The article focuses on the theme of Christian identity presented by both Faustus and Augustine. It highlights how Faustus emphasises ethical and moral issues as the hallmarks of Christian identity, whereas, according to him, Nicene Christians gave more importance to dogmatic issues and neglected ethical elements. Some texts from the Contra Faustum are quoted to support the differences between the two Christian identities, both the Manichaean and the Catholic or Nicene Christian.

The article first discusses the presence among Christians in Roman Africa of "biblical" writings that are not found in the current canon of Scripture. This is followed by a review of what is known of the Manichaean use of extra-canonical material in general, particularly within the Roman Empire, and especially of the pseudepigraphical Acts of the Apostles. Finally, the article focuses on the use among Manichaeans in Roman Africa of this pseudepigraphic literature, especially the Acts of the Apostles. In all (...) cases, the article focuses on cases of a confirmed pseudepigraphic presence, rather than on mere conjectures about it. (shrink)

The article aims to highlight the relationship between catechesis and Scripture in Book XIII of the Contra Faustum manichaeum. In this way, the aim is to make better known the catechetical elements present in this anti-Manichaean work and also to contribute to a better knowledge of Augustinian catechesis. On the other hand, the catechetical and evangelizing concern of the bishop of Hippo in his reply to Faustus is emphasized here, highlighting his concern for the care of the faith of the (...) simple. (shrink)

The article deals with the contra Secundinum in order to present some of the Christological elements that Augustine brings to the front as a way of contrasting Catholic Christology with Manichaean Christology, and to show the falsity of the sect of Mani by highlighting the incoherence of some of the ideas of the Manichaeans. The article focuses particularly on two Christological titles present in contra Secundinum, namely those of Primogenitus and Unigenitus. These are two Christological titles which appear only rarely (...) in the anti-Manichaean works, but which in the contra Secundinum acquire a particular value. For this purpose, the article, after a brief introduction, reviews the Augustinian anti-Manichaean works, in order to see how these titles are only found very scarcely and generally in the mouth of St. Augustine in contra Fortunatum, contra Adimantum, contra epistulam Fundamenti and contra Faustum. The article presents the nuances and elements that these titles have in the aforementioned works, and then focuses on the contra Secundinum, to see which are the Manichaean and Catholic Christological implications of the titles of Primogenitus and Unigenitus. Throughout the article, some texts from the Manichaean Works are quoted to confirm the assertions of the article. (shrink)

The article is an analysis of Confessions 3.6.10 to 3.10.18 to support an argument that many strategies in Augustine's masterpiece are eminently suited to communicate with a Manichaean audience and designed to convince such an audience of the errors of Manichaeism. In Book 3 the narrative reaches the stage of Augustine's life where he joins the Manichees. The description of the encounter presented here, however, is much more than the communication of information on this crucial stage in his spiritual joumey. (...) The passage is generally described as strongly anti-Manichaean, but I argue that the argumentative and emotional tone of the passage combined with the amount of space spent on a few core aspects of Manichaeism make the passage an effective protreptic directed at a specific category of 'Manichaean' readers. (shrink)

The article aims to give an overall overview of Saint Augustine’s attitude towards the Gnostic Christians Manichaeans. First a historical overview mainly based on his Confessions outlines Augustine’s acquaintance with the members of the manichaean church and his familiarity with their writings. Second the place of the Manichaeans in a considerable number of Augustine’s works is discussed. It is in particular in his many anti-Manichaean writings that the Church father displays his intimate knowledge of their myth and their doctrines. Third, (...) a summary is given of the research on the impact of the Manichaeans on Augustine. It is concluded that from his early years onwards to the very end of his life, the Manichaean Christians were a real and powerful force to him. (shrink)

In the present article I investigate whether Augustine’s account of the books of the Platonists through the words of John’s prologue is linked to his grapple with Manichaean doctrine and worldview in Confessiones 7, I explore particularly whether his choice to treat the libri Platonicorum by quoting from John 1:1-16, a passage that defines his intellectual breakthrough in the narrative of book 7, is used as a subtle opportunity to defend the Catholic interpretation of scriptures against the Manichaean interpretation. This (...) is especially in terms of certain doctrinal points in contention such as the nature of God and the soul (the spiritual rather than material realities), the triune God as Creator, and the role of Christ as the Word incarnate, where John becomes an important proof text. Moreover, I explore whether Augustine’s use of John forms part of an exercise to encourage readers of the Confessions including the potential Manichaean reader, to adopt this way of thinking about God. I finally draw some preliminary conclusions on the way in which an awareness of the Manichaean reader may have shaped Augustine’s rendering of John and consequently his formulation of this search for God and the role of Christ in Confessions 7. (shrink)

This article examines part of the development of North African Manichaeism, with a specific focus on Aduersus Manichaeos, an anti-Manichaean tretaise attributed to Evodius of Uzalis. Evodius, a friend of Augustine of Hippo, probably wrote Aduersus Manichaeos in the years 425. The treatise constitutes an important source on North African Manichaeism, written two decades after the major anti-Manichaean works of Augustine. A preliminary section discusses Evodius’ sources. Unlike Augustine he was not a former member of the Manichaean movement, and his (...) Adversus Manichaeos lacks the insiders’ knowledge of Augustine’s treatises. Nevertheless, it will be argued that Evodius had prepared himself thoroughly in order to write his anti-Manichaean treatise. The subsequent section offers an overview of testimonia on the Manichaean canon in the Latin world. These testimonia seem to suggest —that over time— the North African Manichaeans held one particular letter of Mani, the Epistula Fundamenti, in high esteem. The concluding section briefly addresses the genre, status, contents and circulation of Mani’s letter. (shrink)

The article aims to update the current state of research on the canon of the sacred books of the Manicheans, bringing together the various known fragments, and discussing the proposed attributions to the various writings of Manes. The article aims to present a catalogue as complete as possible of the Manichaean literature currently known, especially after the important discoveries of Manichaean literature during the 20th century.