Holochrestianism

Zoroastrianism traces its origin back to the common pagan culture of Europe. Into this culture was born Zarathustra an enlightened philosopher and teacher who planted the seed of thought that has lead to our modern-day civilisation.

Yet today the religious culture of our society has decayed and is no longer serving its purpose of guiding good behaviour and promoting the life-supporting order.

Zoroastrian Holochrestians hope to help rejuvenate the religious culture of the western world by re-awakening its memory of its cultural origins and promoting good cultural forms of wisdom, wisdom-seeking, ethics and worship relevant to its needs.

The word Holochrestia derives from two Greek words: Holos meaning whole and Khrehstos meaning useful. Holochrestia is 'usefulness to the whole' or 'service to the world' or 'working for the common good'.

Zoroastrian Holochrestians work for the Best Order (Artista) of the world such that life flourishes (Eudaimonia or Spenty ) and living beings are happy (Ushta). They believe in the natural law - that the law of right-joining of things (Artalogos) is derived from the innate nature of the things themselves and not from the arbitrary command of any being. They work for Best-Order by developing their Good Mind (Humanah) so that they can understand the Whole (Holos) in all its intricacy and interconnection and have the ability and motivation to take the best action (Eudrama) accordingly.

Holochrestian Democracy

Holos means the Whole. Chrestian comes from a Greek word meaning 'useful to'. Holochrestianism is about 'being useful to the whole' or 'serving the common good'.

By Democracy we mean that political influence is widely distributed. We believe power should be shared among a large number of people. Nevertheless we also believe that power should be wielded by those most able and inclined to wield it to good effect. This implies both that people need to work at developing the ability to be good political actors and that not everybody will have the same abilities or should wield the same amount of power.

What we believe

Zoroastrian Holochrestians believe that there is a psychospiritual aspect to existence and that this is of primary importance. In other words we believe that the feelings, thoughts, emotions, pleasures and pains that are described as the internal life of a person are objectively real and that what is ultimately most important is that people have a good experience of life.

Zoroastrian Holochrestians believe that the welfare of all people and other living beings is of importance.

Zoroastrian Holochrestians believe that there is a natural law which derives from the innate nature of things. This natural law shapes whether any particular actions will have good and life-enhancing results or not.

Achieving Holochrestian Democracy

Holochrestian Democracy can only come about if there is a Holochrestian Demos. The Good Society which creates the conditions for the Good Life can only come about if there is a body of people working purposefully and intelligently to create such a Good Society.

Building the Holochrestian Demos

The Holochrestian Demos is the politically active population working in association to further the common good.

The Holochrestian Demos:

1. Is composed of members able to work in association on a common project (who are able to communicate and collaborate with each other and are not divided by mutual antipathy).

2. Is composed of members desirous of achieving the common good (rather than only be concerned for their private benefit). (This requires suitable character formation).

3. Is composed of members with the ability to discern what is the common good is and how to achieve it. (This requires suitable education or personal development)

Movements for the creation of the Holochrestian Demos

Holochrestian Democracy is not just a way of running a society but also a project to create the conditions that a Good Order of Society be achieved - in other words primarily the creation of the Holochrestian Demos. This process is one that could happen from the grassroots upwards with many individuals working to build little 'droplets' of the Holochrestian Demos. Each droplet being a small cluster of people orientating themselves to the task at hand, growing the strength of their association, strengthening their mutual bond of trust, discovering and developing the group culture and modes of action and greater resilience in adversity. Then educating and developing themselves to serve the wider common good with greater commitment to the goal of a well-ordered society, greater enlightenment to reality and greater capability of useful action.

February 2013 CE / 4013 HE