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3 - Manichaeism in the Roman Empire

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 December 2009

By
Iain Gardner  and
Samuel Nan-Chiang Lieu
Edited by
Iain Gardner  and
Samuel N. C. Lieu
Iain Gardner
Affiliation:
Chair and Senior Lecturer, Department of Studies in Religion, Sydney University
Samuel Nan-Chiang Lieu
Affiliation:
Professor of Ancient History and Co-Director of the Ancient History Documentary Research Centre, Macquarie University
Iain Gardner
Affiliation:
University of Sydney
Samuel N. C. Lieu
Affiliation:
Macquarie University, Sydney
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Summary

The religion of Mani was founded on clear universalist principles. His travels to Upper Mesopotamia, Iran and India would have brought him in contact with Christianity, Zoroastrianism and Buddhism; and what struck him most about these established earlier religions was their apparent cultural and geographical boundaries. In a Middle Persian fragment which is probably derived from the semi-canonical Šābuhragān (a summary of his religion which he had translated into Middle Persian for the reigning Shahanshah Shapur I), Mani tells one of his disciples that the most important proof of the truth of his new revelation is its success as a universalist religion which would transcend geographical and national barriers:

{Header:} The ascension …

{R} … till the end (in the w)orld is established?' And (the lord (?) replied) to him: ‘This religion which was chosen by me is in ten things above and better than the other religions of the ancients. Firstly: The older religions were in one country and one language; but my religion is of the kind that it will be manifest in every country and in all languages, and it will be taught in far away countries.

Secondly: The older religions (remained in order) as long as there were holy leaders in it; but when the leaders had been led upwards, then their religions became confused and they became slack in commandments and pious works, and by {V} greed and fire (of lust) and desire were deceived. However, my religion will remain firm through the living (… tea)chers, the bishops, the elect and the hearers; and of wisdom and works will stay on until the end. […]

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Manichaean Texts from the Roman Empire , pp. 109 - 150
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2004

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  • Manichaeism in the Roman Empire
    • By Iain Gardner, Chair and Senior Lecturer, Department of Studies in Religion, Sydney University, Samuel Nan-Chiang Lieu, Professor of Ancient History and Co-Director of the Ancient History Documentary Research Centre, Macquarie University
  • Edited by Iain Gardner, University of Sydney, Samuel N. C. Lieu, Macquarie University, Sydney
  • Book: Manichaean Texts from the Roman Empire
  • Online publication: 10 December 2009
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511616891.007
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  • Manichaeism in the Roman Empire
    • By Iain Gardner, Chair and Senior Lecturer, Department of Studies in Religion, Sydney University, Samuel Nan-Chiang Lieu, Professor of Ancient History and Co-Director of the Ancient History Documentary Research Centre, Macquarie University
  • Edited by Iain Gardner, University of Sydney, Samuel N. C. Lieu, Macquarie University, Sydney
  • Book: Manichaean Texts from the Roman Empire
  • Online publication: 10 December 2009
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511616891.007
Available formats
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To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

  • Manichaeism in the Roman Empire
    • By Iain Gardner, Chair and Senior Lecturer, Department of Studies in Religion, Sydney University, Samuel Nan-Chiang Lieu, Professor of Ancient History and Co-Director of the Ancient History Documentary Research Centre, Macquarie University
  • Edited by Iain Gardner, University of Sydney, Samuel N. C. Lieu, Macquarie University, Sydney
  • Book: Manichaean Texts from the Roman Empire
  • Online publication: 10 December 2009
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511616891.007
Available formats
×