“Eminently readable, exhaustively researched, and always thoughtful. Well worth reading for any scholar, student, or fan of the genre." - David Wellington, author of Positive and 13 Bullets
“Equal parts fan-boy adulation and academic analysis, this delightful book expresses such joy and enthusiasm in either mode. Those who identify as either fan or critic (or both) will find here fresh insight into and inspiration from their favorite monster!” - Kim Paffenroth, author of Gospel of the Living Dead: George Romero’s Visions of Hell on Earth
Why did you write Such a Dark Thing?
As I wrote in the preface of the book, I
was heavily influenced by the horror genre during my childhood, particularly
the vampire subgenre. The monsters lurking within the movies I
watched and the novels I read were reflective of my insecurities and the marginalization
I often felt as a kid; that I often still feel.
When I started working in a Christian vocation, serving as a minister of high school students for the better part of a decade, I would often incorporate movie clips from horror films into my lessons. More often than not this would result in angry parents (not to mention angry pastors), which never ceased to amaze me, as the theological implications embedded within films such as Fright Night, ‘Salem’s Lot, or Hammer’s Horror of Dracula were abundantly clear to me and served, so I thought, as a great jumping off point for discussions of a religious nature that were actually interesting and relevant to teenagers.
Fast forward a few years, and my interests in horror and theology dovetailed nicely with the type of research I was developing while pursuing my master’s degree.
So, why did I write Such a Dark Thing?
I needed to write it because, well, how lucky could one person be?? I get to tumble around in conceptual playgrounds rife with symbolism and rich ideological history; theology and horror, each world complimentary of the other as ideas and concepts coalesce around the literary and cinematic figure of the vampire (where it’s been, where it’s going, and what it might tell us about ourselves) as it relates to religious studies. Plus, vampires are just cool.
I felt like I was walking a
conceptual tightrope while writing the book, as I wanted it to be accessible to
not only the non-academic, but also the non-religious. My hope is that fans of
the horror genre will find a lot to love about Such a Dark Thing, and will use it to foster a deeper understanding
of the cultural impact of the horror genre beyond simple entertainment.
However, the core of the book also needed to be academic and well researched. To balance these two requirements, I decided to approach the different chapters as primers for the various theological and sociological topics covered within, hopefully making the book ideal for an Intro to Theology or a Religion and Culture class, while also being entertaining and elegant enough for the average reader.
And who knows, much like Christopher Lee’s Dracula returning again and again to terrorize buxom victims, maybe Such a Dark Thing could warrant a sequel sometime in the future.
However, the core of the book also needed to be academic and well researched. To balance these two requirements, I decided to approach the different chapters as primers for the various theological and sociological topics covered within, hopefully making the book ideal for an Intro to Theology or a Religion and Culture class, while also being entertaining and elegant enough for the average reader.
And who knows, much like Christopher Lee’s Dracula returning again and again to terrorize buxom victims, maybe Such a Dark Thing could warrant a sequel sometime in the future.
What do you hope people will take away from reading Such a Dark Thing?
My hope is that this book, in some
small way, serves as a bridge between horror aficionados and students of
theology. As a
pupil of both, I not only see and appreciate the parallels and connections
between them, I also firmly believe they are mutually beneficial, adding depth
and enhancing our avenues of analysis surrounding popular culture and religion.
In
addition, with Such a Dark Thing I
wanted to frame the traditional vampire narrative as a form of resistance
literature, serving as a metaphorical blueprint for the fight against
oppression within society. If nothing else, I would want the reader to walk
away thinking about the repression they either witness or are subjected to in
their own lives and how they might resist and combat the spiritual, emotional,
and physical subjugation that is, as opposed to the vampire, a very real part
of our world.
What makes you qualified to write a book on vampires and theology?
In all honesty, I don’t feel qualified to write this book.
Sure, my background is in sociology and theology, and I am a (overly?) passionate
horror nerd, but writing a book somehow makes a statement that one is an
authority on a topic. I am not. But I do have something to say and, ultimately,
as William Faulkner said, “If a story is in you, it has to come out.” This just
happens to be the story I needed to tell.
Some might get the impression from Such a
Dark Thing that you are anti-religion. How would you respond to this?
No,
I am not anti-religion. I am, however, anti-orthodoxy. I view the exploration
and dissection of Christian theology similar to that of a detective working
toward the resolution of a crime: follow the facts. And while facts are
infrequent in theological studies, we as academics must cut through centuries
of creeds and dogma to get to the core of what unquestioned belief in an
omnipotent and omniscient deity, one that allows and, in some cases, causes
immense suffering within the world, really means for the faith community. Religion,
Christianity in particular, is not, nor has it ever been, immutable, despite
what many might think. Throughout history, religion has adapted to the larger
culture, and an ideological and narrative reformation is needed now more than
ever. So, if anything, I am making an argument that, in order to survive,
contemporary religion must evolve beyond the antiquated laws, doctrine, and
theologies that prevent modern audiences from fully embracing it, and develop
into a vibrant mosaic of transcendent and transforming narratives.
What do you see for the future of the vampire narrative within popular culture?
It’s
safe to say that the vampire is never going away.
It will adapt and evolve, but it will never die. Why should it? As I discuss in
Such a Dark Thing, even
as society and popular culture progresses and changes, the vampire follows suit.
The figure still exists as a powerful representation of topics including death,
redemption, and the struggle for freedom against oppressive forces. And while
most of the blatant religious themes within the traditional vampire narrative
have diminished if not vanished entirely, I am confident that at some point in
the future they will come back around. If hipsters can bring back mopeds and
parachute pants, someone will inevitably resurrect the religious roots of the
vampire.
I really enjoyed your book, Mr. Peacock. I posted a brief review on my blog this morning: sawiggins.wordpress.com. Keep up the good work!
ReplyDeleteSteve
I just saw this, so sorry for the late response. Thank you so much!
ReplyDeletei am ERIC BRUNT by name. Greetings to every one that is reading this testimony. I have been rejected by my wife after three(3) years of marriage just because another Man had a spell on her and she left me and the kid to suffer. one day when i was reading through the web, i saw a post on how this spell caster on this address AKHERETEMPLE@gmail.com have help a woman to get back her husband and i gave him a reply to his address and he told me that a man had a spell on my wife and he told me that he will help me and after 3 days that i will have my wife back. i believed him and today i am glad to let you all know that this spell caster have the power to bring lovers back. because i am now happy with my wife. Thanks for helping me Dr Akhere contact him on email: AKHERETEMPLE@gmail.com
ReplyDeleteor
call/whatsapp:+2349057261346
i am ERIC BRUNT by name. Greetings to every one that is reading this testimony. I have been rejected by my wife after three(3) years of marriage just because another Man had a spell on her and she left me and the kid to suffer. one day when i was reading through the web, i saw a post on how this spell caster on this address AKHERETEMPLE@gmail.com have help a woman to get back her husband and i gave him a reply to his address and he told me that a man had a spell on my wife and he told me that he will help me and after 3 days that i will have my wife back. i believed him and today i am glad to let you all know that this spell caster have the power to bring lovers back. because i am now happy with my wife. Thanks for helping me Dr Akhere contact him on email: AKHERETEMPLE@gmail.com
or
call/whatsapp:+2349057261346