Manichaeism: An Ancient Faith Rediscovered
<!—[if gte mso 9]><xml> Normal 0 false false false MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 </xml><![endif]—><!—[if gte mso 9]><xml> </xml><![endif]—><!—[if !mso]><object classid="clsid:38481807-CA0E-42D2-BF39-B33AF135CC4D" id=ieooui></object><style>st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) }</style><![endif]—><!—[if gte mso 10]><style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;mso-style-noshow:yes;mso-style-parent:"";mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;mso-para-mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;mso-pagination:widow-orphan;mso-ansi-language:#0400;mso-fareast-language:#0400;mso-bidi-language:#0400;}</style><![endif]—><p>'Nottoo long ago, most of what we knew about the Manichaeans - followers of thethird-century religious visionary Mani - came from the pens of their manyenemies. It was hard to understand how a religion that preached sexualabstinence and vegetarianism as a means to cope with a world ruled by Evil everenjoyed any success. Yet at its height Manichaeism spread from Mesopotamia to China in the east and Spain in the west; in North Africa,it appealed to the young Augustine of Hippo. In this richly informative newstudy, Nicholas Baker-Brian digests new discoveries and the explosion of newthinking they have provoked into a solid introduction to a belief system thatinfluenced religious thinking in Europe and Asiafor a millennium. He is especially attentive to the connection between lostrituals and myths that for the first time allows readers to see Manichaeism as acomprehensive set of ideas and practices. His exemplary handling of sources anddiscussion of how to use them make this book as much a primer for students ofantiquity as for students of religion.' — Harold Drake, Department of History, Universityof California, Santa Barbara, USA. </p><br  /> (Harold Drake)<br  /><br  /><!—[if gte mso 9]><xml> Normal 0 false false false MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 </xml><![endif]—><!—[if gte mso 9]><xml> </xml><![endif]—><!—[if !mso]><object classid="clsid:38481807-CA0E-42D2-BF39-B33AF135CC4D" id=ieooui></object><style>st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) }</style><![endif]—><!—[if gte mso 10]><style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;mso-style-noshow:yes;mso-style-parent:"";mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;mso-para-mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;mso-pagination:widow-orphan;mso-ansi-language:#0400;mso-fareast-language:#0400;mso-bidi-language:#0400;}</style><![endif]—><p>'In the studies of ancient religions and cultures fewdisciplines are more difficult to approach than Manichaeism, quite simply for its code of conduct, teachings andinternal organization has long puzzled scholars. Its study involves the analysis of a number of key areas —theology,mythology, comparative literature and ancient history to name but a few- anddeals with texts written in countless languages —namely Latin, ancient Greek,Syrian and Arabic- spanning a period of thirteen centuries, throughout a vastterritory. Nevertheless misconceptions, a biased historiographical heritage anda certain degree of sluggishness on the part of many modern scholars in dealingwith original sources have all contributed towards constructing a somewhatdistorted image of Manichaeism. Hence it is within this context that NicholasBaker-Brian&#180;s book sets out to dispel such inaccuracies and work towardsestablishing a more coherent understanding of such a complicated topic,irrespective of the fragmentary and corrupt nature of many of the sources onMani&#180;s life and teachings. In doing so, Dr. Baker-Brian contests that certainbeliefs in such misleading information and evidence derived from ancientheresiologists have long been perpetuated by modern scholars. Insightfulanalysis of original sources that had been carelessly read and therefore led tomethodological misreading are constant throughout this work and help decipherthe intricate layers that came to constitute Manichaeism. In free from stereotyping analysis Dr Baker-Brian setsout to deconstruct the monolithic conception that many scholars have come toembrace with regards the figure and doctrines of Mani, citing that theythemselves have projected their own concerns onto a very different historicalsetting and thus adopted many of the ill-found, often biased testimonies thatlate antique heresiologists had already ascribed to Mani&#180;s doctrines. Inanalyzing each text and testimony within its own historical context, DrBaker-Brian goes on to reveal the various literary and historical strategiesthat helped make up the identity of Manichaeism, elaborating upon religious,mythological and historical elements, rearranged in a final portrait that bothclarifies and enriches our knowledge of the religion. Credit is due for theconstruction of this monograph: for ultimately, thanks largely to the author'sendeavors, such exposure seeks to help prevent both scholars and students fromrelying on simplistic and oversimplified concepts, in turn fortifying thebelief in Manichaeism as an autonomous discipline, and most importantlyperhaps, opening new lines of investigation for future research free fromuntainted historical inaccuracies. Once again, this is indeed a very muchwelcomed contribution that successfully manages to expurgate mistaken beliefsfrom original sources and modern bibliographies whilst at the same time offersa concise, detailed and substantiated image of Mani and his doctrine.' — AlbertoQuiroga Puertas, The University of Granada, Spain.</p><br  /> (Alberto Quiroga Puertas)<br  /><br  /><!—[if gte mso 9]><xml> Normal 0 false false false MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 </xml><![endif]—><!—[if gte mso 9]><xml> </xml><![endif]—><!—[if !mso]><object classid="clsid:38481807-CA0E-42D2-BF39-B33AF135CC4D" id=ieooui></object><style>st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) }</style><![endif]—><!—[if gte mso 10]><style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;mso-style-noshow:yes;mso-style-parent:"";mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;mso-para-mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;mso-pagination:widow-orphan;mso-ansi-language:#0400;mso-fareast-language:#0400;mso-bidi-language:#0400;}</style><![endif]—><p>'Nottoo long ago, most of what we knew about the Manichaeans - followers of thethird-century religious visionary Mani - came from the pens of their manyenemies. It was hard to understand how a religion that preached sexualabstinence and vegetarianism as a means to cope with a world ruled by Evil everenjoyed any success. Yet at its height Manichaeism spread from Mesopotamia to China in the east and Spain in the west; in North Africa,it appealed to the young Augustine of Hippo. In this richly informative newstudy, Nicholas Baker-Brian digests new discoveries and the explosion of newthinking they have provoked into a solid introduction to a belief system thatinfluenced religious thinking in Europe and Asiafor a millennium. He is especially attentive to the connection between lostrituals and myths that for the first time allows readers to see Manichaeism as acomprehensive set of ideas and practices. His exemplary handling of sources anddiscussion of how to use them make this book as much a primer for students ofantiquity as for students of religion.’ – Harold Drake, Department of History, Universityof California, Santa Barbara, USA. </p><br  /> (Sanford Lakoff)<br  /><br  /><!—[if gte mso 9]><xml> Normal 0 false false false MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 </xml><![endif]—><!—[if gte mso 9]><xml> </xml><![endif]—><!—[if !mso]><object classid="clsid:38481807-CA0E-42D2-BF39-B33AF135CC4D" id=ieooui></object><style>st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) }</style><![endif]—><!—[if gte mso 10]><style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;mso-style-noshow:yes;mso-style-parent:"";mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;mso-para-mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;mso-pagination:widow-orphan;mso-ansi-language:#0400;mso-fareast-language:#0400;mso-bidi-language:#0400;}</style><![endif]—><p>'In the studies of ancient religions and cultures fewdisciplines are more difficult to approach than Manichaeism, quite simply for its code of conduct, teachings andinternal organization has long puzzled scholars. Its study involves the analysis of a number of key areas –theology,mythology, comparative literature and ancient history to name but a few- anddeals with texts written in countless languages –namely Latin, ancient Greek,Syrian and Arabic- spanning a period of thirteen centuries, throughout a vastterritory. Nevertheless misconceptions, a biased historiographical heritage anda certain degree of sluggishness on the part of many modern scholars in dealingwith original sources have all contributed towards constructing a somewhatdistorted image of Manichaeism. Hence it is within this context that NicholasBaker-Brian´s book sets out to dispel such inaccuracies and work towardsestablishing a more coherent understanding of such a complicated topic,irrespective of the fragmentary and corrupt nature of many of the sources onMani´s life and teachings. In doing so, Dr. Baker-Brian contests that certainbeliefs in such misleading information and evidence derived from ancientheresiologists have long been perpetuated by modern scholars. Insightfulanalysis of original sources that had been carelessly read and therefore led tomethodological misreading are constant throughout this work and help decipherthe intricate layers that came to constitute Manichaeism. In free from stereotyping analysis Dr Baker-Brian setsout to deconstruct the monolithic conception that many scholars have come toembrace with regards the figure and doctrines of Mani, citing that theythemselves have projected their own concerns onto a very different historicalsetting and thus adopted many of the ill-found, often biased testimonies thatlate antique heresiologists had already ascribed to Mani´s doctrines. Inanalyzing each text and testimony within its own historical context, DrBaker-Brian goes on to reveal the various literary and historical strategiesthat helped make up the identity of Manichaeism, elaborating upon religious,mythological and historical elements, rearranged in a final portrait that bothclarifies and enriches our knowledge of the religion. Credit is due for theconstruction of this monograph: for ultimately, thanks largely to the author’sendeavors, such exposure seeks to help prevent both scholars and students fromrelying on simplistic and oversimplified concepts, in turn fortifying thebelief in Manichaeism as an autonomous discipline, and most importantlyperhaps, opening new lines of investigation for future research free fromuntainted historical inaccuracies. Once again, this is indeed a very muchwelcomed contribution that successfully manages to expurgate mistaken beliefsfrom original sources and modern bibliographies whilst at the same time offersa concise, detailed and substantiated image of Mani and his doctrine.’ – AlbertoQuiroga Puertas, The University of Granada, Spain.</p><br  /> (Sanford Lakoff)<br  /><br  />... manages to incorporate many critical perspectives and discussions... a straightforward and accessible treatment of a topic that is too often neglected. (Sanford Lakoff)