Please use the following questions as you prepare for exams. You may find some questions especially helpful in distinguishing different branches of a religious tradition. These questions along with the key terms (the terms in bold print in Living Religions) will be the basis for the exams in the course.

ETHICAL

  1. What are some basic myths or origin stories (cosmogony) associated with the religion?
  2. What virtues does the religion advocate?
  3. Does the religion prescribe a way to enlightenment or salvation? If so, what does it call this state?
  4. Does the religion hold that everyone or only some people can attain enlightenment or salvation.
  5. Does the religion hold that clerics belong to a higher moral or spiritual order than lay people?
  6. What impact has the religion had on the way of life of its followers? On the surrounding culture?

POLITICAL

  1. What are the major political divisions of the religion? (In Christianity, for example, major divisions would be Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Anglicanism and Protestantism.)
  2. Does the religion have a central authority that determines orthodox beliefs?
  3. Has the religion at any point in its history accepted the status of an official state religion?

222.5    official religion of the Iranian Empire [between the 6th century BCE and the 7th century CE].

223.4  “King Vishtapa, (a kingdom whose exact location is now unknown) adopted Zarathushtra’s creed and proclaimed it the state religion.

  1. Does the religion accept a just war or does it advocate non-violence.
  2. Does the religion accept spiritual leaders--such as ordained clergy, shamans, and the like?
  3. Does the religion take a position on class division in society?
  4. What is the role of women in the religion? Has the role changed over the years?

225.14  In many ways women and men are treated equally within Zoroastrianism.

  1. Does the religion permit a married clergy?
  2. Has the religion increased or decreased in numbers during the past century?

222.2  Declined: only 130,000 remaining practitioners

  1. Does the religion advocate social engagement or personal salvation—or both? If both, which is given greater emphasis?

METAPHYSICAL

  1. Does the religion accept a belief in a soul, spirit, or the like?
  2. Does the religion hold there is one God (monotheism), many gods (polytheism), or no god (nontheism)?

 

222.10  “Supplanting polytheism, it brought an early form of monotheism”

  1. What evidence or proof is offered in support of the existence of God?
  2. Does the religion hold that God is something to strive for?
  3. Is faith or reason given greater emphasis in the religion?
  4. What position does the religion take on the question of belief in an afterlife or immortality--such as heaven, hell, and reincarnation?
  5. Does the religion accept that the ultimate reality is (or could be) female? 

INSTITUTIONAL

  1. Does the religion regard a particular locale (land, city, and so forth) as holy or sacred?
  2. Does the religion have special places or locations for worship?
  3. What are the religion's major holy days or festivals?
  4. What are the basic doctrines of the religion?

222.50 “…Ahura Mazda was the Supreme Lord from whom all good things flowed. Zarathushtra denounced all cruelty, selfishness, distortion, and hypocrisy in the name of religion. …. There is a cosmic battle between sustaining and destroying forces, and to assure the victory of good over evil, humans must dedicate themselves as spiritual warriors for goodness.

223-225 Teachings

The primacy of Ahura Mazda

The choice between good and evil

Heaven, hell and resurrection

  1. What are some of the major symbols associated with the religion?
  2. What are the major texts or sacred documents?

 

222.55 Gathas: hymns/metric verses: meanings of the ancient language are now obscure.

223.40 Avesta “holy texts”

223.50 Pahlavi texts

  1. What attitude does the religion advocate toward other religions? Is it exclusivist or universalist?
  2. What is the nature of the service, ceremonies, or worship (format, participation of congregation)?
  3. Who is regarded as the founder of the religion?

222.25  The religion is named after one of its great reformers, Zarathushtra.

223.7. Zarathushtra preached for almost fifty years until his death by assassination at the age of 77.

 

  1. Does the religion actively seek converts through missionary activity?

EXPERIENTIAL

  1. What is the religion’s position on prayer, meditation, exorcism, chants and dance?
  2. What are some individual practices—such as confession?

225.7  Tying of the sacred cord (kusti) around one’s mid-section, traditionally performed at least five times a day….”While tying the kusti, the faithful recite a prayer to keep evil at bay.”

 

  1. What are the religion’s attitudes toward healing and health—such as laying on of hands, “faith healing,” and the like?
  2. What is the place of prophecy and oracles in the religion?
  3. Is the religion critical of lack of religion--of secularism, for example?
  4. What is the role of sacrifice in the religion?

222.25 “The ritual worship conducted by the priests was designed, as in India, to maintain the natural order, truth, and righteousness of the universe by re-enacting the original sacrifice that led to its creation..” 

 

daevas

Ahuras

Gathas

Avestas

Pahlavi