‘Sweet in the Mouth and Bitter in the Stomach’: Interpretations of the Book of Revelation among Evangelicals in Northern Ireland during the ‘Troubles’

• Published in: The Irish theological quarterly Vol. 79; no. 1; pp. 14 - 29
• Main Author: Searle, Joshua T.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London, England SAGE Publications 01.02.2014
• Subjects: evangelicals; Northern Ireland; interpretation; Revelation; Troubles
• ISSN: 0021-1400; 1752-4989
• DOI: 10.1177/0021140013509436

In the history of Northern Ireland, the Book of Revelation has been decisively constitutive of evangelical identity, particularly during the ‘Troubles.’ The apocalyptic notion of a zero-sum conflict between Good and Evil carries a distinctive resonance with the way that many evangelicals interpreted the history of ‘Ulster.’ This article argues that end-times belief in Northern Ireland—like most other aspects of evangelical doctrine—was not solely a matter of pure theological conviction, but was mixed with an inchoate conglomeration of diverse, highly nuanced and occasionally contradictory religious, cultural and political presuppositions. By considering these diverse convictions through an analysis of evangelical interpretations of the Book of Revelation in light of the political context of the ‘Troubles,’ the aim is to yield important insights into how the interpretation of the Book of Revelation can affect the hermeneutical horizon of evangelical experience in a context of crisis and conflict.