Video from Lets Talk Religion
"In this video I give a short introduction to the religion Zoroastrianism - possibly the oldest monotheistic religion in the world. Sources/Suggested reading: Boyce, Mary (2000). "Zoroastrians: Their Religious Beliefs and Practices". Routledge. Mehr, Farhang (2003). "The Zoroastrian Tradition". Mazda Publishers, U.S. Boyd, James W. & Donald A. Crosby (1979). "Is Zoroastrianism Dualistic or Monotheistic?". Journal of the American Academy of Religion. Oxford University Press." from video introduction.
"Zoroastrianism, although the smallest of the major religions of the world in the number of its adherents, is historically one of the most important. Its roots are in the proto-Indo-European spirituality that also produced the religions of India. It was the first of the world's religions to be founded by an inspired prophetic reformer. It was influential on Mahayana Buddhism and especially on the Abrahamic religions of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. To the latter three, Zoroastrianism bequeathed such concepts as a cosmic struggle between right and wrong, the primacy of ethical choice in human life, monotheism, a celestial hierarchy of spiritual beings (angels, archangels) that mediate between God and humanity, a judgment for each individual after death, the coming of a Messiah at the end of this creation, and an apocalypse culminating in the final triumph of Good at the end of the historical cycle. —Editor
History
ZOROASTER WAS THE PERSIAN PROPHET on whose teachings the ancient religion of Zoroastrianism is based.The name by which he is commonly known in the West is from the Greek form of his original name,Zarathushtra, which means "Shining Light."..." from the article: Zoroastrianism: History, Beliefs, and Practices