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An Historian's Approach to Religion
A revelation of religion's important part in history and its place in the future
354 pages, Hardcover
First published December 1, 1956
About the author
Arnold Joseph Toynbee
490 books535 followersNot the same as Arnold Toynbee, economist and nephew of Arnold Joseph Toynbee
British educator Arnold Joseph Toynbee noted cyclical patterns in the growth and decline of civilizations for his 12-volume Study of History (1934-1961).
He went to Winchester college and Balliol college, Oxford.
During both world wars, he worked for the foreign office. He additionally published Nationality and the War (1915), The Armenian Atrocities: The Murder of a Nation (1915), The German Terror in France: An Historical Record (1917), and Turkey, a Past and a Future (1917). He attended the peace conference of Paris in 1919 as a delegate.
From 1919 to 1924, Arnold J. Toynbee served as professor of modern Greek and Byzantine at King's college, London. From 1925, Oxford University Press published The Survey of International Affairs under the auspices of the royal institute of international affairs, and Toynbee, professor, oversaw the publication. From 1925, Toynbee served as research professor and director at the royal institute of international affairs. He published The Conduct of British Empire Foreign Relations since the Peace Settlement (1928).
His first marriage to Rosalind Murray produced three sons and ended in divorce in 1946. Toynbee, professor, then married Veronica M. Boulter, his research assistant. He published Civilization on Trial (1948).
Toynbee served as research professor and director at the royal institute of international affairs until 1955.
People published best known lectures of Toynbee, professor, in memory of Adam Gifford as An Historian's Approach to Religion (1956). His massive work examined development and decay. He presented the rise and fall rather than nation-states or ethnic groups. According to his analysis, the welfare depends on ability to deal successfully with challenges.
He also published Democracy in the Atomic Age (1957), Christianity among the Religions of the World (1958), and Between Niger and Nile (1965).
He died in York, North Yorkshire, England.
British educator Arnold Joseph Toynbee noted cyclical patterns in the growth and decline of civilizations for his 12-volume Study of History (1934-1961).
He went to Winchester college and Balliol college, Oxford.
During both world wars, he worked for the foreign office. He additionally published Nationality and the War (1915), The Armenian Atrocities: The Murder of a Nation (1915), The German Terror in France: An Historical Record (1917), and Turkey, a Past and a Future (1917). He attended the peace conference of Paris in 1919 as a delegate.
From 1919 to 1924, Arnold J. Toynbee served as professor of modern Greek and Byzantine at King's college, London. From 1925, Oxford University Press published The Survey of International Affairs under the auspices of the royal institute of international affairs, and Toynbee, professor, oversaw the publication. From 1925, Toynbee served as research professor and director at the royal institute of international affairs. He published The Conduct of British Empire Foreign Relations since the Peace Settlement (1928).
His first marriage to Rosalind Murray produced three sons and ended in divorce in 1946. Toynbee, professor, then married Veronica M. Boulter, his research assistant. He published Civilization on Trial (1948).
Toynbee served as research professor and director at the royal institute of international affairs until 1955.
People published best known lectures of Toynbee, professor, in memory of Adam Gifford as An Historian's Approach to Religion (1956). His massive work examined development and decay. He presented the rise and fall rather than nation-states or ethnic groups. According to his analysis, the welfare depends on ability to deal successfully with challenges.
He also published Democracy in the Atomic Age (1957), Christianity among the Religions of the World (1958), and Between Niger and Nile (1965).
He died in York, North Yorkshire, England.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
August 30, 2010
This book was given to me by my grandfather before I entered college. It introduced me to the idea that religions drive the growth and development of civilizations. Much of the book specifically addresses Christianity's path to becoming a world religion and how it interacted with the rise of Western secularism. The author's sympathetic view on religions, while clearly recognizing their failings at particular various stages of their development, set the standard for the religious search which I began as a college student. I went on to read much of the author's writings and found that his cyclical approach to world history meshed well with the
Baha'i concept of progressive revelation. I also recommend the two-volume abridgment by D.C. Somervell of Toynbee's most famous work, A Study of History, published by Oxford University Press in 1957.
September 2010:
I re-read this all-time all-time scholarly favorite book of mine. I last read it around 15 years ago. I am happy to report that it still stands up to the exalted place I placed it in my collection. So many of the themes the author touched on in the later 1950's still hold true with many of them now translated from the religious realm to the political realm.
Baha'i concept of progressive revelation. I also recommend the two-volume abridgment by D.C. Somervell of Toynbee's most famous work, A Study of History, published by Oxford University Press in 1957.
September 2010:
I re-read this all-time all-time scholarly favorite book of mine. I last read it around 15 years ago. I am happy to report that it still stands up to the exalted place I placed it in my collection. So many of the themes the author touched on in the later 1950's still hold true with many of them now translated from the religious realm to the political realm.
June 5, 2026
Incredible book. Genuinely one of those books you could and should hand someone today to understand all of humanity from beginning to now and the technological spiritual questions that face us into the future. God, Toynbee was so ahead of his time, Masha’Allah.
September 27, 2025
interesting perspectives to read. I would advise to every history student
August 31, 2010
Toynbee rehashes some material from his multi-volume work, but there are still some great chapters here. I especially liked 'The Re-Erection of Two Graeco-Roman Idols,' and 'Idolization of the Technician,' and most especially his look at what happens between religions and empires. Also valuable is how Toynbee points out that the way religion and society interact goes far beyond whatever individuals do on 'Sunday' (I use the term broadly). I found his comments about power and suffering provoking.
The book's significant problems come when Toynbee goes beyond looking at religion as an historian, and starts looking at religion per se. He seems too much of a Platonist. As he does not believe in the Incarnation, he seems to posit too great a difference between the physical/spiritual, animal/rational, etc. Thus, religious truths get boiled down to their 'essence' apart from their 'incarnations,' which in Toynbee's eyes inevitably distort 'true' religion. Religious 'truth' gets buried too deep in the sub-conscious or to put too high in the ethereal mist. If we think of Raphael's famous painting of the Academy in Athens (and imagine adding Carl Jung pointing back at himself, beside Plato and Aristotle,) why couldn't all three be right? Can't truth be 'out there, in front of us, and within us (to some extent anyway). Toynbee, I think, would exclude Aristotle, or at least diminish his role, and this error impacts his thinking.
The book's significant problems come when Toynbee goes beyond looking at religion as an historian, and starts looking at religion per se. He seems too much of a Platonist. As he does not believe in the Incarnation, he seems to posit too great a difference between the physical/spiritual, animal/rational, etc. Thus, religious truths get boiled down to their 'essence' apart from their 'incarnations,' which in Toynbee's eyes inevitably distort 'true' religion. Religious 'truth' gets buried too deep in the sub-conscious or to put too high in the ethereal mist. If we think of Raphael's famous painting of the Academy in Athens (and imagine adding Carl Jung pointing back at himself, beside Plato and Aristotle,) why couldn't all three be right? Can't truth be 'out there, in front of us, and within us (to some extent anyway). Toynbee, I think, would exclude Aristotle, or at least diminish his role, and this error impacts his thinking.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews