Zorochristianity

Zorochristians or Zoroastrian Christians are those who broadly agree with the ideas of Zartianism but who identify as Christian.

Unlike most Zartian Mithraists, Zorochristians are interested in the figure of Jesus and the traditional scriptures and practices of Christians. However unlike Abramochristians who see the origins of Christianity in the religion of the Old Testament, Zorochristians consider that Zoroaster was the real original father of Christianity.

Zorochristians may recognise a saintly trinity of Zartus, Jesus and Georgius. Zartus has a role a bit like John the Baptist (or possibly Moses) in Abramochristianity. He is regarded as the original founder of the movement. Jesus is regarded as the main popular demonstrator of the teachings. And Saint George is the defender of the religion.

Zorochristians may also recognise a holy trinity of Auramazda, Chrestus and Spentamanus which loosely matches the holy trinity of Abramochristianity.

Zorochristians may recognize the Tetramagi or four wise men who advise Jesus as Zartus, Gotama, Plato and Aristotle. (Or alternatively the Trimagi of Zartus, Plato and Aristotle)

Zorochristians mainly use the Zoroastrian Gathas and the New Testament as their scriptures. They don't consider the god Yahweh of the Old Testament as their god, rather Yahweh is the pagan tribal God which Jesus came to preach against.

Zorochristians seek to borrow as much as possible from the established Christian tradition, such as prayers, hymns, rituals etc where this makes sense according to their beliefs.

On the whole Zorochristians will have more in common with 'Orthodox' and 'Catholic' christians than they would with 'Protestants' and 'Evangelicals'. Zorochristians are interested in 'Christian Social Teaching'.

Zorochristians

Zorochristians are people who are interested in the connection between the teachings of the ancient philosopher and teacher Zoroaster and the Christian tradition.

They consider that major aspects of Christian teaching are clearly derived from the teachings of Zoroaster, and that the conception that Christianity developed natively out of the Abrahamic tradition is a false one. Instead they regard Zoroaster as the Father of Christianity.

However among Zorochristians there are two distinct approaches they may take:

Some Zorochristians consider themselves belonging primarily in the Zoroastrian tradition. They may regard Jesus as an major Saint, but he doesn't have the same key importance as he does for most Christians. They don't regard the Christian Bible as a religious authority, but nevertheless they see value in the Christian tradition as a whole and are happy to borrow from it.

Other Zorochristians do see themselves as Christians. They consider they are as much Christians as many other early Christians who existed before the Roman Church decided there was only one way to be a Christian. Like many early Christians they don't regard the Old Testament as a Christian book, or that the god Yahweh of the Hebrew Scripture is the same as Jesus' 'Father in Heaven'. However they are passionately connected to the figure of Jesus. They use both the New Testament and other Christian writings of the same era to learn about the nature of Jesus.

Saints

Saints are people who have worked as agents of Chrestus, (i.e. Chrestors) and who have been recognized by society as examples worthy of attention and emulation. Zorochristians recognise three Saints above all as worthy of veneration. These are Zartus, Jesus and Georgius.

The Saintly Trinity

1. Zartus Sophus

Zartus Sophus (Zarathustra the Wise) is the Philosopher Saint - the one who who has knowledge of the cosmos and can discern the best ethical world-view and give to us the best religion. He can also be called Zartus Rectus or Zoroaster the Righteous. Zartus is the foremost teacher of Daena (moral vision).

2. Jesus Chrestus

Jesus Chrestus (Jesus the Good) is the Compassionate Saint - the one who sees our real human nature and needs and gives this the highest value regardless of human-manufactured regulations and understandings which contradict it.

Zartochrestians see Jesus' voluntary suffering on the cross as a sign of his compassion. We don't believe that the historic person of Jesus can be considered a scapegoat for all the sins of the world. Rather his action was a demonstration of how the eternal Chrestus takes on the burden of counteracting the sins of the fallible.

3. Georgius Fortis

Georgius Fortis (George the Brave) is the Brave Saint. He is the one who will fight for the cause of good and right and never desert it whether he has the strength to prevail, or is overcome and put to a torturous death.

Scriptures

Zorochristians value what we call the 'Jesuchristian' scriptures - roughly the New Testament and other scriptures of the same era that may be called gnostic. However we don't consider the Hebrew Scriptures (the 'Old Testament') to be Christian writings, although we respect that there is much wisdom within them.
May/July 4025
Zorochristian Mithraism is a religious form of Zartianism or neo-Zoroastrianism, which seeks to encourage people to be good servants of the living world, inspired especially by the teachings of Zarathustra.

While grounded in Zoroastrian ideas, Zorochristian Mithraism is influenced by the traditional Christian religion, and seeks to present itself in a way that is familiar to those from a traditionally Christian culture.

Zorochristians also venerate three holy saints above others. These are Zartus, Jesus and Georgius. Zartus Sophus (Zoroaster the wise) represents a person of Good Mind, Jesus Chrestus (Jesus the Good or Jesus the Servant) represents a person of Loving Heart and Georgius Fortis (George the Brave) a person of courage and practical action.

At the centre of Zorochristian teaching are the seven Kosmikoi, or beings that are responsible for order and disorder. They are Mithras, Anhita, Magtus, Chrestus, Azidus, Spentaman and Angraman. Three of the Kosmikoi roughly parallel the Abramochristian Holy Trinity : Mithras the Heavenly Father, Chrestus the Good Son and Spentaman the Holy Spirit. However among the Kosmikoi are also Anhita the Heavenly Mother, Magtus the Mighty One, Azidus the Greedy and Angraman the Evil Spirit. Anhita also has a parallel in Catholic teaching at least by the Virgin Mary and Angraman by the Devil. The inclusion of Magtus however marks a distinct difference between Zorochristianity and mainstream Christianity. Magtus the Mighty One has ancient roots but is best known in modern times from the teaching of Nietzsche.

Our hope is that Zorochristian Mithraism, alongside other branches of Zartianism (neo-Zoroastrianism) and Mithraism (such as Zartian Agathism, Psychosophism and Panthalism) will prove to be an attractive resource for those with the yearnings to make a positive difference to the world, but who find the teachings of traditional Christianity don't provide the help they are looking for.