The Other God: Dualist Religions From Antiquity... May 2026

: Stoyanov begins by analyzing the transition from the balanced Egyptian cosmology of Horus and Seth to the radical revelations of Zoroaster , where the good creator Ahura Mazda is opposed by the evil Angra Mainyu.

: The narrative explores how late antiquity movements, such as the Gnostics and Manichaeans , viewed the physical world as a misguided or malicious creation by a "demiurge," separate from the true, hidden God of spirit. The Other God: Dualist Religions From Antiquity...

: A significant portion of the work focuses on the "Great Heresy" of medieval Europe—the Bogomils in the Balkans and the Cathars in the Languedoc—who were perceived as heirs to these ancient dualist traditions. : Stoyanov begins by analyzing the transition from

: Stoyanov blends religious history with political and cultural developments, illustrating how shifting imperial borders in Persia, Byzantium, and the Roman Empire allowed these ideas to diffuse and survive despite intense persecution. Critical Reception : Stoyanov blends religious history with political and