ZorochristianityZorochristianity is a new branch of Christianity, but one that has ancient roots.Zorochristians don't believe that the foundations of Christianity were in the Hebrew religion, but rather believe that they are in the teachings of Zoroaster, a Persian wise man living perhaps a thousand years before Jesus. Zorochristians value wisdom, firstly the wisdom of God, the source of creation of the world and of our flourishing within it, and secondly the wisdom developed by us humans in our attempt to reach the wisdom of God. Zorochristians don't treat religious scriptures as literal or infallible guides to human conduct. Scriptures which have stood the test of time often do contain much wisdom, but we can't avoid the necessity of using our own human powers to judge how it might relate to us today. Zorochristians have something in common with early Christian movements which valued wisdom and rejected the authority of the Old Testament. These are typically called gnostics today, and to some degree Zorochristianity is a gnostic form of Christianity. However we don't go along with all doctrines associated with those early gnostics - for instance a Zorochristian takes this current world seriously and seeks to make it better, unlike some ancient gnostics who sought to escape from material reality altogether. Explaining GodGod is a term for what we attend to and value. Behind this is a belief that there are some things that are worthy of being attended to and valued, and that thus there is a reality to God independent of our personal beliefs.Zorochristians are not dogmatic about conceptions of God. For instance from some angles God may be 'One', but from other angles He may be 'Many'. In a different way we sometimes make a differentiation between the God who is Reality and the God who is Good. These are not different Gods as what is Good is an aspect of Reality. However the kind of worship we give to Reality is different from the worship of what is Good. The first we need to know about, and take account of when we are planning what to do. The second is something we seek to actively support and bring about. Philosophical PathZorochristian Agathists is the name we give to those who prefer to ground their moral world-view in philosophy rather than in religious stories or ritual.Agathon means 'the Good', and Agathists strive after the Good, to understand it and to act in a way that brings it into reality. Agathists strive for a world where people are able to flourish. This is a world which is rightly-ordered. To be of help in bringing good order we need knowledge of how to do so and the necessary motivation and ability. Agathists seek to better themselves, to make themselves more useful people who can make a positive difference. We use the word Chrestor to describe such a person who is genuinely capable of helping shift the world into a better place. Zorochristian Agathists want to help make our common social life work better for the benefit of people. They want to see 'a better world' where people are able to flourish. They may use the term 'Christian Socialism' for ideas and practices aimed at bringing about the good society. Zorochristian Agathists are therefore often social activists. Their focus is on taking action that makes the world a better place to live in. Religious PathOther Zorochristians find a more conventionally religious path more appealing. They find pure philosophy a bit dry and like to engage their imagination, hear stories, practice rituals and do other activities with other people.Zorochristian religion hasn't been fully developed. However there are two approaches that can be taken: The 'Jesuist' approach, like mainstream Christianity, puts the figure of Jesus in a central position. However they think that the established church that arose some centuries after didn't accurately reflect his true message. It focussed more on his death, than what he taught when he was alive. A bit like the gnostics of Jesus' time, Zorochristians seek to pay attention to his actual message. The 'Sarist' approach is the more radical. It is grounded more in the Zoroastrian tradition, and doesn't look to Jesus as a teacher or exemplar. Instead Sarus, the divine personality of listening and responding, has a somewhat similar role. N.B. Despite the distinction between 'Jesuist' and 'Sarist' given here the term 'Zorochristian Mithraism' often encompasses both approaches. ZartianismZartianism is a project to develop a framework for a neo-Zoroastrian philosophy and religion. Many ideas for Zorochristianity comes from Zartianism. However Zorochristians will vary on how strictly they adhere to it.See: www.zartiana.uk for more about Zartianism. August 2026 CE |