“Whatever the case, both Kartir and the Homilies converge on this one point, that is, that persecution now has an imperial scope. They agree that matters of religion are now imperial matters of concern, not just local. And it is perhaps this imperial vision of persecution that the early Sasanian experience with the Manichaeans bequeathed to later Sasanian Empire, especially following Constantine’s conversion and the later Christianization of the Roman Empire. “
Read MorePublication Preview | Beyond the "Cessation of Prophecy" in Late Antiquity
Manichaean Homilies, CBL Pma 2.25-26, from the Chester Beatty Library
Manichaean Homilies, CBL Pma 2.25-26, from the Chester Beatty Library
To be frank, I just don’t think any of our texts say this. Or, if some of them do, alternative readings are available and perhaps more plausible. In fact, the Manichaeans themselves do not have a single model of prophethood (although they do exhibit a push for systematicity).
Read MoreBook Note | From Sasanian Mandaeans to Ṣābians of the Marshes
Van Bladel’s book is thus not only a story of the Mandaean past, but a window into Sasanian Mesopotamia and the forging of “religious communities” beyond the “Greco-Roman” boundaries.
Read MoreBook Note | Jewish Messiahs in a Christian Empire: A History of the Book of Zerubbabel
"Himmelfarb’s incisive reading of Sefer Zerubbabel greatly enriches our understanding of Jewish messianism between the Second Temple period and the rise of Islam. By exploring common themes and figures in a wide range of sources, Himmelfarb works “backward” to uncover a vibrant “Judaism” that actively appropriates key elements of the Christian messianic narrative, much to the consternation of the rabbis."
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