ABSTRACT
Generally, theology is thought to be politically salient only for a minority of evangelical Protestants. Whilst this is the indeed the case, the relationship is not as straightforward as might be assumed. In this chapter we examine the connections between theological beliefs and political attitudes in Northern Ireland. The central concern is the ways in which religion provides meaning in what sometimes seems to be a meaningless world, and in turn, how this can affect people’s political attitudes and actions. This dimension of religious significance has been left until last because although it is the most dramatic manifestation of religion in politics in Northern Ireland, it is actually the least prevalent. Of course, it is intricately connected with the other dimensions of religious power, ritual and ideology, and this reinforces the theological components of politics. This chapter concentrates mainly on Protestants, and in particular evangelicals. The reason is because evangelicals are the largest social group in Northern Ireland for whom theological teachings and doctrines have political significance. This of course does not mean that Catholics lack devotion or commitment to their faith. It simply indicates that the doctrinal element of religion has less social significance than ritual or liturgy.
