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Mandeans

The only surviving Gnostic religion, now with not more than 20,000 adherents,living in southern Iraq and south-western Iran. They are often called the Christiansof Saint John, as he is held as a very sacred person, but not indispensable, in theirtheology. Their name is Aramaic for knowledge, i.e. a translation from the Greekgnosis.

TEACHING and PRACTICE

John the Baptist is central in their teaching, as a representative for their faith.Jesus is also central, but he plays a totally different role than in religions likeChristianity and Islam, and is a false prophet, almost depicted as evil.

The central religious book to Mandeans is the Ginza, Treasure, containingmythological- theological moral and narrative tractates, and hymns to be used inthe mass for the dead. There are many other, less central, books, mainly written inEast Aramaic, or Mandean is the language is also called. The content in thesebooks varies, and many has magical texts and exorcisms. The collection of booksstarted in the time of Islam, which differs strongly between book-religions and

other religions, and the Mandeans soon fitted in to the Koranic concept ofSabians, which can be translated to baptizers.

Baptism is central to the cult of Mandeans, and the Mandean sanctuary, Mandi is avery simple, and small, house with slanting roof. In front of this a pool, connectedto a nearby river, is placed. This one, called Jordan, is used for baptism. Thewhole area is surrounded by a high fence or a wall. Baptisms are performed onSundays, and every believer pass through this several times every year. Mandeanbaptism can be compared to the Christian communion, and the Muslim prayer,salt. The other central ritual is the mass for the dead, with recitations form theGinza. The soul is released from the body the third day after the moment of death.Meals are central in the rituals. Traditional Mandean graves were unmarked, as

what was buried was only the dark body, but in modern times, things have becomeadjusted to Muslim custom.

The ethics of Mandeans are not all too different from Jewish ethics, and the samerules applied to all. Monogamy, dietary laws, ritual slaughtering, alms-giving arecentral acts.

Cosmos, according to the Mandeans, is made up of two forces, the world of light,located to the north, and the world of darkness, located to the south. There is a

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ruler to both, and around the rulers smaller gods, called kings. Between the twoforces there are hostilities, and it is in the fightings between the two that the worldis created, without the ruler of lights permission. Man is created by the forces ofdarkness, but in every man, there is a hidden Adam, the soul, which has its originin the world of light.

Death is the day of deliverance, the soul leaves the body, and starts on adangerous journey to the realms of light. It is only Mandeans and non-sinners whomanages to pass the whole journey everyone else ends in hell. This hell is noteverlasting, at the end of the world, a judgement is made on who will be wiped outfor ever, and who will rise to the realms of light.

ORIGINS and HISTORY

The religions origin is difficult to reconstruct, as there is so much unknown. Theycould be a continuation of traditions from Mesopotamia, or Palestine, or both. TheMandean religion could be pre-Christian, or it could date to 1st or 2nd century AD.It could actually be John the Baptist who founded the sect, or they could be acontinuation of the Jewish sect that John the Baptist belonged to (guessed to bethe Esseneans). Elements of the languages indicate that the community is ofJewish origin.

One of the texts of the Mandeans tell about a flight of a group called Nasoreans,from areas that probably were in todays Jordan, to the Mesopotamian region, inthe times of the Jewish wars following the destruction of Jerusalem in year 70 AD.The Mandeans appears first to have gained a strong position in Babylon, but lostthis with the appearance of the Sassinids in year 226. In the time of Mani, therehave been contacts between him and the Mandeans, resulting in both love andhate.

With the arrival of Islam in Iraq, in 636, the Mandeans were considered as the thirdpeople of the book, as the mysterious Sabians of the Koran. But the Mandeansstill faced a difficult relationship with Islam, and Muhammad is in their writingscalled the demon Bizbat. The Mandeans moved from the cities to the marshlandsin Southern Iraq. It is first in modern times that the Mandeans have moved back tothe cities, especially Baghdad and Basra, where they now work as gold and silversmiths, and as iron smiths and boat builders. Mandeans are also found in medium-sized towns between Baghdad and Basra. Some small groups of Mandeans evenlive in Iran, in cities like Ahvaz and Shushtar in the south-western corner of thecountry.

Today Mandean theology is seriously threatened, as recruiting new priests isdifficult, and many offices are vacant. Mandean laymen are often highly educated,but know little of the old language and the scripts, and they attend ceremonies onlyseldom, as in weddings f.x. Yet, there is a strong feeling of pride of their heritage,and they often claim to belong to a religion older than Judaism, Christianity andIslam.

By: Tore Kjeilen

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