Brexit, Prophecy, and Conspiracy: A Necessary Rejection of an Endtime Empire
This study examines why some pretribulation premillennialist Christian leaders in the United Kingdom instructed their followers, both implicitly and explicitly, to vote to leave the European Union in the referendum in June 2016. The formation of the European Union is regarded as central to the fulfi...
Main Author: | |
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Format: | Electronic Article |
Language: | English |
Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
Journals Online & Print: | |
Fernleihe: | Fernleihe für die Fachinformationsdienste |
Published: |
University of Californiarnia Press
[2018]
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In: |
Nova religio
Year: 2018, Volume: 21, Issue: 3, Pages: 7-28 |
Standardized Subjects / Keyword chains: | B
Great Britain
/ End times expectations
/ Conspiracy theory
/ Brexit
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RelBib Classification: | AZ New religious movements KDH Christian sects |
Further subjects: | B
European Union
B Brexit B Premillennialism B Late Modernity B conspiracy beliefs B Prophecy |
Online Access: |
Presumably Free Access Volltext (Verlag) Volltext (doi) |
Summary: | This study examines why some pretribulation premillennialist Christian leaders in the United Kingdom instructed their followers, both implicitly and explicitly, to vote to leave the European Union in the referendum in June 2016. The formation of the European Union is regarded as central to the fulfilment of prophecy by many premillennialists as it is purported to be the revived Roman Empire found in the books of Daniel and Revelation in the Bible. On the face of it, to vote to leave the European Union would seem to be contrary to such prophetic conjecture given the importance of the United Kingdom's role in the Union, and the perceived destabilising impact this would have on it. This article argues, utilising evidence from interviews with two premillennialist leaders and other contemporary sources, that voting to leave did not necessarily contradict previous teaching. Rather, voting to leave was not only consistent with this teaching but also reflected the rejection of many features of the late modern condition. However, the rejection of the latter has sometimes resulted in a move beyond the premillennialist prophetic framework into the realm of conspiracy beliefs. |
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ISSN: | 1541-8480 |
Contains: | Enthalten in: Nova religio
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Persistent identifiers: | DOI: 10.1525/nr.2018.21.3.7 |