Manichaean exonyms and autonyms (including Augustine’s writings)

Nils A Pedersen

doi:10.4102/hts.v69i1.1358

Abstract

Did the Western Manichaeans call themselves ‘Manichaean’ and ‘Christian’? A survey of the evidence, primarily Latin and Coptic, seems to show that the noun and adjective uses of ‘Manichaean’ were very rarely used and only in communication with non-Manichaeans. The use of ‘Christian’ is central in the Latin texts, which, however, is not written for internal use, but with a view to outsiders. The Coptic texts, on the other hand, are written for an internal audience; the word ‘Christian’ is only found twice and in fragmentary contexts, but it is suggested that some texts advocate a Christian self-understanding (Mani’s Epistles, the Psalm-Book) whilst others (the Kephalaia) are striving to establish an independent identity. Hence, the Christian self-understanding may reflect both the earliest Manichaeism and its later Western form whilst the attempt to be independent may be a secondary development.

Highlights

Augustine starts his work On Heresies from the years 428–429 with these words:I write something on heresies that is worth reading for those who desire to avoid teachings which are contrary to the Christian faith and which, deceive others, because they bear the Christian name.1So basically heresies are teachings that contain an anti-Christian faith, even though they still claim to be Christian
The Coptic texts, on the other hand, are written for an internal audience; the word ‘Christian’ is only found twice and in fragmentary contexts, but it is suggested that some texts advocate a Christian self-understanding (Mani’s Epistles, the PsalmBook) whilst others are striving to establish an independent identity
Augustine starts his work On Heresies from the years 428–429 with these words: I write something on heresies that is worth reading for those who desire to avoid teachings which are contrary to the Christian faith and which, deceive others, because they bear the Christian name

Summary

Introduction

Augustine starts his work On Heresies from the years 428–429 with these words:I write something on heresies that is worth reading for those who desire to avoid teachings which are contrary to the Christian faith and which, deceive others, because they bear the Christian name.1So basically heresies are teachings that contain an anti-Christian faith, even though they still claim to be Christian. Looking first at Secundinus’s Epistula,5 we see that he indirectly confirms the self-designation ‘Christian’ since he writes that whilst reading Augustine’s Confessions he has not discovered a Christian in its author (Secundinus 1891–1892); he doubts that he was ever a Manichaean since he does not really know Mani’s teachings.

Results

Conclusion