Dear members,
Could you please guide me to good sources that explain the essence of the so-called Manichaean heresy?
I know (from various dictionaries, encyclopedias, etc.) that this was a teaching of a man who called himself Mani and who lived and traveled in the Middle East somewhere in the 2nd or 3rd century A.D., and who called himself "an apostle of Christ." Mani taught that there are two principalities in the universe, one of "light" and one of "darkness," and that the "darkness" is, esentially, the same as matter, substance, body etc., while the "light" is pure spirit. According to Mani, the goal of human life should be deliverance from the evil "darkness" (body, material, substantial world) into "light."
Is it correct to say that "Manichaeism" in a broad sense is this deliberate opposition of matter and substance as intrinsically evil, and "pure spirit" as intrinsically good? (As opposed to the Christian opposition of whatever - be it matter or spirit, - obedient to God's will and blessed by Him, vs. whatever - again, be it matter or spirit, - disobedient to God and separated from Him?)
Thank you all so much in advance for your guideness!
George