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Undead: Revived, Resuscitated, Reborn

by Clay Morgan (Goodreads Author)

4.48 of 5 stars 4.48 · rating details · 25 ratings · 13 reviews

“I don’t think there is anything scarier to me than the thought that life is absolutely meaningless. If that’s true then I die now, a spiritual death that devours me from the inside and leaves me as nothing more than a zombie with a coffee mug in my hand morning after morning wondering what it even means to be alive. Merely existing is not living.” ~ Clay Morgan

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Paperback, 191 pages

Published September 1st 2012 by Abingdon Press

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Aug 27, 2012 David Crumm rated it 5 of 5 stars

Light Up Your Congregation with the Undead. (Seriously.)

The Undead are more popular than ever! Zombies are stars on TV through series like AMC’s The Walking Dead. The Twilight odometer continues to spin with another blockbuster movie debuting in late 2012. Across 600 college campuses, HvZ (Humans vs. Zombies, a sort of long-running “tag” game) is played by thousands of young men and women. And comics? Comics and graphic novels love zombies, vampires, ghouls and all manner of undead creatures.

Goo...more Light Up Your Congregation with the Undead. (Seriously.)

The Undead are more popular than ever! Zombies are stars on TV through series like AMC’s The Walking Dead. The Twilight odometer continues to spin with another blockbuster movie debuting in late 2012. Across 600 college campuses, HvZ (Humans vs. Zombies, a sort of long-running “tag” game) is played by thousands of young men and women. And comics? Comics and graphic novels love zombies, vampires, ghouls and all manner of undead creatures.

Good news for congregations: This isn’t a taboo topic. This is home turf for Christians! In fact, the resuscitation of the dead runs throughout the Bible—most famously Jesus’ own resurrection, of course, but there are many other gripping tales of the dead/undead in the pages of scripture. Historian, college lecturer, author and Christian educator Clay Morgan’s debut book, UNDEAD: Revived, Resuscitated, and Reborn, couldn’t have arrived at a more timely moment in American culture. That’s Clay Morgan’s mantra: Connecting spiritual themes with popular culture to inspire a new appreciation of our religious traditions.

In his book, you will find a host of pop culture references to the undead, starting with Sesame Street’s lovable Count von Count and ranging from the first American zombie movies to the latest trends in undead media. At this point, even the federal government is on board, using tongue-in-cheek zombie themes for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s most popular public-health promotions in years. (Smart hmmm? With a limited budget, the CDC is even recruiting the undead for our public good?)

Seriously, Clay Morgan is a historian and has researched deep into our past, including a look at Abraham Lincoln’s haunting relationship to life and death around the time he delivered the Gettysburg Address. The spiritual implications of that address have always been powerful, but in 2012 we’re seeing many historians highlight Lincoln’s experience on that battlefield-turned-cemetery. Stephen Prothero’s American Bible calls that “the greatest American speech ever.”

Morgan also covers the waterfront with biblical examples he explores in chapters that are the perfect size for a series of small-group discussions in your congregation. He begins in Psalms, then looks at back-to-life stories from Elisha and Elijah. He looks at a half dozen famous and not-so-famous stories of revival from the dead in the New Testament. Throughout these Bible-study examples, he weaves more references from American history and popular culture.

The net effect is inspiring, eye-opening reading for individuals, but more than that: Small-group leaders in congregations have a real chance to entice people back into Bible study who tend to shun the doors of the church, including high-school students, college-age men and women, fans of comics and graphic novels (a series of 1-page comic stories are sprinkled through the book) and anyone who is a fan of the super-popular undead series like Walking Dead and Twilight.

Terrific choice for you and for your church.
(less)

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Oct 10, 2012 Caitlin rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: christian-non-fiction

I didn't know what to expect when I agreed to read Clay Morgan's debut book: "Undead: Revived, Resuscitated, and Reborn."

Well, that's not entirely true. I was familiar with Morgan's blog so I knew that it would be funny, relevant, truthful, and full of pop culture references. But a Christian non-fiction book about being undead? What was up with THAT? And zombies*? Really?

I read it anyway.

I didn't expect to like the book half as much as I did. But the thing was, once I started it, I couldn't pu...more I didn't know what to expect when I agreed to read Clay Morgan's debut book: "Undead: Revived, Resuscitated, and Reborn."

Well, that's not entirely true. I was familiar with Morgan's blog so I knew that it would be funny, relevant, truthful, and full of pop culture references. But a Christian non-fiction book about being undead? What was up with THAT? And zombies*? Really?

I read it anyway.

I didn't expect to like the book half as much as I did. But the thing was, once I started it, I couldn't put it down. I started highlighting different quotes. Writing out questions. And telling a few of my friends that they had to read this book about Jesus and the undead. I found myself thinking a lot about life, death, and yes, zombies.

For some people, death is a taboo subject. I can kind of get that. It's painful. Most people are happy to distract themselves from the question of death and eternity. We're busy chasing the fountain of youth and developing an industry around the idea of living forever here on earth. Some of our attempts are laughable, but others are downright creepy (looking at you, cryogenic labs full of frozen bodies).

The fact is, if you live, you'll die. And once you accept that, a whole lot of questions come up.

But what about...the UNdead? Ranking life and death should be simple but what if the undead came back to life? What if there's something beyond physical death? What if we're the walking dead? Could we be brought back to a vibrant life? Morgan dives into pop culture, ancient culture, and the Bible to answer those questions and a few more along the way. He has a way of injecting humor into familiar scenarios that makes you snicker and then rethink the whole situation. That happened to me as I read about the people in the Bible who had come back to life after dying. Somehow, those are the stories that never get enough screen time from the pulpit. But they should as they point to the answers for the questions all of us want to ask.

UnDead is a great read. Period.

Don't get caught up in the zombies aspect as there's much more to it than that. Instead of feeling like a funeral dirge or messily indulging in the macabre, the book offers the hope of a new life. The book is more about spiritual life/death than the physical, and never feels preachy or forced...a great feat for any author.

BONUS: Really want to up the fun+spooky factor? Listen to the self-titled debut album by Dead Man's Bones while reading UnDead.

* I also heard that Morgan referenced "The Walking Dead" quite a bit in the book. While I was waiting for the book to arrive, I started watching the show. Turns out, I didn't need to get sucked into the bloody world of Walkers but anyone who enjoys the show will love Morgan's book. (less)

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Oct 01, 2012 Julie Davis rated it 3 of 5 stars

I read this for the Patheos Book Club*. Clay Morgan uses our current fascination with zombies, vampires, and other undead figures to draw parallels with the need to come fully alive in our Christian spiritual life. He is engaging, interesting writer and Undead is an easy, fast read. I enjoyed the way that Morgan would segue from pop culture supernatural to his life and then bring it home to Christ and personal points we all can ponder about our own faith. This was always done with a light but si...more I read this for the Patheos Book Club*. Clay Morgan uses our current fascination with zombies, vampires, and other undead figures to draw parallels with the need to come fully alive in our Christian spiritual life. He is engaging, interesting writer and Undead is an easy, fast read. I enjoyed the way that Morgan would segue from pop culture supernatural to his life and then bring it home to Christ and personal points we all can ponder about our own faith. This was always done with a light but sincere touch.

I especially appreciated several interesting points drawn especially from the interpretation of different parts of scripture. For example, I never caught the connection between Jonah and Peter before. Morgan points out that Jonah fled to Joppa when he was running away from God. In Acts, Peter raised Tabitha from the dead. Tabitha came from Joppa. Jonah went to Joppa in disobedience and Peter went in obedience to God. Just like bookends. Peter, in a sense, corrects Jonah's actions.

I must mention, though, that any Catholics reading this are bound to notice where the author is distinctly Protestant, such as when he says in a footnote:

So when he [Jesus] figuratively says to eat his flesh and blood they take him literally. When he says he will literally rise from the dead they think he's being figurative. Fascinating.

What is more fascinating to me is that the author provides no support for his interpretation of the above statement. He just assumes that everyone understands why he makes these statements. Of course, a Catholic would say that Jesus was being literal about eating his flesh and that Jesus' followers did not think he was being figurative but were continually confused and unable to understand what Christ meant about resurrection. There aren't many of those moments and the above example is the most egregious, but they are there. Catholics can get a lot from this book but they need to know their faith and be ready to shrug off the places where the author diverges from Catholic teachings.

To be fair, pushing a Protestant "agenda" isn't the point the author is making. He is trying to draw people into a deeper experience life, whether they need to find Christ or know Him already. This book would probably be especially interesting to college age and young adults who love pop culture and are seeking a deeper meaning in life. I admit that I am far past those years but I enjoyed Morgan's humor and writing style. It isn't a very deep book but sometimes the simple things are what make us dig deeper on our own. I'm giving it thumbs up.

*Publishers pay for the Patheos Book Club to read their books ... and I received a review copy free. However, my opinions are my own and I love or hate a book on its own merits.(less)

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Oct 17, 2012 Chad rated it 5 of 5 stars

Stephen King’s Danse Macabre is a scholarly yet accessible study of the horror genre published some thirty years ago. King knows his stuff, and it shows. The scope of his book is vast, encompassing nearly all things horror from the the last (at the time) thirty years–books, films, etc.

In his introduction, King calls the book his Final Statement on the genre. It is indeed a book length paean to a genre he so obviously loves. In the book, he contends that “horror appeals to us because it says, in...more

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Oct 08, 2012 Larry rated it 4 of 5 stars

Throughout history it seems we as humans have carried a fascination with death, dying, and the possibilty of coming back from the dead.

Today you don’t have to look very far to find stories of zombies or vampires - the “undead”. What is it about the undead that fascinates us so much? What can we learn about ourselves from this fascination?

What if we have actually been created with eternity in mind? What if physical death is not necessarily the end after all? Where can we discover this hope of bec...more

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Sep 24, 2012 Leanne Shirtliffe rated it 5 of 5 stars

When I first heard about the concept of Clay Morgan’s book—zombie nonfiction!—I laughed. What the heck is zombie nonfiction, anyway? Well, now that I’ve read UNDEAD, let me tell you: zombie nonfiction is highly entertaining.

UNDEAD is peppered with whimsical and brilliant pop culture references, from oldies like The Wizard of Oz and Michael’s Jackson’s Thriller (is that old?) to newer references like The Walking Dead and the rescue of 33 Chilean miners in 2010.

The bigger picture, though, that Mor...more

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Feb 03, 2013 Paul rated it 5 of 5 stars

Great book. Looks at 6 deaths and 6 subsequent resurrections in scripture. This cultural look at death is ripe with funny anecdotes and pop culture references. The notes at the end of each chapter (in the ebook format) is worth the book itself. Grab a copy and have a laugh at death's expense.

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Oct 17, 2012 Melanie Wilson rated it 5 of 5 stars

Fascinating psychological, historical, scientific, and biblical look at zombies. I'm better informed and more inspired than ever in my faith. Perfect for young adults, those no longer active in church, and anyone into creepy stuff. Full review on my blog psychowith6.com.

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Mar 13, 2013 Tyler Hess rated it 5 of 5 stars

I was somewhat leery of reading a book about Undead monsters such as vampires and zombies, but I wanted to give the subject matter a chance to see how it related to the Bible. I was pleasantly surprised to see that I didn't have to be an expert on such matters to enjoy the author's take on life, death, and the eternal.

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Oct 09, 2012 Melanie E rated it 5 of 5 stars

I loved the pop culture references and found myself laughing before the introduction was over. I was transported to a land of zombies, but also loved the link between emotional tombs and spiritual tombs. One of my favorite quotes was: Zombies lead a very active lifestyle. So should you (Zombieland)

I also liked Morgan's easy way of taking me to the time when Jesus physically walked the earth and healed many zombies (like Lazarus). I can't say enough about how much I enjoyed this book - I devoured...more

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Sep 15, 2012 Gary rated it 5 of 5 stars

Great book! And im not just saying that because i illustrated it!!!

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Sep 23, 2012 Randy rated it 4 of 5 stars

I liked it a lot. Full review is coming soon. I'm sorting through all my thoughts and revelations right now.

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Feb 11, 2013 John Otte rated it 5 of 5 stars

An excellent exploration on the themes of life, death, rebirth, and resurrection in the Bible, overlayed with musings about zombies, vampires, and other undead creatures. A truly excellent book!

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May 04, 2013 Netanella marked it as to-read

Shelves: spirituality-religious, zombies

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About Clay Morgan

Clay Morgan uses pop culture, history, and humor to help us think through confusing topics and come up with answers to life's tough questions. He is the author of Undead: Revived, Resuscitated, and Reborn. In addition to writing and speaking, he teaches history and political science courses at three colleges in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

A proud Gen Xer, Clay believes that most everything can be exp...more

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