| Manichaean Psalter | |
|---|---|
| Information | |
| Religion | Manichaeism |
| Language | Coptic[1] |
| Period | late 3rd century, [2] the mid-4th century [3][1] |
The Manichaean Psalm BookorManichaean Psalter is a Manichaean text written in Coptic.[1] It is believed to have been compiled in the late 3rd century[2] or the mid-4th century.[3][1] Excavated in 1929 as part of the Medinet Madi library, the Psalm Book is believed to contain remnants of some of the earliest extant Manichaean literature.[4]
The Psalm Book was discovered at Medinet Madi in Egypt.[5] Like other works discovered at this site, it was written in a Coptic dialect typical of the Lycopolis region.[6] After its discovery, it was edited and published by Charles Allberry in 1938–9 from manuscripts in the Chester Beatty collection[7] and in the Prussian Academy of Sciences.[citation needed]
It contains references to Old Testament apocrypha[5] and references the Acts of Thomas, the Acts of John, and other Acts of the Apostles approvingly.[8] It refers to some events believed to be derived from the Acts of Andrew.[9] One of the psalms draws a line of tradition from Adam through Seth and EnochtoMani.[5] One author has described one of the hymns as containing a "deep love of Jesus".[3]
