illustration of the god of music from the early 11th-century Sogdian-language Manichaean letter found at the Bezeklik Caves
Although Manichaeism has historically been a fairly unified religion, it has had some schisms over its history.[1] These schisms occurred from the sixth century AD until at least the 10th century AD.
In the sixth century, there was a schism among Manichaeans between the Denawars and the see of Babylon, in response to persecution in Mesopotamia.[1] The see of Babylon was the predominant sect of Babylonia and the Middle East, while the Denawars were prevalent in Sogdiana and founded by Shad Ohrmazd;[2][3] however, they viewed Mar Ammo as their founder since he established Manichaeism in the region. The rift between the eastern and western Manichaeans was not caused by any doctrinal matters.[2] The seat of the Archegos remained in Seleucia-Ctesiphon, but the influence on Manichaeism mostly came from Transoxiana.[3]
After the Arab victory at the Battle of al-Qadisiyyah, the Manichaeans had a brief respite from persecution. As a result some returned to Mesopotamia from Khorasan.[3]
The capital of the Denawars by the eighth century was centered in Qocho on the northern Silk Road. At the time it was active from at least Samarkand to Chang'an. The schism between the eastern and western churches was worked out and ended by the beginning of the eighth century.[4]
At the end of the seventh century, Mihr was Archegos and the schism was reconciled. Mihr had relaxed many rules of Manichaeism regarding social relationship (Arabic wisallat).[3] Mihr was succeeded by Zad Hurmuz, who in turn was succeeded by Miqlās.[3] Miqlās attempted to restrict these rules once again, and this resulted in the development of a new schism between the Miqlāsiyya, who wanted the rules to be strict, and the Mihriyya, who wanted them to be loose.[3][5]
The rise of the Abbasid Caliphate brought increased persecution in 750.[3] Due to this persecution, the center of Manichaeism permanently shifted to Khorasan.[3] Letters from Khorasan show the Miqlāsiyya-Mihriyya schism was still strong in 880.[3]
Manichaeism, following its introduction into Sogdiana, would be spread in part by Sogdians eastward into the Tarim Basin and China.[6] Manichaeism continues to be practiced despite a long history of persecution in China, though it became increasingly syncretic, and confined to southeastern China after the 14th century.[7]
^ abH. J. Klimkeit. Manichaeism and Nestorian Christianity in: History of Civilizations of Central Asia, Vol. IV, Part 2. Motilal Banarsidass, 2003. ISBN 8120815963.
^ abcdefghiLieu, Samuel N.C. Manichaeism in the Later Roman Empire and Medieval China: a Historical Survey. Pages 83, 85. Manchester University Press, 1985.
^Whitfield 1999, p. 20.
^Ma, Xiaohe (2013). 光明的使者——摩尼与摩尼教 [The Messenger of Light: Mani and Manichaeism] (in Simplified Chinese). Lanzhou: Lanzhou University Press. p. 304. ISBN 978-7-311-04056-7.
^Wood 2002, p. 66.
^BeDuhn 2000, p. ix.
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historically been a fairly unified religion, it has had some schisms over its history. These schisms occurred from the sixth century AD until at least the 10th...
at its height was one of the most widespread religions in the world. Manichaean churches and scriptures existed as far east as the Han Dynasty and as...
"established anew the ancient Faith". In his youth he was drawn to the Manichaean faith, and later to the Hellenistic philosophy of Neoplatonism. After...
to be understood by this mention of Manichæans, although probably Priscillianists were at times called Manichæans in the writings of that age. The western...
Qolasta and Left Ginza and the Manichaean Psalms of Thomas (earlier suggested by Säve-Söderbergh (1949) to be due to Manichaean adaptations of Mandaeans hymns)...
stridently dualist sect of Gnostic Christians heavily influenced by the Manichaean Paulician movement. The Bogomil heretics were at one point mainly centered...
of the 'Church of the East'". Nestorian.org. Lieu, Sam; Parry, Ken. "Manichaean and (Nestorian) Christian Remains in Zayton (Quanzhou, South China)"....
Greek: Ἀθίγγανοι, singular Athinganos, Ἀθίγγανος, Atsinganoi) were a Manichaean sect regarded as Judaizing heretics who lived in Phrygia and Lycaonia...
being confirmed more recently by the Cologne Mani Codex. None of the Manichaean scriptures has survived in its entirety, and it seems that the remaining...
of Mar Ammo there was a schism between the Manichaean church in Babylonia and the Sogdian Manichaeans. The Sogdian Manichaeans, known as the Denawars (Middle...
successor. He was burned to death, the punishment pronounced upon the Manichaeans, in 690. The adherents of the sect fled, with their new leader Paul at...
Pelagianism, Donatism, Marcionism and Montanism. The diffusion of the almost Manichaean sect of Paulicians westwards gave birth to the famous 11th- and 12th-century...
Iconoclastic period; Maris, the Arian; Heraclianus, who wrote against the Manichaeans and the Monophysites; Leo, persecuted by Alexius I Comnenus. The Greek...
about 792. Like the Church of the East, the traditional center of the Manichaean church was in Seleucia-Ctesiphon. Mani dedicated his only Middle Persian...
include apologetic works against the heresies of the Arians, Donatists, Manichaeans and Pelagians; texts on Christian doctrine, notably De Doctrina Christiana...
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Buddhism is also characterized by the development of numerous movements, schisms, and philosophical schools, among them the Theravāda, Mahāyāna and Vajrayāna...
come from one God, a position especially opposed by the Manichaeans. Ibn al-Muqaffa', a Manichaean apologist who later converted to Islam, depicted the Abrahamic...
were referred to as "Manichaean", and are today sometimes described by scholars as "Neo-Manichaean". As there is no known Manichaean mythology or terminology...
Cyzicus. Other similar works are his treatise in four books against the Manichaeans and Paulicians, and his controversy with the Latins on the Procession...
Didactic Images of the Manichaeans from Sasanian Mesopotamia to Uygur Central Asia and Tang-Ming China (PDF). Nag Hammadi and Manichaean Studies. Vol. 90....
a liar." Paul Johnson, in his book A History of the Jews, describes the schism between Jews and Christians caused by a divergence from this principle:...
a fact that Ohrmuzd reminds him of (Bundahishn 1.16). In contrast, in Manichaean scripture, Mani ascribes foresight to Ahriman. Some Zoroastrians believed...
The term patriarch has also been used for the leader of the extinct Manichaean religion, initially based at Ctesiphon (near modern-day Baghdad) and later...
in theory and in practice. Thus, in keeping with the civil law, some Manichæans were executed at Ravenna in 556. On the other hand, Elipandus of Toledo...
Papuan Religions Buddhist Christian Catholic Protestant Hindu Islamic Jain Manichaean Sikh Taoist Vodou Vodun Techniques Sculpture Painting Pottery Calligraphy...
Khidr, described as an ideal human. Ibn Nadim, who was also familiar with Manichaean teachings, even identifies Buddha as a prophet, who taught a religion...
years Relics Perspectives on Jesus Christian Jewish Talmud Islamic Ahmadi Manichaean Mandaean Josephus Tacitus Bar-Serapion Jesus in culture Life in art Life...
remote parts of his see, preaching "among the pagans, Marcionites and Manichaeans." In a similar way, the tenth-century Muslim bibliographer Ibn al-Nadīm...
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