The Wiley Blackwell Companion to Zoroastrianism

Zoroastrianism is one of the oldest living religions. It is widely considered by scholars to have had a profound impact on the religious history of the Middle East, Central and South Asia, and the development of the field of comparative religions. This book represents the first comprehensive English-language survey of Zoroastrianism ever published. With contributions from 33 international scholars from 10 countries, The Wiley Blackwell Companion to Zoroastrianism is evenly divided into six thematic sections, containing discussion of Zoroaster/Zarathustra, historical and regional surveys, topical and thematic discussions, analyses of the intersection of Zoroastrianism and nine other religions and cultures, and concluding with a survey of primary sources. Reflecting the current trend in the study of religion to move away from purely textualist and essentialist views of religious traditions, the Companion presents Zoroastrianism as a cluster of dynamic historical and contextualized phenomena. This accessible and interdisciplinary handbook of Zoroastrian studies will be essential reading for anyone interested in better understanding one of the world's oldest and most influential religions.