The Life & Religion of Mani

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Sources used:

Core biography / historical framing

• Werner Sundermann, “Mani”, Encyclopaedia Iranica. Best concise scholarly entry on Mani’s life, mission, martyrdom, and later memory.
  
  
• Iain Gardner, The Founder of Manichaeism (Cambridge University Press, 2020). Best modern monograph for Mani as preacher, healer, founder, and public religious figure.
  
  

Cosmology / beliefs

• Werner Sundermann, “Manicheism i. General Survey”, Encyclopaedia Iranica. Best single source for the World of Light, World of Darkness, the First Man, the rescue of trapped Light, ethics, ritual, and church structure.
  
  
• Encyclopaedia Iranica, “Manicheism” parent entry. Useful hub for the whole Iranica Manichaeism set.
  
  
• Encyclopaedia Iranica, “Manicheism ii. The Manichean Pantheon”. Best source for the sun, moon, divine beings, and cosmic devotional imagery.
  
  

Art / imagery / thumbnail motifs

• Klaus V. Kessler, “Aržang”, Encyclopaedia Iranica. Best source for Mani’s Book of Pictures and the historical basis for portraying him with scripture and sacred imagery.
  
  

Scripture / canon / imperial framing

• Encyclopaedia Iranica, “Šābuhragān”. Key source for Mani’s Middle Persian book dedicated to Shapur and for his scriptural project in an imperial setting.
  
  
• Encyclopaedia Iranica, “IRAN ix. Religions in Iran: Manicheism”. Strong for Mani’s aim to spread the religion “in all tongues and in all lands,” plus canon, mission, and church organization.
  
  

Mission / spread

• Werner Sundermann, “Manicheism V. Missionary Activity and Technique”, Encyclopaedia Iranica. Best source for how deliberately organized and wide-ranging Manichaean mission was.
  
  

Mani and the wider world of gnosis

• Encyclopaedia Iranica, “Gnosticism”. Helpful for positioning Mani in relation to gnosis and his Jewish-Christian baptist background without flattening Manichaeism into generic “Gnosticism.” 

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