Indian Christianity

HISTORY OF CHRISTIANITY IN INDIA : M. M. NINAN
Development of Sects and Gnostic infiltration – Enter Mani
THE ENLIGHTENED MASTER MAR MANI,
entered the world on the 8th day of the 1st Babylonian month of Nissanu (April 14) 216 A.D.. He was
born in Mardin, Iraq and raised in an Elkasite monastery on a floating reed island in the mashlands of
near Basra, Iraq.
Mani claimed to be the restorer and synthesizer of Gnostic Nazorean Christianity, Zurvan Zoroasterism,
and Mahayana Buddhism.
He created a worldwide vegan church which lasted over a thousand years.
At one point Manichaeism was as big, or bigger, than the Catholic Church and its teachings have
significantly influenced significantly influenced Bon, Buddhist, Sufi, Shia Islam, and Taoist traditions.
Mani’s mystical teachings have profoundly enriched the Nazorean Way. His name means the “Vessel of
Life” and he came to be regarded by his Christian disciples as the Paraclete, by his Persian followers as
the Zoroastrian redeemer Saoshyant, and by his Buddhist adherents as the Avatar Maitreya.
He was also known as a reincarnation of both Lao Tzu and Buddha. He was a gifted writer, teacher,
artist, physician, astrologer, musician and a miracle-worker. He personally illuminated and illustrated
many of his original scriptures, and could draw a fine line on silk and then erase it by removing one thin
thread.
http://magdelene.wordpress.com/2007/08/31/
As time went on evidently new thought patterns and theologies brought in varying sects emphasizing the
various aspects and rituals of the Church. This resulted in competing and practically opposing groups.
Gnostic infiltration into Christianity started early - even during the Apostolic era. Simon Magnus who is
revered as a saint in the Gnostic Church is referred to in the Acts of the Apostles (Acts 8:9ff.). While they
were thwarted off by collective churches that emphasized the historical Jesus, the Gnostics thrived in
many countries, especially in Persia.
Gnosticism is a philosophical and religious movement, which started in pre-Christian times. The term is
derived from the Greek word gnosis, which means "knowledge”. It introduced novel beliefs and new
gods and goddesses who exist in “divine dimension”. They insisted on universal revelation and insisted
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