How Engaging Horror Helps Us Fear Rightly
Is it possible to be scared—in a good way?
In Be Afraid, theologian and psychological scientist Kutter Callaway explores the surprising relationship between fear, horror, and Christian faith. Drawing from film, psychology, and theology, this book engages popular horror narratives to ask what our deepest fears reveal about what we truly love, long for, and believe.
Be Afraid explores how our Christian faith is made better when we engage with the horror genre. According to Callaway, Christian life isn’t about eliminating fear, it’s about redirecting it. This book offers a fresh, often funny, and deeply honest theological reflection on the shared fears and anxieties of our culture that is as engaging in a classroom as it is in a book club.
By exploring the genre of horror through the lens of Christian faith, Be Afraid:
- demonstrates how that faith is enriched by engaging with horror;
- offers theological insight into our culture's fascination with the terrifying;
- helps readers learn how to redeem real world fears; and
- includes discussion questions for individual or group reflection.
Scripture itself contains many stories filled with horror and gore: Jael and Sisera, John the Baptist's beheading, and even the crucifixion of Jesus. Be Afraid argues that engaging with horror stories—whether in the media or in the Bible—can benefit our spiritual lives by teaching us how to fear rightly.
The Bible calls on Christians to think about what is good, beautiful, and true. And sometimes, the truth is horrifying.
About the Series
The Discovering God in Pop Culture series seeks to demonstrate how Christian faith is enriched and made better by critical and creative engagement with pop culture. In each volume, readers explore a popular topic through the lens of the Christian faith.
Table of Contents:
Series Introduction by Matthew Brake
Introduction
1. Fearing Rightly
2. What Horror Is and Who Watches It
3. When Neither Evil Nor Goodness Is Safe
4. How to Be Skeptical of Our Supernatural Skepticism
5. Why Creepy Dolls and Fear Are Both Inescapable
6. How to Reckon with Our Fear of Abandonment
7. The Terror of a World Not for Us
8. On the Sacredness of Bodies in a Violent World
Conclusion: Haunting the Future: Discipleship in an Age of Fear
Recommended Reading
Acknowledgments
Subject Index
Scripture Index
About the Author :
Matthew Brake is the associate professor of philosophy and religion at Northern Virginia Community College. He is the series co-editor (with Kutter Callaway) of IVP Academic's Discovering God in Pop Culture series, editor of Bloomsbury/T&T Clark's Theology, Religion, and Pop Culture series, McFarland's Studies in Comics and Religion series, and co-editor of Pace University's Journal of Comics and Culture.
Kutter Callaway (PhD, Fuller) is the William K. Brehm Chair of Worship, Theology, and the Arts, associate professor of theology and culture, and associate professor of psychology at Fuller Theological Seminary. He writes and speaks on the interaction between theology and culture—particularly film, television, and online media—in both academic and popular forums. Callaway holds two PhDs, one in theology and the second in psychological science. He is the host of the Be Afraid podcast,and is author of Deep Focus, The Aesthetics of Atheism, Watching TV Religiously, and Scoring Transcendence. He lives with his wife and three daughters in LA.
Review :
"Horror art exists to confront what we deny, and Be Afraid fundamentally understands that. Kutter Callaway neither sanitizes nor exploits his subject, but rather treats it with moral and emotional seriousness. By engaging horror films as a medium of truth, this book offers a rare and thoughtful conversation between theology and terror, between faith and dread. Be Afraid insists that when faced honestly, fear can be the beginning of wisdom rather than an enemy to avoid."
"There can be comfort in being afraid—at least at the movies. They allow us to vicariously experience the whole swath of human emotions, the darkest of which, if we're lucky, we rarely encounter in our real lives. But we can't turn away from the darkness. It keeps our faith honest, forcing us outside our comfort zones. Kutter Callaway understands this, and I applaud this deep dive into the many faces of horror, showing us how thoughtful engagement with this genre can deepen our lives, helping grow our empathy and compassion for others. That's certainly nothing to be afraid of."
"Horrors appear in the news, popular culture, and our Bibles. In this insightful, thought-provoking, and even funny book, Kutter Callaway helps us to come to grips with how fear and the genre of horror help us to process our experiences of God and the world around us."
"This book is for everyone who loves stories and for everyone who engages with story as a pillar of their humanity. There’s a reason we're experiencing a boom in horror across film and television, and Kutter Callaway has composed a nuanced look at why. Be Afraid is also a book for those who don't like horror and who shy away from the primal emotion of fear. It is part of our humanity, and we often cut ourselves off from the benefits of embracing the darkness. Kutter's careful and thorough look at this genre deserves attention."
