The Universal Churches

In all the discussion about Religion I have seen, I have never seen a reference to Arnold Toynbee's concept of Universal Church. In Toynbee's A Study of History the thesis is presented that all civilizations we are familiar with have created Universal Empires ( e.g., Rome ) and the main use of these empires is create a fertile ground where a Universal Church comes into being.

When the empire falls, as must all things of man fall to ruin, it is the Universal Chruch which carries on the remnants of civilization into the new age. Quite a different view of Religion and Churches than what we are used to.

When the slaves were packed on board ships in West Africa they had nothing except their minds and hearts. The slaves in Haiti brought Vodou with them and this was the only link they had to the world they had left, other than oral traditions. In this instance, Religion preserved the spirit of a people.

I am so tired of reading nonsense about Religion. Our opinions are not history. Read The Religions of the Oppressed by Lanternari.

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