1. An Introduction to World Religions

2. Agenda
Attendance
Zoroastrianism

3. Essay Summary due January 17, 2013
The thesis of the paper (what the student will demonstrate) (one paragraph),
The paper’s points and structure (how the student will go about demonstrating his or her point) (one paragraph)

4. Common convictions of Abrahamic Faiths
Personal and awesome goodness of the living God
Human beings have moral choice.
God has revealed himself to human beings.
Miraculous divine interventions
History will have a happy ending since God is good and unstoppable.

5. Zoroastrianism Magi were probably Zoroastrian
Battle between light and darkness
Eschatology: end of history
Paradise: divine realm and abode of the blessed

6. Zoroaster = Zarathustra
Saw a vision of Ahura Mazda and six Amesha Spentas (Good Spirits?)
Battling against Ahriman / Angra Mainyu (evil spirit) and his daevas.
Truth vs. Lie; Light vs. Darkness
Ahriman wants to win over humanity. But when humans choose the good, Ahriman’s power is weakened.
Ahura Mazda rewards humans for choosing good.

7. Zoroastrianism’s Theoretical Beliefs
Basic Worldview
Made by Ahura Mazda with free will to help trap and defeat the enemy
The universe is a battleground between good and evil
Destiny of Humans
Ultimate Reality
Judgement after death, sentence to paradise or hell; resurrection in the new world at the end of the age
the good high God, Ahura Mazda, whose adversary is the evil force.
Origin of the World
Mediation between divine and human
Made by Ahura Mazda to entrap the evil force
Revelation through the prophet Zoroaster; mediation by priests
Destiny of the World
At the end of the age, to be made as a new, pristine paradise
Origin of Humans

8. Zoroastrianism’s Practical and Sociological Features
What is expected of humans
To choose the good, do right, keep pure
To maintain the faith by supporting its rites and institutions
Asceticism is not approved
Fire temples keep a perpetual fire burning.
Major social institutions
Temples, priesthood, a close-knit community
Now mostly Parsees in India

9. Zoroastrian Scriptures
Zend Avesta
Compiled in the Sasanian dynasty ( CE)
Composed of Gathas (hymns) and later priestly material.

10. Zoroastrianism’s influence on Judaism
The Hebrew people were exiled in Babylon in the 6th century BCE, and came in contact with Persian ideas.
At that time they began to develop the following beliefs:
Resurrection
Final judgement
New heaven and new earth
Heaven and hell

11. A famous Zoroastrian
Freddy Mercury

12. For Homework For Monday, 11:15 For Tuesday For Thursday
Read pages of chapter on “Judaism” in Living Religions
Write “Quiz on Judaism 1”
For Tuesday
Read Proverbs chapters 1-3 and 10-12;
What two kinds of people does Proverbs describe? What is the difference between them?
Read Genesis 1-3
For Thursday
Read Genesis 6-9; 12-13; 16-17; 21-22
Essay Summary Due