Gnosticism

==== Manichaeism ====
{{Main|Manichaeism}}
[[File:Manicheans.jpg|thumb|Manichean priests writing at their desks, with panel inscription in [[Sogdian language|Sogdian]]. Manuscript from [[Gaochang|Qocho]], [[Tarim Basin]].]]
Manichaeism was founded by [[Mani (prophet)|Mani]] (216–276). Mani's father was a member of the [[Jewish Christian]] sect of the [[Elcesaites]], a subgroup of the [[Gnostic Ebionites]]. At ages 12 and 24, Mani had visionary experiences of a "heavenly twin" of his, calling him to leave his father's sect and preach the true message of Christ. In 240–241, Mani travelled to the [[Indo-Greek Kingdom]] of the [[Saka]]s in what is now [[Afghanistan]], where he studied [[Hinduism]] and its various extant philosophies. Returning in 242, he joined the court of [[Shapur I]], to whom he dedicated his only work written in Persian, known as the ''[[Shabuhragan]]''. The original writings were written in [[Syriac language|Syriac]], an Eastern Aramaic language, in a unique [[Manichaean script]].

Manichaeism conceives of two coexistent realms of light and darkness that become embroiled in conflict. Certain elements of the light became entrapped within darkness, and the purpose of material creation is to engage in the slow process of extraction of these individual elements. In the end, the kingdom of light will prevail over darkness. Manicheanism inherits this dualistic mythology from [[Zurvanism|Zurvanist Zoroastrianism]],<ref>{{cite book|last=Zaehner|first=Richard Charles|title=The Dawn and Twilight of Zoroastrianism|year=1961|publisher=Putnam|location=New York|isbn=978-1-84212-165-8}}</ref> in which the eternal spirit [[Ahura Mazda]] is opposed by his antithesis, [[Angra Mainyu]]. This dualistic teaching embodied an elaborate cosmological myth that included the defeat of a primal man by the powers of darkness that devoured and imprisoned the particles of light.<ref>{{Cite web | url=http://www.themystica.org/mystica/articles/d/dualism.html |title = Dualism Religion – Definition – Dualistic Cosmology – Christianity|date = 2018-03-16}}</ref>

According to Kurt Rudolph, the decline of [[Manichaeism]] that occurred in Persia in the 5th century was too late to prevent the spread of the movement into the east and the west.{{sfn|Rudolph|1987}} In the west, the teachings of the school moved into Syria, Northern Arabia, Egypt and North Africa.{{refn|group=note|Where Augustine was a member of the school from 373–382.<ref name="Oxford:Platonism">{{cite book |editor1-last=Cross |editor1-first=Frank L. |editor2-last=Livingstone |editor2-first=Elizabeth |chapter=Platonism |title=The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church |publisher=[[Oxford University Press]] |location=Oxford |year=2005 |isbn=978-0-19-280290-3}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |title=Augustine the Theologian |last=TeSelle |first=Eugene |year=1970 |location=London |publisher=Burns & Oates |pages=[https://archive.org/details/augustinetheolog0000tese/page/347 347–349] |isbn=978-0-223-97728-0 |url=https://archive.org/details/augustinetheolog0000tese/page/347 }} March 2002 edition: {{ISBN|1-57910-918-7}}.</ref>}} There is evidence for Manicheans in Rome and [[Dalmatia]] in the 4th century, and also in Gaul and Spain. From Syria, it progressed further into [[Syria Palestina]], [[Anatolia]], and [[Byzantine Armenia|Byzantine]] and [[Persian Armenia]].

The influence of Manicheanism was attacked by imperial elects and polemical writings, but the religion remained prevalent until the [[6th century]], and still exerted influence in the emergence of [[Paulicianism]], [[Bogomilism]], and [[Catharism]] in the Middle Ages, until it was ultimately stamped out by the [[Catholic Church]].{{sfn|Rudolph|1987}}

In the east, Rudolph relates, Manicheanism was able to bloom, because the religious monopoly position previously held by Christianity and Zoroastrianism had been broken by nascent Islam. In the early years of the Arab conquest, Manicheanism again found followers in Persia (mostly amongst educated circles), but flourished most in Central Asia, to which it had spread through Iran. There, in 762, Manicheanism became the state religion of the [[Uyghur Khaganate]].{{sfn|Rudolph|1987}}
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