Zoroastrianism

Zoroastrianism is a monotheistic religion founded by Zoroaster in what is now Iran. It describes life as a struggle between good and evil with the expectation that good will ultimately prevail. The central divine being is called Ahura Mazda and was associated by Zoroaster to the idea of a creator of all, who had not been created himself. The sacred text is called Zend Avesta.

History

Zoroastrianism was created by Zoroaster around 1200 B.C.. The religion was popular amongst the tribes of Persia, though was popularized when it was made the state religion of the Sassanid Empire. It quickly declined when the forces of Islam overran Persia and the population became Islamic. In the 21^st century, Zoroastrianism is practiced by around 140,000 people around the world. The religion has had formative influence on the Abrahamic and Vedic religions and Buddhism.

The religion itself is practiced by very few nowadays, but, in history, it has had its influence on other religions. Some of the religion's contributions to Christianity are: The practices of baptism, communion (for Catholics) , the idea of guardian angles and of the journey of the soul to heaven or hell, and the Trinity

Zoroastrianism and monotheistic Judaism developed at the same time: at the time of the Exodus, the Jewish people were clearly polytheistic (witness Exodus or Judges), and became monotheistic later, at a time Zarathustra also had professed his monotheism. According to the "Documentary Hypothesis" an important part of our Old Testament was written when the Jewish people were in exile, in the 6th century b.C., and open to Persian influence.

References

Black, Matthew & H. H. Rowley, eds. (1982), Peake's Commentary on the Bible, New York

Boyce, Mary (1979), Zoroastrians: Their Religious Beliefs and Practices, London: Routledge