How Civilizations Die (and Why Islam Is Dying Too)

Past and present civilizations fail for many reasons, but the number one predictor of a civilization’s survival is its sense of religion—or lack thereof. So argues First Things columnist David Goldman in How Civilizations Die (and Why Islam Is Dying Too). The strength of a civilization’s religion affects its purpose, its fertility rate, and ultimately, its fate, says Goldman—who then argues that, contrary to popular belief, Islamic countries are in the last throes of death while Christian A...