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157
Habitus | 6 | Mart 2025 | 157-186
Doi: 10.62156/habitus.1572221
Makalesi/Review Article
ve
Üzerindeki Rolü
*
ÖZ
, dinî ideolojilerin
günümüz küresel güven
dinamiklerin küresel güvenlik üzerindeki etkileri ana
Anahtar Kelimeler: Melhame-i Kübra, Din ve Siyaset, Milliyetçilik, Mehdi, Mesih,
Radikalizm, Diplomasi.
23 Ekim 2024 / 01 Ocak 2025
engöz
Üzerindeki Rolü, HABİTUS Toplumbilim Dergisi, (6), 157-186.
The Role of Theopolitics and Eschatological Beliefs on Modern Politics and International Security
ABSTRACT
This article deeply examines the effects of religious beliefs and eschatological expectations on modern politics
and international security, with the concept of theopolitics at its core. Indeed, theopolitics is a discipline developed
to understand the impact of religious ideologies on social and political structures, as it conceptually lies at the
intersection of religion and politics. In this context, the article evaluates how eschatological scenarios, such as the
Battle of Armageddon, are instrumentalized by religious and political leaders and their impact on global security.
Particularly, the eschatological expectations of major religions such as Christianity, Islam, and Judaism are
significant factors shaping social and political structures, often providing valuable insights into the understanding
of the international security environment and developments. Indeed, eschatological beliefs, widely held throughout
history, and the accepted understandings that have infiltrated the subconscious, have emerged as a dynamic
influencing national security policies and international relations. In this context, the article aims to explain how
the concept of theopolitics, shaped by religious eschatological expectations, influences both domestic and foreign
policies as well as international security from a time-inclusive perspective. Understanding how religious beliefs
*
, E-posta: muratsengoz74@gmail.com, 0000-0001-6597-0161
158
and eschatological expectations are used in political strategies is a critical element in understanding the current
global security environment. Therefore, the study particularly emphasizes how the eschatological beliefs of major
religions such as Christianity, Islam, and Judaism play a role in political processes, and through analyzing the
effects of these dynamics on global security, underscores the importance of theopolitical analysis in understanding
and interpreting political events.
Keywords: Armageddon, Apocalypse, The Great Battle (Al-Malhama al-Kubra), Religion and Politics,
Nationalism, Mahdi, Messiah, Radicalism, Diplomacy.
Citation: engöz, M. (2025). The Role of Theopolitics and Eschatological Beliefs On Modern Politics and
HABITUS Journal of Sociology, 6(6), 157-186.
Received / Accepted: 23 October 2024 / 01 January 2025
güvenlik dinamikleri üzerinde giderek daha fazla etkili hale gelmektedir. Bu kapsamda
t ideolojilerin politik
süreçler üzerindeki etkilerini anlamaya yönelik bir çerçeve sunar (Cavanaugh 2011: 32). Çünkü
Teopolitik (Cavanaugh 2011 ve Lang
2001: 50) beklentilerin politik süreçler üzerindeki etkilerini inceleyen bir disiplindir. Din ve
.
Zikredilen veçheleriyle teopolitik
ik, bu
Üzerindeki Rolü
159
beklentilerle
(Evangelical Christianity)
güçlü bir vurgu yapan b
Djupe ve Calfano 2019; Veldman vd. 2021). ABD'de Evanjelik
müdahaleler ve dini-
etkileyebilme gücüne sahiptir.
Nitekim günümüzde din,
kendini
v leri,
udilikteki Mesih beklentisini siyasi bir hareket olarak
160
(Smith 1991; Esposito 2003; Shimoni 2004). Bu
Teopolitik, küresel güvenlik pmektedir
grup, (apokaliptik)
Apokaliptik
tarihinin sonunu ya da büyük bir felaketi anlatan dini, kültürel veya mitoloji
(Lévi-Strauss 1972). Nitekim bu tür inançlar, temsil ettikleri makamlar muhtelif olmak üzere
dini grup ve çevreler ni
,
edilmek suretiyle, istismar edilebilmektedirler (Baudrillard 2001; Palmer 2005).
(Juergensmeyer 2000; Huntington 1996; Rapoport 2001). Bu noktada
Çünkü dini
Bu çerçevede teopolitik analizler, din
sunarak hem mevcut hem de gelecekteki küresel güvenlik stratejilerinin daha etkili bir
ur
rolünün daha iyi kavranabilmesi
Üzerindeki Rolü
161
Bu
ideolojilerin ve eskatolojik beklentilerin politik
(Melhâme-i Kübrâ) ve
ideolojileri
hedeflemektedir.
etkilerini analiz ederken, eskatoloji (McDannell ve e son
merkezi bir rol oynar. Dinî eskatoloji (Daley 2009: 24), genellikle dünya
Bu kapsamda Armagedon (Aune 2003: 872) ve benzeri
bulur.
162
Hristiyan fundamentalist gruplar ve Evanjelik hareketler (Balmer 2006: 123) için büyük bir
öneme sahiptir.
a
stiyanlar
Evanjelik
nmesi,
için
Armagedon
Üzerindeki Rolü
163
(Milhemet Gog
u-
temelde Armagedon beklentisi (Frykholm 2004a: 80), özellikle Yahudi-
tli
etkisini göstermektedir. Bu kapsamda Armagedon beklentisi ise, dini bir inanç olmaktan öte,
Yahudilikteki
jisinde,
hikâye
içerir, bu
adaletle yönetilecektir.
164
yorumlanabilir.
in
ve Peled 2002).
i'ne
kadar uzanan ve (Arz-
esaret dönemlerinden biri olarak
n
ni bir zaferi de ifade
(Katz 2019).
Üzerindeki Rolü
165
(dini literatürde -i Kübra ya da Arapça
orijinaliyle al-Malhama al--Malhama al-Kubra ifadesi,
Arapçada veya büyük katliam Malhama kelimesi, köken
otik bir dönemi ifade eder.
: 132). Bu noktada Kur'an ve Hadislerde,
yeryüzüne dönmesi gibi olayla
oynam
166
toplum
Üzerindeki Rolü
167
Milliyetçilik
olgu
dünyas
hem dini hem de milliyetçi bir zafer
Dini eskatoloji ile milliyetçi
Nitekim milliye
h
-1291), din ve milliyet
168
dini milliyetçilik
Bu süreçte, Hristiy
da dini kimliklerin
milliyetçi politikalarla bir
milliyetçi
hem dini hem de siyasi
politika tercihlerine etki etmektedir.
iyi ile kötü
ylem daha
faktörlerdendir.
Üzerindeki Rolü
169
müdahalelerini dini
Yahudi
h
gibi son
de
170
inançlar
söylemlerle b
Yukar
-
dikkat çekmektedir. Bu ideoloji temelde, dini bir birlik tesis etmeyi amaçlasa da
hareketler, dini eskatolojiyi milliyetçi
Üzerindeki Rolü
171
eskatolojinin milliyetçi ideolojiler üzerindeki etkisini gösteren güçlü bir örnektir.
da
olarak sunabilir (Juergensmeyer 2000: 130).
döne
172
(Gerges 2014).
sermektedir. Bu kapsamda Suriye
da
Ba'ath Party
sosyalizmi savunan bir ideolojiye sahipti ve Saddam Hüseyin, 1979'dan 2003'teki devrilene
ve Saddam
Bu örn
llendirilmesi
Teopolitik
anlamada kritik bir araç
Üzerindeki Rolü
173
-115).
-212).
-307).
-137).
etmeyenler
-
174
stratejileri-217).
ama
Dini eskatoloji günümüzde, de
ve
mesel nispeten her seferinde daha fazla
türülmektedir. ölgesinde
halen dahi cereyan etmekte bulunan, görünürde etnik ve mezhepsel motifli ancak hakikatte
Üzerindeki Rolü
175
hedefle
Dini liderler ve radikal grupl
(Juergensmeyer
ve bu
kilerin daha iyi
koyarak
(Braniff ve Ryan 2018: 7).
vanjelik için dini bir zorunluluk olarak kabul edilir
176
(Juergensmeyer 2000: 125).
aline gelir. Teopolitik
(Braniff ve Ryan 201
Bu tür
yet
yönetilmesi
taraf
e serer (Braniff ve
hissedebilirler (Barkun 2013:
Üzerindeki Rolü
177
en ciddi senaryol
urum,
ve
önemli bir yer tutar.
bir retorik üzerinden yürütülmesi,
178
üzerindeki etkileri, günümüz
gelmesi, kür
l birer motivasyon
Hristiyan eskatoloj
de
Üzerindeki Rolü
179
nedenle, teopolitik analizlerin elbette
ile
,
daha gerçekçi,
ve tatbik edilebilir benimsenmesine imkân verebilir. Bu
günümüzde k
, askeri ve siya
analizlere dahil edilmesinin
ifade edilebilir. Bundan mütevellit burada
tekraren ifade edilebilir ki, ugüvenlik ve diplomasi süreçlerinde, elbette
faktörlerle birlikte, , ''üyu vukuundan mühimdir'' düsturuyla,
kimi retoriklerin de
için gerekli dikkat ve gayretlerin eksiksiz bir biçimde teksifi kritik bir
hususiyete sahiptir.
EXTENDED ABSTRACT
In recent years, the role of religious beliefs and eschatological expectations in global politics
has garnered significant attention. These dynamics are increasingly recognized as crucial
factors shaping both international relations and state policies. The term theopolitics serves as a
framework for exploring the complex relationship between religion and politics, analyzing how
religious ideologies and eschatological beliefs influence political processes and decision-
180
making. This interdisciplinary approach sheds light on the political mobilization of religion and
its impact on both domestic and international political structures. Theopolitics, therefore, offers
a critical perspective for understanding how religious beliefs are transformed into political
strategies or, at the very least, how they influence these strategies.
The field of theopolitics investigates not only the individual effects of religion but also
its broad impact on societal and political structures. Religion, which is often viewed as a
personal or communal practice, plays a much larger role in shaping state ideologies and
international policies, especially in a global environment increasingly marked by religious and
cultural pluralism. The intersection of religion and politics becomes even more critical in
contemporary geopolitical contexts, where religious narratives and eschatological expectations,
such as apocalyptic visions or messianic beliefs, drive or influence state actions.
For instance, the presence of theopolitical tendencies can be observed in regions like the
Middle East, where religious identities and eschatological beliefs have a profound influence on
political discourse. Many ongoing conflicts in the region are fueled by religious differences and
messianic expectations, particularly within Islamic and Jewish contexts. Similarly, in Western
countries such as the United States, ev
evident, especially during presidential election campaigns. The discourse surrounding national
identity and external threats is often cloaked in religious symbolism, which in turn shapes
foreign policy decisions and international relations. This theopolitical tendency, often reflecting
ultra-nationalist ideologies, places patriotism second to a religiously-infused nationalism,
highlighting how deeply religion can permeate politics.
One of the most prominent examples of theopolitics is the influence of eschatological
beliefs on international security policies. Eschatology, which pertains to beliefs about the end
of the world or final judgment, plays a significant role in shaping both domestic and foreign
policy strategies. Many state actors and radical groups utilize eschatological narratives to justify
political or military actions. For instance, the belief in an imminent apocalyptic war influences
national security strategies in countries like Iran, where the Shia eschatological concept of the
fuels political rhetoric but also promotes military build-up and preparations for perceived
inevitable conflicts. Simi
particularly within Zionist movements that link the establishment of the state to messianic
prophecies, is another clear example of how religion and politics intersect on a global scale.
Üzerindeki Rolü
181
Moreover, theopolitics extends beyond the traditional state actors and influences non-
state actors, including radical religious groups. These groups often use eschatological
expectations as a basis for their political ideologies and as justification for violent actions. For
example, groups such as ISIS have drawn on apocalyptic beliefs to legitimize their acts of terror
and violence, framing them as part of a broader religious war aimed at ushering in the end times.
This apocalyptic narrative provides both a justification and a motivation for their actions,
attracting followers who are drawn to the idea of playing a role in a divinely ordained
eschatological scenario.
The manipulation of religious beliefs by political elites and radical groups also
highlights the security risks associated with theopolitics. The integration of eschatological
rhetoric into political discourse can exacerbate tensions and foster conflict, particularly when
religiously motivated actors view political or military confrontation as necessary steps toward
fulfilling religious prophecies. This intersection of religion and politics creates significant risks
for international security, as it can drive both state and non-state actors to pursue aggressive
policies, sometimes even disregarding diplomatic or peaceful solutions in favor of actions that
align with their eschatological worldviews.
In this context, the concept of theopolitics becomes an essential tool for understanding
the complex dynamics at play in modern international relations. By examining how religious
beliefs, particularly eschatological expectations, are intertwined with political strategies,
theopolitics provides a framework for analyzing the underlying motivations behind state actions
and international conflicts. This is particularly relevant in regions where religion plays a central
role in shaping both domestic and foreign policy decisions, such as the Middle East and parts
of the United States.
The role of religion in politics is further complicated by the rise of religious nationalism.
Religious symbols and ideologies are increasingly being integrated into national projects to
bolster political power and legitimize state actions. This fusion of religious and national
identities can be seen in movements such as Zionism, where Jewish messianic expectations
were instrumental in the establishment of the state of Israel. Similar trends are observed in
various Islamic movements that merge religious eschatology with nationalist agendas, using
religious ideologies to drive political change and influence state policies. The political
mobilization of religious eschatology, particularly when combined with nationalism, has far-
reaching implications for both domestic politics and international relations.
182
One of the most concerning aspects of theopolitics is its potential to destabilize
international security. Apocalyptic expectations and religiously motivated political ideologies,
when combined with military capabilities, pose significant risks to global stability. For
example, the potential use of nuclear weapons in a conflict motivated by eschatological beliefs
could have catastrophic consequences. Countries that incorporate religious eschatology into
their security strategies may be more likely to pursue aggressive or confrontational policies,
increasing the likelihood of military conflict and undermining efforts to achieve peaceful
resolutions to disputes.
Theopolitics also plays a critical role in shaping international diplomacy and
cooperation. Religious and eschatological beliefs can either facilitate or hinder international
collaboration, depending on how they are integrated into political discourse. In some cases,
shared religious beliefs or eschatological expectations can strengthen alliances between states
or political groups. In other cases, conflicting religious ideologies can lead to increased tensions
and conflict, as seen in the ongoing rivalry between Iran and Israel, where eschatological
rhetoric is used to justify aggressive foreign policies on both sides.
In conclusion, theopolitics offers a crucial lens for understanding the intersection of
religion and politics in modern international relations. By analyzing how religious beliefs,
particularly eschatological expectations, shape political strategies and influence global security
dynamics, theopolitics provides valuable insights into the underlying motivations behind state
actions and international conflicts. As religious ideologies continue to play a significant role in
shaping both domestic and international politics, the need for theopolitical analysis becomes
increasingly important. Understanding the role of religious beliefs in political decision-making
is essential for developing effective strategies to address the security challenges posed by
religiously motivated actors and for promoting peace in a world where religion and politics are
deeply intertwined.
Üzerindeki Rolü
183
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Makale Bilgileri/Article Information
Etik Beyan:
Ethical Statement:
Çıkar Çatışması:
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