Encyclopaedic History of the Light of Civilization : How the Vision of God has Inspired All the Great Civilizations
Contents: Acknowledgments. Prologue. I. The origin of the light: 1. The meaning of the experience of the light. 2. The Central Asian origin of the light. II. The tradition of the light: 1. The Indo-European Kurgan light. 2. The Mesopotamian light. 3. The Egyptian light. 4. The Aegean-Greek light. 5. The Roman light. 6. The Anatolian light. 7. The Syrian light. 8. The Israelite light. 9. The Celtic light. 10. The Iranian light. 11. The European light. 12. The North American light. 13. The Byzantine-Russian light. 14. The Germanic-Scandinavian light. 15. The Andean light. 16. The Meso-American light. 17. The Arab light. 18. The African light. 19. The Indian light. 20. The South-East Asian light. 21. The Japanese light. 22. The Oceanian light. 23. The Chinese light. 24. The Tibetan light. 25. The Central Asian light. III. Subtradition: the heretical light in western civilization: 1. The Essene light. 2. The British Druid light. 3. The Gnostic light. 4. The Hermetic light. 5. The Manichaeist light. 6. The Templar light. 7. The Grail light. 8. The Kabbalist light. 9. The Esoteric light. 10. The Theosophical light. 11. The new age light. IV. The light in civilizations: 1. The individual's experience of the light of religion. 2. Pattern and civilizations. Appendices: i. The Indo-European Kurgans. ii. Secularization of English Hymns between 1889 and 1951: the vanishing light. Chart of 25 civilizations and cultures: from one to one. Note to reader on the sources. Notes and references to sources. Bibliography.
"In the most monumental study of the history of civilizations for several generation, the author describes the grand sweep of history in the style of Gibbon, Toynbee and Spengler. He looks for the underlying patterns rather than the shorter-term political, economic or social movements. His unique interpretation is, firstly, to see religion as the basis for civilization rather than one element in its cultural expression. Saints, mystics, gurus, prophets, religious founders - it is these that drive history rather than kings and politicians.
Secondly, it is to describe all religions as part of a common vision, that of the light. The experience of the light is described by mystics everywhere in the world, at all times. Over centuries it finds expression in laws, buildings, churches, regions, which in turn eventually crumble. The third element in Hagger's analysis is relating light-inspired religions to their cultures and civilizations, tracing the process, common to all civilizations, where they decline as the original fire of the light is lost. Finally, in this updated version of his thinking, he looks at the implications for western civilization today, facing huge changes like the collapse of the Soviet Empire and the hostility of much of the Muslim world, and offers pointers to the future.
An extraordinary book and must read for all." (jacket)
