Carol Rifelj Lecture Series - Ata Anzali
“The Chief Ideologue” of the Islamic Revolution? Moretza Motahhari and the Formation of Islamist Thought in Pre-Revolutionary Iran
As a prominent student of Khomeini, Morteza Motahhari has long been portrayed as the “chief ideologue” of the Islamic Revolution in Iran. A critical examination of his works and life, however, reveals an erudite figure who, at his core, was an innovative theologian rather than a revolutionary ideologue. In this talk, Ata will focus on a few themes that highlight the centrality of a dialogical model to Motahhari’s theological thinking.