Reversion, Revival, Resistance: Framing Iranian Neo-Zoroastrian Religiosities
Both in Iran and India, Zoroastrian communities have traditionally possessed a strong and rigid ethno-religious identity. In recent decades, however, debates regarding the opening of the communities to converts have become increasingly significant. At the same time, a growing interest in religious c...
Main Author: | |
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Format: | Electronic Article |
Language: | English |
Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
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Fernleihe: | Fernleihe für die Fachinformationsdienste |
Published: |
Ruhr-Universität Bochum
2024
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In: |
Entangled Religions
Year: 2024, Volume: 15, Issue: 2 |
Further subjects: | B
Nationalism
B Iran B Islam B State Religion B Zoroastrianism B Religious Conversion |
Online Access: |
Volltext (kostenfrei) Volltext (kostenfrei) |
Summary: | Both in Iran and India, Zoroastrian communities have traditionally possessed a strong and rigid ethno-religious identity. In recent decades, however, debates regarding the opening of the communities to converts have become increasingly significant. At the same time, a growing interest in religious conversion to Zoroastrianism can be observed among Kurds, Tajiks, Iranians, and other populations. This article analyses the autobiographical account of two Muslim-born Iranian converts to Neo-Zoroastrianism and discusses how such conversions can be adequately framed. It criticises previous works on Neo-Zoroastrians for framing its religious practice as "unauthentic." As Zoroastrian religiosities transform, especially among urban Tehran Zoroastrians, one can observe a certain convergence of reformed ethic Zoroastrian and Neo-Zoroastrian religious discourses. Taking this trend into account, Iranian Neo-Zoroastrianism can be framed as a movement for religious revival and reform as well as a vehicle of resistance against the state-promoted Shi’ite Islam of the Islamic Republic of Iran. |
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ISSN: | 2363-6696 |
Contains: | Enthalten in: Entangled Religions
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Persistent identifiers: | DOI: 10.46586/er.15.2024.11525 |