Religion and Power; from Spiritual Power to Political Power (Case study of Islamic revolution of Iran Based on Theory of nature's Imam Khomeini))

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

Assistant Professor, Department of Theology, University of Guilan

Abstract

Purpose: the main purpose of this research is to examine the role of the spiritual power of religion in creating social and political power in the process of the Islamic Revolution of Iran.
Research methodology: Using the deconstruction method, this research studies the documents, spoken and written themes of the works of the founder of the Islamic Revolution of Iran and examines the microphysical levels of power in the process of the revolution.
Data: According to Imam Khomeini's theory of two Fitrahs, the category of power can be divided into two paradigms of spiritual and material power. Naturally, there is a link between religion and power at different levels - spiritual, social and political. Imam Khomeini, in order to fight against the Pahlavi regime, started to revive the identity of Islamic resistance by relying on the spiritual power of religion. The alignment of Islamic ideology with the identity of resistance turned the spiritual power of religion into social power. Using the symbols and institutions of the Shia religion provided the most appropriate platform for the formation of revolutionary actions - not reactions - and elevated the social power of religion to political power. The political power of religion, by interfering with the ruling power, made the second Pahlavi rule collapse
Conclusion: among the types of power, only the spiritual power of religion which does not have a radical and domineering nature due to its alignment with human nature.

Keywords

References

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Volume 13, Issue 47 - Serial Number 47
September 2023
Pages 21-38

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