The Uncanny Convergence of Religion and Horror

Reflections on a haunted universe, with help from the ancient Babylonians, the ancient Greeks, the Bible, H. P. Lovecraft, Rudolf Otto, and C. S. Lewis

In 2012 my friend Jason V. Brock invited me to write something for the second issue of his newly launched journal Nameless. I sent him the following essay. At that time I was in process of organizing the third installment of an annual horror film festival that I had co-founded in Waco, Texas, so that’s what the opening lines are talking about.

For the republication of this piece here in Living into the Dark, I have given the text a stylistic update and revised some of the content for more vivid expression. I have also appended some new thoughts to the end.

Things That Should Not Be: The Uncanny Convergence of Religion and Horror

Originally published in Nameless, Vol. 1, No. 2 (Fall/Winter 2012)

Yesterday I gave an interview to the entertainment editor at my local daily newspaper about the imminent third installment of an annual horror film festival…