Women in the Coptic Manichaean 'Homilies'

This article examines the surprising role played by women in the Coptic Manichaean text known as The Sermon on the Great War. Even though Manichaean rhetoric often attributes feminine characteristics to cosmic evil, in this apocalyptic text female ascetics are awarded a special place at the end of time. This language is then situated in its historical context as a reflection of the ascetic priorities of a religious movement experiencing marginalization and persecution.