Mani, the Angel and the Column of Glory: An Anthology of Manichean Texts

Manicheism - based on the teachings and revelations of the third century Persian mystic, Mani - was for over a thousand years one of the major world religions, rivalling Christianity, Islam or Buddhism. With the suppression of the Bogomil and Cathar heresies in the Middle Ages, the Manichean vision faded into obscurity, its scriptures already destroyed or lost and its esoteric teachings corrupted and misunderstood. However, twentieth century archeology has restored to us a number of the books, often of great artistic beauty, in which the Manicheans embodied their knowledge. Andrew Welburn, in this selection, brings together some of these forgotten and fragmented treasures with a commentary that chronicles the new light now being thrown on the relationship between Mani's "religion of light" and Christianity.