Abdulkarim SoroushDr. Abdolkarim Soroush (born 1945 in Tehran) is an Iranian philosopher, theologian, and leading figure in modern Islamic thought. After studying pharmacy in Iran and the history and philosophy of science in London, he returned to Iran following the 179 Revolution and became an influential voice in the country's intellectual life. Initially a member of the Cultural Revolution Council, he later distanced himself from political power and emerged as one of the most prominent thinkers of Iran's reform movement.His philosophy draws a clear distinction between divine religion itself and the human, historically evolving understanding of it. Soroush emphasizes freedom, pluralism, and critical reasoning in religious interpretation, advocating the compatibility of faith and democracy. Due to his criticism of clerical authority, he faced censorship and harassment in Iran and has lived in exile since the early 2000s. He has taught at leading universities such as Harvard, Princeton, and Yale, and was awarded the Erasmus Prize in 2004. Read More Read Less