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Book Review to appear in Religiologiques

Richard C. Foltz, 2004,Spirituality in the Land of the Noble: How Iran Shaped the WorldsReligions, Oxford, Oneworld, xix + 204 p.

The Arctic Council publishes a map showing the North at the centre, with land from Russia,Canada, Denmark, Norway, Finland, America, Sweden and Iceland protruding to varyingdegrees over the Arctic Circle. This map is a healthy reminder that the world depends onones perspective. So too is the latest book by Richard Foltz.Spirituality in the Land of theNobleencourages readers to rethink the history of religions by placing Iran at the centre. Whathas largely gone unnoticed, Foltz argues, are the extraordinarily broad and profound influencesof Iran on the worlds religions (xi). These include Zoroastrianism (17-41), Judaism 45-60),Buddhism (63-75), Christianity (79-95), Gnostic Traditions (99-114), Islam (117-140), the BabiMovement and the Bahai faith (143-155). All these traditions, the book claims, have beensignificantly shaped by Iranian spirituality, either directly or indirectly.

Foltz, who has been teaching at the University of Florida since 2000, is certainly

qualified to address these matters. An Islamicist who specializes in Iran, this young scholar haswritten books on the importance of Iran on the Mughal rulers of India (Mughal India and Central

Asia, Oxford, 1999; his revised doctoral dissertation), the interconnections of religious traditionsalong the ancient silk road (Religions of the Silk Road, Palgrave, 1999), and the views ofvarious religions on the environment (Worldviews, Religion and the Environment: A Global

Anthology, Thomson Nelson, 2002; Islam and Ecology, Harvard University Press, 2003, co-edited with Frederick Denny and Azizan Baharuddin). Oneworld Publications is also fitting for abook of this nature. An independent publisher in comparative religions, this firm has strengthsin Islam and the Bahai tradition, and has shown an openness to a variety of humanexpressions of religion.

Spirituality in the Land of the Nobleis directed primarily at a broad, mainly American,audience that is generally ignorant of Iran, and often dismissive of it. This well-written book,

sprinkled with personal anecdotes from the authors own experiences in Iran, highlights thecomplexity and richness of what North Americans call the Ancient Near East and the (Modern)Middle East. The Glossary (175-178) and concluding Bibliographic Essay (185-195) allow thelearning experience to be deepened. Foltzs approach brings to mind Wilfred Cantwell Smith, interms of the historical-critical stance and his sympathetic approach to religion. Foltz does notwrite dismissively about religious traditions or, for that matter, about other scholars evenwhen discussing their less eirenic or proud moments, even in the concluding chapter on thecurrent situation in Iran (159-174). Not surprisingly, then, the books final words flag the newCenter for the Study of Religions and Sects in Qom, the desert city usually portrayed byoutsiders as the seat of fundamentalist Shia Islam. This Center, Foltz writes, possesses animpressive and up-to-date collection of library resources, including the latest Westernscholarship from university presses . . . . Such trends would seem to indicate that the

intellectual climate in Iran today is becoming more open to learning about religions other thanthe official one (174).

Scholars of religion will also benefit from this book. Most of Foltzs general points,though, will come as no surprise to them. To argue that Zoroastrianism emerges fromtraditional Iranian spirituality, that Judaism in pre-Christian times was significantly influenced byZoroastrianism, that elements of Gnosticism have deep affinity with Iranian thought, that Iranshaped early Islam, and that the Bahai faith comes out of Iranian Islam is not new, althoughsome of the details certainly will be of interest. The chapter on Buddhism, although sketchy, islikely to raise the most eyebrows, particularly the claim that merchants and missionaries who

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carried Buddhism to Central Asia and China were mostly of Iranian background (73).There are a few imbalances. Not surprisingly for a study that attempts to cover so much,

some chapters are stronger than others. Foltzs discussions of Islam and Judaism, for instance,are far more nuanced than his discussions of Gnosticism and Buddhism. In addition, somechapters concern themselves with explaining the nature of a particular religious tradition (e.g.,Gnosticism), or its representation in Iran (e.g., Christianity, Bahai), more than they do with

supporting the books central thesis. And the narrative at times assumes the male gender asnormative: a non-Arab who wanted to join the Muslim community, for instance, latertransforms into a him (121; so too 37), and Christians, we are told, could not marry Muslimwomen (89; were women also not Christians?).

Foltz, however, certainly accomplishes what he sets out to do. He convincingly raisesthe profile of Iran in generating and shaping the worlds major religious traditions. Moreover, hedoes so with the grace and erudition that are so typical of Iranian culture itself.

Michel DesjardinsDepartment of Religion and CultureWilfrid Laurier University