Manichaeism

High school (ages 12+)
Philosophy & Big Questions

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/manichaeism

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the founder's lifespan?c. 216–274 CE
2. What is the primary philosophical framework?Radical dualism of Light and Darkness, with a syncretic theological structure
3. Who was Mani and what did he teach?Mani was a prophet who lived around 216–274 CE. He taught that everything has tiny pieces of light trapped by darkness, and we can help those light pieces return to the good side by living a clean, simple life.
4. How did Manichaeism spread to many places?Manichaeism grew along the Silk Road to Asia and also reached Europe and Africa. It spread because Mani wrote books in everyday languages and sent missionaries everywhere.

Syncretism: The merging of different religious beliefs and practices into a new system.
Soteriology: The study of religious doctrines of salvation, particularly the means by which humans are saved.
Gnosticism: A diverse set of ancient religious ideas emphasizing spiritual knowledge (gnosis) for salvation.
Cosmology: The study of the origin, evolution, and structure of the universe.