at the issue of who should be designated the winner of the debate.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Augustinus van Hippo bly een van die mees prominente en invloedryke figure in die wêreld van die Katolisisme, bekend vir sy vele skrywes en preke oor die Katolieke Christendom sowel as sy ywerige verdediging daarvan. Sy debat met Fortunatus, ʼn lid van die Manichese geloof, het aan Augustinus een van die bepalende oomblikke in sy rol as Katolieke geestelike besorg. Die rede hiervoor is dat Augustinus ten tyde van die debat nog net ʼn paar maande ʼn presbiter in die kerk in Hippo was; daarom was daar baie op die spel in die debat teen hierdie gedugte opponent. Om dinge selfs nog meer ingewikkeld vir Augustinus te maak, was hy self vir ten minste nege jaar 'n Manicheër en was hy bekend met Fortunatus se retoriese vermoëns. Retoriek, of die kuns van oorreding, was egter 'n veld waarin Augustinus uitgeblink het. Hy het beide ʼn natuurlike aanvoeling vir redevoering sowel as ʼn formele opleiding gehad. Hoofstuk een van die proefskrif begin met ʼn inleiding tot die debat, die hoofkarakters en die gelowe wat betrokke is. Hoofstuk twee gaan voort met ʼn uiteensetting van Augustinus en sy assosiasie met die Manichese geloof en beskryf ook Augustinus se anti-Manichese werke. Van hier af gaan hoofstuk twee dan verder met 'n afdeling oor die Manichese geloof, die mitologie en lewenswyse, sowel as die verspreiding van die Manicheïsme. Met hierdie kontekstuele agtergrond as basis handel hoofstuk drie oor die metodologie van Kritiese Diskoersanalise en die drie belangrikste eksponente van hierdie teoretiese rigting, Halliday, Fairclough en Van Dijk. Hierdie hoofstuk word gevolg deur nog ʼn teoretiese hoofstuk wat handel oor Argumentasieteorie. Hoofstuk vier sluit onderafdelings in oor Van Eemeren en sy metodologieë van Pragma-Dialektiek en Strategiese Maneuvers. Die ontledingshoofstukke van hierdie proefskrif begin by hoofstuk vyf wat handel oor Kritiese Diskoersanalise en Argumentasieteorie. Hierdie hoofstuk sluit onderafdelings in oor kategorieë van ondersoek, opgevolg deur ʼn gedeelte oor 'n aantal herhalende tegnieke: die beantwoording van vrae, die verandering van die onderwerp en skrifaanhalings. ʼn Volgende afdeling oor Kritiese Diskoersanalise volg daarop met onderafdelings wat verskil, evaluasie en kennis as ʼn gemeenskaplike komponent op die terrein van konteks insluit. Hierop volg 'n afdeling oor Strategiese Maneuvers. Laasgenoemde sluit onderafdelings in oor ekonomie, doeltreffendheid en koherensie; realisme en gegrondheid; logiese denkprosesse en pragmatiese gevolgtrekkings; redelikheid versus effektiwiteit; die retoriese perspektief; besprekingstrategieë; dialektiese doelwitte versus retoriese doelwitte en maneuvers van misleiding. Die finale ontledingshoofstuk, getiteld die Contra Fortunatum in konteks, sluit onderafdelings in oor die openingsreëls van die debat, die struktuur van die debat en tematiek daarvan. In die laaste afdelings word die kwessies van die Nebridiese vraagstuk, die oorsprong van boosheid en die vrye wil ingesluit. Die volgende onderafdeling bevat onderwerpe wat nie in die debat behandel word nie: die Manichese mite, Mani en die vroeëre vriendskap tussen Fortunatus en Augustinus. Daarop volg die afdelings oor die Manichese strategie om hierdie godsdiens as Christelike godsdiens voor te stel, die deelnemers se taktiek om verby mekaar te praat asook oor die samestelling van die gehoor en kwessie van die magsverhoudinge tussen die onderskeie rolspelers. Die laaste hoofstuk sluit samevattend af met 'n kort bespreking van die kwessie van wie as die wenner van die debat beskou moet word.

This thesis will explore whether Augustine of Hippo altered his theological views and what influences might have precipitated the alleged modifications. Augustine’s early "De libero arbitrio" argued for an individual’s ability to respond freely to God while his later anti-Pelagian writings rejected any human ability to believe until God infuses grace creating belief as his gift. Does his theology exhibit continuity or discontinuity? Four commonplace assertions within Augustinian studies are questioned in this thesis: 1.) Augustine changed his theology in AD 396; 2.) while he was writing the letter to Bishop Simplicianus (Simpl.); 3.) with his transition occurring through reading scripture (Rom.7, 9;1 Cor.15); 4.) which he developed through merely modifying prevalent doctrines. No scholarly work has researched Augustine’s entire corpus from AD 386–430 specifically analyzing his theology in the five final doctrines of: 1.) God giving initial faith as a gift, 2.) inherited damnable reatus from Adam, 3.) the gift of perseverance, 4.) unilateral pre-determination of persons’s eternal destinies independently of foreknowledge, and 5.) God’s neither desiring nor providing for the salvation of all persons. Only a comprehensive methodological approach—reading systematically, chronologically, and comprehensively through his entire corpus—can legitimately demonstrate changes. Did a Patristic consensus exist regarding post-Adamic free choice? What was Augustine’s contribution to this theology? To what degree did the combination of Stoicism, Neoplatonism, and Manichaeism contribute to his liberum arbitrium captivatum? Chapters include an introduction followed by chapters on free choice versus determinism in the: 1.) ancient philosophical-religious world, 2.) Christian authors AD 95–215, 3.) Christian authors AD 216–430, 4.) Augustine’s works AD 386–395, 5.) Augustine’s works AD 396–411, 6.) Augustine’s works AD 412–426, 7.) Augustine’s works AD 427–430, 8.) sermons and epistles, 9.) Augustine’s exegesis of scripture, and 10.) conclusion. Conclusions will be established via extensive primary quotations and references with supporting secondary sources.

Augustine, the fourth-century Christian philosopher, is perhaps best-known for his spiritual autobiography Confessions. Two aspects of the problem of evil are arguably critical for comprehending his life in Books 1 through 9 of the work. His search for the nature and origin of evil in the various philosophies that he encounters (the intellectual aspect) and his struggles with his own weaknesses (the experiential aspect) are windows for understanding the actual dynamics of his sojourn. I defend the idea above by providing a fuller examination of the key role that both aspects play in his spiritual journey. Examining relevant events from Augustine's life chronologically, I analyze his philosophical wanderings from his encounter with Cicero's work Hortensius through his eventual disillusionment with the Manichaean religion, and finally, his move in the direction of Christian teachings with the help of Neo-Platonism. Along the way his philosophical questions (the intellectual aspect) and his struggles with his own depravity (the experiential aspect) have an effect on each other until his ultimate move toward Christianity resolves both problems of evil.

Abstract : This thesis develops an ideological critique of selected works by Oliver Lange, Orson Scott Card, Mary Jane Engh, Paul Chamberland, Hubert Aquin, and Claude Jasmin in order to uncover how they use the politico-literary discourse of the paranoid style and its Manichean binary of Us versus Them within the contexts of the United States during the Cold War (and its on-going repercussions into the early 1970’s) and Québec during the Révolution tranquille (Quiet Revolution). The consequent ideologemes manifest narratives describing the fight of an oppressed group (Us) against a demonized hegemonic enemy (Them.) This comparative literature project includes political and historical analyses in order to situate the works in the socio-historical contexts of their production, and since the ideologies of a period may be imbedded (knowingly or not) by an author in a text. The United States and Québec were extremely different culturally, as well as politically, during the decades in question and the issues their populations had to face were often quite dissimilar. Yet it is precisely the interrogation of their dissimilarities that is central to my project of demonstrating, through the selected texts, how two different societies narrativise key predominant ideological anxieties and struggles using the same rhetoric and similar tropes of the paranoid syle and its Manichean ideologemes.
Résumé : Ce mémoire réalise une critique idéologique de textes littéraires produits par différents auteurs : Oliver Lange, Orson Scott Card, Mary Jane Engh, Paul Chamberland, Hubert Aquin et Claude Jasmin. Cette critique a pour but d'étudier comment ces textes utilisent le discours politico-littéraire du paranoid style (style paranoïaque) et le manichéanisme ( Us versus Them ou Eux ou Nous) qui lui est associé à l'intérieur du contexte sociohistorique des États-Unis au plus fort de la Guerre froide (et durant sa période plus chaude des années 1970) et du Québec au plus fort de la Révolution tranquille. Les idéologèmes qui en résultent façonnent des histoires décrivant le combat d'un groupe opprimé (Nous) contre un ennemi hégémonique et démonisé (Eux) Ce projet de littérature comparée fait appel à des analyses politiques et historiques pour situer les textes analysés dans leur contexte sociohistorique de production respectifs puisque les idéologies d'une époque peuvent être insérées (consciemment ou non) par un auteur dans un texte. Le Québec et les États-Unis étaient des sociétés extrêmement différentes culturellement et politiquement durant ces décennies et les problèmes auxquels elles devaient faire face étaient différents également. C'est l'exploration de ces différences qui est centrale à ma démonstration, à travers les textes sélectionnés, du processus par lequel deux sociétés différentes opposées à deux ennemis différents mettent en scène leurs principaux combats et anxiétés idéologiques en utilisant la même rhétorique et les même conventions reliées au style paranoïaque et à son Manichéanisme.

Thesis (M.A.)--Georgia State University, 2007.
Title from file title page. Timothy M. Renick, committee chair; Tim O'Keefe, Louis A. Ruprecht, Jr., committee members. Electronic text (110 p.) : digital, PDF file. Description based on contents viewed Jan. 18, 2008. Includes bibliographical references (p. 103-110).

Nous voyons apparaître, ces dernières années, ce que l'on nomme « les nouvelles spiritualités » : phénomène de société pour les uns ; danger alarmant pour les autres. Toutefois il n'est pas aisé de se faire un avis objectif sur la question, dans la mesure où chacun pense détenir une part de vérité qu’il s’obstine à défendre contre celle de l'autre. Il faudrait pourtant s’éléver au-dessus de toutes ces passions, dépasser le simple cadre de ces confrontations pour voir jaillir une vérité plus universelle.Ce sujet de recherche est une histoire ; une histoire qui commence avec « le baptême dans la Correspondance de Cyprien de Carthage » et qui s’est poursuivi avec « la querelle sur le baptême et les divisions de l’Église chrétienne africaine de Cyprien de Carthage à Augustin ». Il s’agit d’une histoire ascentionelle qui prend source dans la question du rebaptême si cher à Cyprien à la suite des lapsi, qui enchaîne avec la remise en cause de l’idée du rebaptême, pour déboucher sur la préoccupation de la paix dans l’unité avec Augustin. C’est la question centrale du «combat contre l’hérésie chez Augustin [dans] la campagne anti-manichéenne et anti-donatiste».Dans le cadre de ces recherches, j’ai surtout voulu aborder, par l’étude des documents essentiels des oeuvres d’Augustin d’Hippone [plus précisément l’ample « dossier » anti-manichéen et encore le plus ample « dossier » anti-donatiste], la façon dont l’histoire des communautés chrétiennes, à une certaine époque de l’antiquité, a été impactée dans son évolution sociale et idéologique par la pluralité des pensées qui se sont développées en son sein.Le choix du sujet imposait une nouvelle approche à l’étude et exploitation des sources afin de mieux appréhender les stratégies de combat développées par Augustin dans son offensive contre l’hérésie en Afrique et à l’époque théodosienne. Ainsi, dans ce travail de recherche j’ai eu à coeur de souligner l'information originale qui découle des oeuvres anti-manichéennes et anti-donatistes d'Augustin, en particulier sur les effets de la fonction préventive des pénalités, la terreur des lois et l’action des évêques pour découvrir les hérétiques. J’ai en outre eu à coeur de souligner que, dans le cas des manichéens, Augustin a toujours agi avec la rigueur et la méfiance d’une personne convertie, bien qu'il n’ait pas pu éviter l'empreinte du manichéisme dans certains de ses concepts. Quant au donatisme, j’ai mené mes investigations dans le cadre conceptuel du conflit religieux et des tensions ecclésiologiques.Ce travail est d’une certaine originalité. Une originalité davantage développer et perceptible dans la troisième partie grâce notamment à l'étude comparative de l'intervention d'Augustin avec les deux formes de dissidence
We see appear, these last years, what we is called « the new spiritualities » : social phenomenon for some; danger alarming for the others. However it is not easy to make an objective opinion on the question, as far as each think hold a part of the truth which persists in defending against that of the other one. It would be necessary nevertheless to go over all these passions, to exceed the simple framework of these confrontations to see springing the truth more universal.This research topic is a history ; a story which begins with « the baptism in the Correspondence of Cyprian of Carthage » and that continued with « the quarrel on the baptism and the divisions of the african christian church from Cyprian of Carthage to Augustine ». It is about a climb story which takes its source in the question of the second baptism so expensive to Cyprian following lapsi, which continues with the questioning of the idea of the second baptisme, to lead to the concern about the peace in the unity with Augustine. It is the central question of « Augustine’s fight against the heresy [in] the anti-manichean campaign and anti-donatist ».In the framework of these researches, I especially wanted to approach, by the study of the essential documents of the works of Augustin of Hippo [more exactly the ample anti-manichean « file » and still the most ample « file » anti-donatiste], the way the history of the christian communities, in a certain period of the antiquity, was impacted in its social and ideological evolution by the plurality of the thoughts which developed within it.The choice of the subject required a new approach on the study and the exploitation of sources in order to better apprehend the strategies of fight developed by Augustine in its offensive against the heresy in Africa and in the period theodosian. So, in this research work I was eager to underline the original information which ensues from anti-manichean works and anti-donatist of Augustine, in particular on the effects of the preventive function of the penalties, the terror of the laws and the action of the bishops to discover the heretics. I was besides eager to underline that, in the case of the manicheans, Augustine always acted with the rigor and the distrust of a converted person, although he was not able to avoid the imprint of the manichaeism in some of his concepts. As for the donatism, I led my investigations in the conceptual framework of the religious conflict and the ecclesiological tensions.This work is of a certain originality. An originality futrther develop and perceptible in the third part in particular to the comparative study of the intervention of Augustine with both forms of dissident