Zoroastrianism: Ancient Religion, Modern Lives

Wednesday, October 9 at 8 pm in the Social Hall of the Bender JCC

Zoroastrianism: Ancient Religion, Modern Lives

Kristin Romey, National Geographic Senior Editor

Was Zoroastrianism the world’s first monotheistic religion, which influenced the Abrahamic religions: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam?

Scholars are divided on this question, as the foundation date of Zoroastrianism is unknown, its central writings largely destroyed (some say by Alexander the Great) and the worship of its central God, Ahura Mazda, includes a pantheon of minor deities.

Ahura Mazda had a great prophet, Zoroaster (Zarathustra), who may have lived in the seventh century BCE, to whom he taught the principles of Zoroastrianism. These include good versus evil, which is personified by an evil spirit.

Historians trace Zoroastrianism origins to ancient Iran sometime during the second millennium. The religion more clearly began to flourish during the time of Cyrus the Great. Zoroastrianism became Iran’s most prominent religion around the 6th century BCE until the 7th century CE when the religion began to decline following the Arab-Muslim conquest of Iran.

Zoroastrianism is still practiced today, mainly in India and Iran. Its numbers are rapidly dwindling, and perhaps only 100,000 followers survive.

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Donald O Kane