Update: “Christian Horror” 2nd Edition

The first iteration of Christian Horror: On the Compatibility of a Biblical Worldview and the Horror Genre, was drawn from a series of blog posts I had assembled between 2005 and 2015. That period paralleled my pursuit of a writing career. During that time, I had quite a few articles and short stories published (along with several novels). One of the first articles I ever wrote was published on Halloween, 2005. It was featured in Relevant Magazine and was titled Keeping an Ear to the Ceiling. The article discussed America’s continued fascination with paranormal phenomenon and the supernatural. The piece was indicative of my own interest in the subject, and what would become a thematic mainstay in much of my fiction and nonfiction.

Christian Horror 2nd Edition

The idea of an “apologetic” for Christian interest in the horror genre developed organically, and rather quickly. Christian Romance and “clean fiction” were the defining distinctives of the evangelical market, as they remain today. Stories about ghosts, monsters, and paranormal phenomenon, on the other hand, were a very difficult sell. However, the standard defense for this genre imbalance, as well as objections to horror from the evangelical gatekeepers, seemed to me, to lack bite.

I published Christian Horror independently, in 2015, not just as a rebuttal to the going consensus, but as an apologetic for Christian writers, like myself, who found the horror genre a powerful medium for exploring biblical themes.

Suffice to say, response to the book was pleasantly surprising. I soon began receiving emails and messages from Christian artists who’d felt alienated and misunderstood for their interest in darker subject matter. Several aspiring filmmakers, as well as new writers, reached out for advice about navigating the genre. I was asked to speak on the subject at several writer’s conferences and workshops. I also received numerous requests for podcasts interviews regarding the book and the subject of biblical horror.

Bottom line—Christian Horror appeared to have struck a nerve.

Since its publication, the horror genre has continued to grow in popularity. For example, The New York Times called 2017 “The Biggest Year in Horror History.” Ministries and pop cultural commentators began addressing the issue more frequently. Websites like the popular Christianity.com began writing articles like 10 Horror Movies with Christian Themes for Halloween while Crosswalk.com asked Should Christians Watch Horror Movies? Religious horror movies became a subject of interest in mainstream cinema mags like Movieweb which compiled The Best Religious Horror Movies of All Time. Even Christianity Today has joined in, starting a new podcast called Be Afraid which is described as “an exploration of fear, faith, and stories that scare the daylights out of us.” And Christian involvement in the genre has continued to expand, with films like Nefarious (2023) being openly labeled as “Christian horror.”

Because of this, I felt it was time to revisit the subject.

The second edition has almost twice the content as the original, clocking in at nearly 62K words (as opposed to the first edition’s 35K). Of course, I have included references to more current books, films and research, as well as adding several new categories and appendices. I’ve even added a series of Study Questions at the end of each chapter for those interested in possible group discussion or further research. The book has received a facelift via Kirk DouPonce (see above). As with the first edition, my goal is simple—to provide an apologetic for engaging with the horror genre from a biblical perspective. The 2nd edition of Christian Horror will be releasing ’round Halloween of next month.