Student of PhD, Political Sciences, Tehran University
Abstract
In Iranians thought and practice, Messianism has a particular place. In a sense, belief in emergence of a Savior to free people from political and social problems may be considered as one of the characteristics of the Iranians' political culture. It is as if that, in spite of discontinuities, some kind of continuity has been involved in the history of Iranians' political thought. Iranians' angel of the Earth has in every age faced a risky situation; and, at the same time she has developed various hopes. The present article describes and analyzes the elements of Messianism in Mazdian/Iranian mythological system. Relying on four categories of “risky situation”, “principle of hope”, “principle of justice”, and “democratic promise”, the author tries to infer gains and possibilities of Iranian Messianism. This theoretical attempt relies upon requirements of the post-secular horizon. To discuss the issues mentioned in the present article, two questions may be introduced: what are the Messianic elements in the Mazdian political theology? In the context of the Iranian political theology, how may the democratic promise be developed along with the principles of hope and justice?
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