Part 15. Other Religions: Zoroastrians

Zoroastrianism is an ancient religion that dates back to the teachings of the prophet Zarathustra.  Estimates as to when he lived vary between 1400 to 800 BCE.  It is a dualistic (some say monotheistic) religion with a good creator god (Ahura Mazda) and an evil god (Angra Mainyu).  A major theme in Zoroastrianism is the cosmic struggle between good and evil.​

The Zoroastrian scriptures (Avesta) present the teachings of Zarathustra, as do later writings known as the Gathas.  Much of the Avesta was lost after Alexander the Great’s conquest of Persia in the fourth century BCE.​ Teachings include life after death and a concept of eternal law.  Other teachings include human free will, an anointed savior, triumph of good over evil, and a judgment based upon deeds (good or evil).  Historians of religion argue that Zoroastrian ideas were taken into Judaism during the period of the so-called Babylonian captivity ​in the sixth century BCE.  These ideas were then passed on from Judaism into Christianity and Islam, the two largest religions in the world today.  If this claim is true, it indicates an important role played by Zoroastrianism in the history of world religions.

Zoroastrianism became the state religion of the Achaemenid Persian empire which ruled over Iran and portions of the Middle East in the sixth to the fourth centuries BCE.  Under the Achaemenids it became a hierarchical religion for a hierarchical state.  The king represented the rule of Ahura Mazda on earth.  Zoroastrians built fire shrines and temples and established a powerful priestly caste.   A few centuries later, Zoroastrianism was revived under the Sasanian Persian empire (224-651 CE).  Following the Islamic conquest of Persia, the Zoroastrian religious hierarchy collapsed and many Zoroastrians converted to Islam.  The religion continued to decline and was sporadically persecuted by Muslim governments to the extent that many Zoroastrians fled to India and Central Asia, where there remain communities to this day.  A small minority continue to live in Iran (estimates vary from 10,000 to 60,000 adherents in Iran).  The global Zoroastrian population is estimated as being between 110,000 – 120,000 believers.

The links below include a link to an article in the World History Encyclopedia on Zoroastrianism.  The second link is to an episode of “Let’s Talk Religion” which provides a good summary of Zoroastrian history, its main beliefs and practices, and the condition of Zoroastrianism today.

https://www.worldhistory.org/zoroastrianism