Manichaeism

British  

/ ˈmænɪkiːˌɪzəm /

noun

1. the system of religious doctrines, including elements of Gnosticism, Zoroastrianism, Christianity, Buddhism, etc, taught by the Persian prophet Mani about the 3rd century _ad . It was based on a supposed primordial conflict between light and darkness or goodness and evil

2. RC Church any similar heretical philosophy involving a radical dualism

---

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• Manichee
  noun

Etymology

Origin of Manichaeism

C14: from Late Latin Manichaeus, from Late Greek Manikhaios of Mani

Example Sentences

Sogdians also brought Manichaeism, a dualistic philosophy of good versus evil that emerged in the Sasanid Empire and blended Persian Zoroastrianism, Buddhism, and Christianity.

From Textbooks • Apr. 19, 2023

In 779 C.E., rebels opposed to Manichaeism killed Bögü Qaghan.

From Science Magazine • Apr. 13, 2023

And so the show’s refusal to give in to the Manichaeism that animates most fantasy stories is both refreshing and crushing.

From Slate • Apr. 9, 2015

There’s plenty of bleak to go around in “Broken City,” yet there is also more tonal variation and a worldview that hews toward human complexity rather than toward comic-book Manichaeism.

From New York Times • Jan. 17, 2013

Manichaeism spread quickly, through the Roman world as well as through Persia; in the former it replaced Mithraism, another Persian growth, that had come to be preeminently the religion of the Roman soldier.

From The Crest-Wave of Evolution A Course of Lectures in History, Given to the Graduates' Class in the Raja-Yoga College, Point Loma, in the College-Year 1918-19 by Morris, Kenneth