Original version

BBC World Service Europe and the Middle East

The Forum

Documentaries

Factual: Arts, Culture & the Media

The programme that explains the present by exploring the past

The programme that explains the present by exploring the past.

BBC World Service schedule for American satellite radio and the Caribbean

BBC World Service Americas and the Caribbean

BBC World Service

BBC World Service South Asia

BBC World Service Online

BBC World Service East Asia

BBC World Service East and Southern Africa Schedule

BBC World Service East and Southern Africa

BBC World Service West and Central Africa Schedule

BBC World Service West and Central Africa

BBC World Service Australasia

The Forum: What is Zoroastrianism?

Discussion & Talk

Faravahar - relief of winged sun symbol of Zoroastrianism in Persepolis city, Iran. (Getty Images)

14/04/2018 GMT

What is Zoroastrianism?

BBC World Service - The Forum, What is Zoroastrianism?

One of the oldest monotheistic creeds explained. With Rajan Datar, Dr. Sarah Stewart, Malcolm Deboo and Prof. Yuhan Vevaina.

It is a religion that has lasted three millennia, claims to be the world's first monotheistic creed and to have influenced major faiths such as Christianity, Judaism and Islam, inspired artists from Voltaire to Freddie Mercury but Zoroastrianism may be heading for extinction: in some communities only children of male Zoroastrians are admitted to the faith and there are probably fewer than 200 thousand left now.  

Rajan Datar talks about the history of Zoroastrianism with Dr. Sarah Stewart, Shapoorji Pallonji Lecturer in Zoroastrianism at SOAS, University of London, 
Malcolm Deboo, President of the Zoroastrian Trust Funds of Europe, the oldest Zoroastrian organisation on the continent, 
and Yuhan Vevaina, professor of Sasanian Studies at Oxford University.

Photo: Faravahar - relief of winged sun symbol of Zoroastrianism in Persepolis city, Iran. (Getty Images)

Accessibility links

Programme Index

The Forum

What is Zoroastrianism?

Genres

Formats

Brand

BBC World Service Europe and the Middle East

About BBC World Service