Talk:Manichaeism

Mani's Death

"After failing to win the favor of the next generation (of rulers? of the population?), and having the disapproval of the Zoroastrian clergy, Mani is reported to have died in prison awaiting execution by the Persian Emperor Bahram I, who, soon after his accession, caused Mani to be crucified. He then had the corpse flayed and the skin stuffed and hung up at the city gate as a terrifying spectacle to his followers, whom the new emperor persecuted with relentless severity. Other accounts say he was beheaded."

Confusing, huh? Does this account show three accounts of Mani's death or two (with editing needed)? Anyone know? WBardwin 01:02, 26 Feb 2005 (UTC)

The discussion of paraclete needs to be consolidated from two separate places. Hooray for whoever can do this! - dd

Mani (216-267/7) and his 'biography'

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The Codex Manichaicus Coloniensis (CMC) by Theodoor Harmsen -in Dutch!- : 'About the life and work of Mani, the founder of Manichean religion very little was known for a long time...however, now we know a lot more... ' This author, among others, Prof. G. Quispel, Francois Favre, Hans van Oort) gave a lecture about the man Mani at a Symposium last May/2005 held in Bilthoven, the Netherlands : Mani, the Gift of Light. I'll try in the coming months to start a new page on Mani. However, due to a busy research project it might take some time, since a lot of new material has emerged with the discovery of the 'Cologne Mani-Codex'(only published in German and Dutch at this moment). You might want to check the internet site of Cologne University.
I have added some info. and references.
CHITRANI 9 SEP/05 15.26 (GMT +1)

Muhammed Ref.

I saw there was a reference to Muhammed claiming the title of "Paraclete." What's the source for that?

Manichaeism, a mixed religion/philosophy.

As i read about Manichaeism I begin to see that it seemed to be a mix of may philosophies from different religions. It apears that this philosophy drew its Metaphysics from the old Parsism, its morals from Buddhism, and its over all structure and dislike of mainline Christians it got from the gnostics, of which Manichaeism would be grouped with. Manichaeism seemed to rely on knowledge and experience more than truth (Gnostic). Its asceticism would rivel any Buddist. It even seems to draw its idea of Dark and Light, Good and Bad from some of the things that Aristotle taught. God is one and the the thing that is farthest from him is matter. That is really how the Manichaeists looked at it. All physical was Bad and dark but knowledge and spirits were light and good. Was Manichaeism just a mix of many religions or was it the true way of thinking? sources:The Oxford Companion to Phylosophy. Encyclopaedis of Religion Knowledge.

Augustine of Hippo

" Saint Augustine of Hippo, who converted to Christianity from Manichaeism, which he passionately denounced in his writings, and whose writing continues to be enormously influential among Catholic, Protestant, and Orthodox theologians." This is incorrect. Bl. Augustine's writings have barely hard any influence on Orthodox theology at all and much of what he wrote is vehemently opposed. It's only been in recent years that there has been a trend in the Orthodox Church to try and rehabilitate Bl. Augustine, and then only as a figure of piety rather than the great theologian he is seen as in the west. It would be more correct to state that the general Orthodox perspective of the saint is that whilst he was a good Christian his theological writings were often outside of the Tradition of the Church and that it was the western church's over-reliance on Augustine (due to his writing in Latin as opposed to Greek) that lead to the theological issues behind the Great Schism (the filioque) and many of the later developments in Roman Catholicism opposed by the Orthodox Church.

This claim could not be further from the truth! Augustine is well known to be the FATHER of Western Theology, and what is considered Western orthodox Christian faith. Whether theologians like it or not, most of our foundational theology is dependant on Augustine (as I have said, at least in the West). We may disagree with him on some points, but that is far from what you are suggesting. Further, this pays no respect to the prevalent argument in Augustinian scholarship that Augustine, to some degree, converts orthodox Christianity to HIS way of thinking.

Buddhist anachronisms

This article needs a lot of work, preferably from someone more familiar with Manichean thought than I, but things are clearly in bad shape when Mani is portrayed as having come after Buddha, when he in fact lived four centuries prior!

-- Joren (talk) 01:44, 30 April 2018 (UTC)