The Origin, History, and Evolution of Hell
The Origin, History, and Evolution of Hell by mār Enlil The idea of hell does not come from Christianity, but from a little-known religion: Zoroastrianism, the monotheistic religion of pre-Islamic Persia. In fact, the very concept of hell does not exist in the Bible. If the term appears, it is a (deliberate?) translation error. The Hebrew concept of Sheol has no connection to the Christian/Zoroastrian concept of hell. In this article, we will explore the origins of the concept of hell in Iran, as well as its adoption by post-exilic Jews (and, by extension, by Christians and, later, Muslims). I would also like to point out that, contrary to popular belief, Zoroastrianism is not a dead religion. There are 40,000 Zoroastrians in Iran (official figure; unofficial sources cite higher numbers). In India, where Zoroastrians fled after the Islamic conquest of Iran, there are 61,000 Zoroastrians, known as Parsis, meaning “Persians” (2012 estimate). In Iraqi Ku...