The ancient Persian doctrine of an incessant warfare between Good and Evil. When Good gave up the fight the Persians joined the victorious Opposition.
The doctrines taught, or system of principles maintained, by the Manichæans.
A theory, originating with Manes, which maintained that God is the supreme Principle of Good and matter the supreme Principle of Evil.
A dualistic religious philosophy developed by the Persian Manes and his followers in which goodness, typified as light, God, or the soul, is represented as in conflict with evil, typified by darkness, Satan, or the body: taught from the 3rd to the 7th century
An ancient persian/asian belief of utter determinism in which good andevil cannot be judged or known because of the unalterable predetermination of destiny. Augustine was influenced by Manicheism before becoming a Christian, but carried over certain concepts into his doctrines on election and free will.
A strongly fatalist position associated with the Manichees, to which Augustine of Hippo attached himself during his early period. A distinction is drawn between two different divinities, one of which is regarded as evil, and the other good. Evil is thus seen as the direct result of the influnece of the evil god.