Societies often link the phenomena of evil and good to the feminine and masculine genders and, by extension, to women and men. Evil, Good, and Gender explores doctrinal and societal developments within a context of malevolence that came to be attributed to the feminine and the female in contrast to benevolence ascribed to the masculine and the male by Zoroastrians or Mazda worshipers. This study authoritatively elucidates implications of the feminine and the masculine in religion and suggests that images in theology have been fundamental for defining both women's and men's social roles and statuses.

Zoroastrianism is the religion of ancient Iran, dating back over a thousand years before the time of Christ. It is also the religion of Britain's oldest South Asian minority, with a history going back to 1724. From the contribution of the Zoroastrian MPs Naoroji and Bhownagree in the nineteenth century to the transmission of their heritage and concerns today, this is the first complete study of the community right up to the 1990s. With the largest Zoroastrian population outside the 'old countries' living in London, the British community has played an important part in the modern history of Zoroastrianism. They furnish a unique opportunity to trace the history and experience of an Asian community in the West for well over a hundred years, with a wide variety of members from rural and urban India, Pakistan, East Africa, as well as the original homeland, Iran, and a substantial proportion of Zoroastrians who are British-born. The book is based on extensive study of archival sources, a large survey questionnaire, a programme of structured interviews, and over twenty years of the author's personal contact with the community. The book includes discussion of many important contemporary issues, such as racial prejudice, gender issues, generational differences, attitudes both to British society and to the 'old country' - and argues that religion is an increasingly important concern among British South Asian minorities.

Yezidis in Syria: Identity Building among a Double Minority traces the development of Yezidi identity on the margins of Syria's minority context. This little known group is connected to the community's main living area in northern Iraq, but evolved as a separate identity group in the context of Syria's colonial, national, and revolutionary history. Always on the bottom of the socio-economic hierarchy, the two sub-groups located in the Kurdagh and the Jezira experience a period of sociological and theological renewal in their quest for a recognized and protected status in the new Syria. In this book, Sebastian Maisel transmits and analyzes the Yezidi perspective on Syria's policies towards ethnic and religious minorities.

This is an insightful guide to the history, development and beliefs of this ancient religion, and its continuation as a lived religion today. The history of the development of Zoroastrianism spans over 3000 years, beginning in prehistory as an oral tradition, with roots in a common Indo-Iranian mythology. It then became established as part of an imperial Iranian ideology within an Ancient Near Eastern setting, and eventually emerged in variant forms in Iran, Central Asia and India in late antiquity. Zoroastrianism continues as a living faith for an estimated 150,000 adherents in the world today. Most Zoroastrians, if asked the question, 'In a nutshell, what do Zoroastrians believe?' would begin their answer with 'Good Thoughts, Good Words, Good Deeds'. "Zoroastrianism: A Guide for the Perplexed" takes this foundational trifold ethic to form the framework for discussing the ideological complexities and ethical underpinning of the religion; the current discussion concerning text and 'author'; and the practical outworking and historical impact of the religion. "Continuum's Guides for the Perplexed" are clear, concise and accessible introductions to thinkers, writers and subjects that students and readers can find especially challenging - or indeed downright bewildering. Concentrating specifically on what it is that makes the subject difficult to grasp, these books explain and explore key themes and ideas, guiding the reader towards a thorough understanding of demanding material.

Textos relativos al Zoroastrismo de la antigua Persia, primera de las grandes religiones. Traducidos por primera vez al espanol, prologado y anotado por Juan Bautista Bergua. El Avesta es una coleccion de textos sagrados de la antigua Persia, actualmente Iran, pertenecientes a la religion Parsis del Zoroastrismo y redactadas en avestico, una de las mas antiguas lenguas. Habia sido, no tan solo la primera de las grandes religiones, sino la fuente de muchos de sus dogmas mas importantes, influenciando al Judaismo, Cristianismo y mas tarde al Islamismo. En el Avesta, "Los Gathas," del siglo VI a. C., es la parte mas antigua que se atribuye tradicionalmente a Zoroastro (Zaratustra), el nombre del profeta fundador de la religion y filosofia del Mazdeismo. El Mazdeismo hunde sus raices en la anterior tradicion hindu vedica que reconocen como poder benigno a Ahura Mazda, considerado por Zoroastro como la primera divinidad de todas las divinidades y el unico creador. Este libro tambien incluye los fargard o capitulos del "Vendidad-Sade" que contienen las leyes de purificacion y de proteccion magica.

The author sets out to uncover more about the religion of the Achaemenian Kings and the Zoroastrian religion through many different kinds of ancient inscriptions and texts, both Persian and non-Persian.