Understanding the nature of civilization is more key than ever today with huge changes like the collapse of the Soviet Empire and the hostility of Arab civilization towards the West. Hagger sees civilizations as growing around a human response to the spiritual vision of God as Light. This passes into their religions and expresses itself in culture, particularly in buildings. They decline through progressively secularizing stages when their central idea of the Light is lost. The revival of the metaphysical vision in our time could lead to its culminating stage being that of a world government.