A House of One in Iran?

Is a House of One conceivable in Iran? What does a Shiite perspective on the interreligious house look like? And what about secularization in the respective countries?

At the invitation of the House of One, delegates and teachers of the University of Religions and Denominations (URD) from the Iranian Qom and the Center for Comparative Theology and Cultural Studies (ZeKK) of the University of Paderborn discussed these questions at a symposium in Berlin on 8 September 2018. Not only similarities and differences in religious and theological conceptual fields were discussed. The participants also focused their attention on topics and realities of life which go beyond the usual picture of the coexistence of religions in Iran and have thus extended the picture by many facets. 

In the course of the day the specific Shiite perspective on a possible House of One in Iran as well as the specific conditions in the country were examined. Northern Iran in particular is characterised by a wide variety of ethnic groups, cultures and religions.

The increasing secularisation also in Iran was another important point of discussion. In contrast to a distance of religion associated with it, especially in the Western European regions countries, the increasing secularization is seen especially in Northern Iran as a positive development. It plays an important role when it comes to opening up to other religions, denominations and cultures. The contact and peaceful coexistence of religions is supported by great tolerance and diversity. At the same time, declining ethical, social and psychological aspects of a changing understanding of religion can be observed, which here is rather subject to a change of traditional values than to a turning away from them.

However, the participants agreed on one thing. The House of One was seen as a good example and possible construct of an interreligious coexistence also for the Central Asian region.