Critical review of Arnold Toynbee's theory about the formation, growth and decline of civilizations and the role of religion in civilization

Arnold Twibee, one of the most famous historians and philosophers of contemporary history, has presented a universal theory about the formation, growth and decline of civilizations. He believes that human societies have started the process of civilization when they "respond" to the "proportionate challenges" of the environment. With this initial answer, the next problems arise in a chain, and the next answers are provided by a group of elites, that is, the "active minority", and gradually the general public consciously and habitually accompanies the minority, and civilization grows.However, the active minority slowly become the rulers and the initial enthusiasm disappears, the rulers cannot bring the people together and turn to mechanical methods, the minority becomes corrupt and despotic. The masses protest and the social divisions intensify.A foreign enemy attacks civilization and civilization is destroyed; The conquerors are an active minority and the cycle continues. He believes that Western civilization is declining. Criticisms have been made to this theory, including: the insufficiency of historical evidence to prove this process, Toynbee's selective selection of data, his refusal to give such general ideas about history, the narrative of history based on Darwinism, the confusion between English empirical and analytical methods. German and Christian religious methods, unreasonable comparison of history to human organism, lack of philosophical foundation, non-religiousness and...Toynbee believes that the original principle of civilizations is the spiritual and spiritual affairs of every civilization, religion is the main supplier of these affairs, therefore, it has played an irreplaceable role in the creation of civilizations. He believes that Western civilization is declining due to distance from religion and ethics. He does not agree with the theories that consider religion to be the result of ignorance or fear of humans and considers religion to be natural and not temporary.