Christian Invectives Against Dualistic Manicheism: Evodius of Uzalis († c. 425-428) and his Treatise De Fide Contra Manichaeos

Evodius was a contemporary and friend of St. Augustine. He was ordained as bishop of Uzalis at the end of the 4th century and was a participant in various religious polemics held in early-5th-century North Africa. His most important work is the anti-Manichean treatise De Fide Contra Manichaeos. This paper will focus on Evodius’ life and works within the context of the polemics between North African ‘Catholic’ Christianity and Manicheism. Two primary themes will be discussed in this paper. It will first (1) consider the opposition between the Manichean dualistic interpretation of Christianity and Evodius’ proposed holistic doctrine. The influence of Augustine will be touched upon, though primarily to bring to light the development of Evodius’ theological and philosophical thinking. Secondly (2), the paper will focus on the treatise in its historical context and on the invitation to his addressees (namely the Manicheans) to convert to the Catholic faith. In this light this paper will analyse the usage of biblical texts in Evodius’ argumentation. Most of the cited biblical passages in De Fide Contra Manicheos are New Testament and, more specifically, Pauline passages. These texts were very popular among Manicheans in North Africa. The study of Evodius and his works is constitutive to the understanding of the 5th-century African church at large and of ‘Christian’ Manicheism in the Latin West. Additionally, the study of Evodius can inform us of Augustine’s theological influence on his contemporaries.status: publishe