Aristocritus (Ancient Greek: Ἀριστόκριτος) was a Christian, Platonist writer of the fifth century who was the author of a work titled Theosophy, ostensibly about oracles, but in which he expressed a controversial syncretic belief that Christianity, Judaism, and Manichaeism were all basically the same.[1][2] This belief caused him to be condemned by Zacharias Rhetor as well as in various later Byzantine texts.[3] He is known to us primarily by his mention in a list of medieval anathemas, written around the year 1000, known as the Long Anathema, primarily aimed at Manichaeans. His identification as a Manichaean is however considered somewhat dubious, as he was known to write uncharitable things about Mani himself.[4]

Theosophy is a lost work, though some scholars have identified this with the so-called Tübingen Theosophy.[5] Other scholars disagree that these are the same works.[2][3]

References

  1. ↑ Curnow, Trevor (2006). The Philosophers of the Ancient World: An A-Z Guide. Bloomsbury Publishing. ISBN 9781849667708. Retrieved 2023-03-25.
  2. 1 2 Lieu, S.N.C. (2015). Manichaeism in Mesopotamia and the Roman East. Brill Publishers. pp. 120, 121, 124, 232. ISBN 9789004295810. Retrieved 2023-03-25.
  3. 1 2 Lieu, Samuel N. C. (1985). "From Constantine to Jovian". Manichaeism in the Later Roman Empire and Medieval China: A Historical Survey. Manchester University Press. p. 108. ISBN 9780719010880. Retrieved 2023-03-25.
  4. ↑ Pearse, Roger (2021). "Did Aristocritus identify Zoroaster and Christ?". Thoughts on Antiquity, Patristics, Information Access, and More. Retrieved 2023-03-25.
  5. ↑ Brinkmann, A. (1896). "Die Theosophie des Aristokritos". Rheinische Museum für Philologie. JD Sauerländer's Verlag (51): 273–80.
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