Reversion, Revival, Resistance

Framing Iranian Neo-Zoroastrian Religiosities

Authors

  • Benedikt Römer

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.46586/er.15.2024.11525

Keywords:

Zoroastrianism, Religious Conversion, Iran, Nationalism, State Religion, Islam

Abstract

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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Published

2024-06-03 — Updated on 2024-08-23

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How to Cite

Reversion, Revival, Resistance: Framing Iranian Neo-Zoroastrian Religiosities. (2024). Entangled Religions, 15(2). https://doi.org/10.46586/er.15.2024.11525 (Original work published 2024)

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