Biblical argument in Manichaean missionary practice : the case of Adimantus and Augustine / by Jacob Albert van den Berg.

Revision of the author's thesis (Ph. D.)--Radboud University of Nijmegen, 2009.

Includes bibliographical references and indexes.

Introduction. Augustine, manichaeism, and Holy Scripture -- Purpose -- Outline of the study -- Relevance -- Adimantus : a manichaean missionary. Adimantus' identity -- Augustine on Adimantus -- The argument from the Greek abjuration formulae -- The different regions of Adimantus' activity -- The relationship between the names 'Adimantus' and 'Addas -- Adimantus = Pappos? -- Adimantus' biography -- Adimantus' background -- Adimantus as a member of Mani's church -- Adimantus' missionary journeys -- Mani's missionary precepts and Adimantus -- Adimantus' missionary activities -- Provisional conclusions -- Adimantus' Disputationes : a reconstruction. Introduction -- Augustine's acquaintance with the Disputationes -- The years of Augustine's priesthood -- The Manichaean years -- Disputationes refuted in Contra adimantum -- The structure of Contra adimantum -- Double answers -- (Parts of) sermons in Contra adimantum -- Contra adimantum : preliminary conclusion -- Adimantus' Disputationes in Contra adimantum -- Disputationes disproved in sermons -- Introduction -- Sermons discussing disputations also refuted in Contra adimantum -- Sermons discussing disputations not mentioned in Contra adimantum -- The Disputationes in other works of Augustine -- Introduction -- Contra faustum -- De Genesi adversus Manichaeos -- De Genesi ad litteram libri duodecim -- Adimantus' Disputationes : a reconstruction of its contents -- Analysis of the Disputationes : its method, contents, and purposes. Introduction -- Bible texts -- Method and limitations -- The Old Testament quotations -- The New Testament quotations -- Exegetical methods of the Disputationes -- The methodological application of 'antitheses' -- The literal sense -- Did Adimantus ignore the context? -- Contents of the Disputationes -- Subjects of the Disputationes -- Arguments quoted in full -- Evaluation -- The form of the Disputationes -- The target group of the Disputationes -- The relevance of the Old Testament to Adimantus -- The importance attached to the New Testament -- The literary context of the Disputationes. Introduction -- Relevance -- Method -- The Contra faustum and the Capitula -- Writings against the superstitio of the Jews -- Writings against the deceit of the 'semi-christiani' -- Faustus' introduction to his Capitula -- Adimantus' fame as 'Paraclete' -- Adimantus' criticism of Christ's genealogies -- Adimantus' criticism of positive references to the Hebrew Bible -- Concluding remarks -- Other works -- The Modion -- Adimantus on the Manichaean myth -- The Kephalaia -- Evaluation -- Conclusions and suggestions for further research.

Print version record.

The use and appreciation of Scripture by the Manichaeans is a field of research with many unanswered questions. This study offers an investigation into the role of the Bible in the writings of the important Manichaean missionary Addas Adimantus (flor. ca. 250 CE), one of Mani's first disciples. A major part of the book is dedicated to the reconstruction of the contents of his Disputationes, in which writing Adimantus attempted to demonstrate that the Old and New Testaments are absolutely irreconcilable. The most important source in this connection is Augustine, who refuted a Latin translation.

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