Why teach theology through horror films

Ryan Duns is back on the podcast to talk about his provocative new book exploring horror and theology, and boy does he deliver some counterintuitive insights. He argues that horror is actually the most conservative film genre—and that's precisely why it works so well for theological reflection. Think about it: to be scared, you first have to believe there's something worth protecting. Ryan walks us through how horror films function as underground spaces where transcendence has been displaced and distorted, creating what he calls "frag events" that shatter our comfortable assumptions about reality. From The Purge and mimetic desire to The Black Phone and eucatastrophe, he shows how these films operate as photographic negatives of divine transcendence, revealing both our metaphysical vulnerability and our deep hunger for meaning. We dive into concepts like the "dark transcendent," the porosity of being, and why feeling horror is actually a sign of soul. Plus, Ryan shares stories from his Theology of Horror class—including angry parent emails and a student who ended up joining the Jesuits. If you've ever wondered what a philosophical theologian is doing teaching about chainsaw massacres and demonic possession, this conversation will blow your mind while making you rethink everything about faith, fear, and what it means to be human. Check out the book, Theology of Horror: The Hidden Depths of Popular Films.

You can WATCH the conversation on YouTube

Ryan G. Duns, SJ, (twitter) is a Jesuit priest and an assistant professor of theology at Marquette University. His locates his work the intersection of philosophy and systematic theology and is interested in regarding theology as practice or “way of life.” He has published on Karl Rahner, Jean-Luc Marion, René Girard, and his most recent work has involved a sustained engagement with William Desmond’s metaphysics. His monograph “Spiritual Exercises for a Secular Age: Desmond and the Quest for God” argues that, when read as a form of spiritual exercise (Pierre Hadot), Desmond’s philosophy can re-awaken a sense of the Transcendent.

Previous Podcasts with Ryan

• Thinking within the Catholic Tradition
• Spiritual Exercises for a Secular Age.

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