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Brexit, prophecy, and conspiracy: A necessary rejection of an endtime empire
Knowles, Steve
Knowles, Steve
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2018-02-01
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Abstract
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.
Citation
Knowles, S. (2018). Brexit, prophecy, and conspiracy: A necessary rejection of an endtime empire. Nova Religio: The Journal of Alternative and Emergent Religions, 21(3), 7-28. https://doi.org/10.1525/nr.2018.21.3.7
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University of California Press
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Nova Religio
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DOI
10.1525/nr.2018.21.3.7
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Article
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en
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Published as Knowles, S. (2018). Brexit, Prophecy, and Conspiracy: A Necessary Rejection of an Endtime Empire. Nova Religio: The Journal of Alternative and Emergent Religions, 21(3), 7-28. https://doi.org/10.1525/nr.2018.21.3.7 © 2018 by University of California Press. Copying and permissions notice: Authorization to copy this content beyond fair use (as specified in Sections 107 and 108 of the U. S. Copyright Law) for internal or personal use, or the internal or personal use of specific clients, is granted by University of California Press for libraries and other users, provided that they are registered with and pay the specified fee via Rightslink® or directly with the Copyright Clearance Center.
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1541-8480