Is The Bible a Horror Story?

Is the Bible a Horror Story?

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I recently read a review of the Netflix limited series “Midnight Mass” that claimed the maker “knows that the Bible is a horror story.” I will review “Midnight Mass” here after I finish watching it. It mixes together Christianity and Satanic vampirism with many Bible quotations and hymns.

So, is the Bible a horror story? Yes and no. …

Yes, the Bible is a horror story in the sense that it portrays the world, history, as a battle between good and evil forces and includes “scenes” of horror.

No, the Bible is not a horror story in the sense that it portrays the ultimate and occasionally penultimate victory of good over evil.

By no means does the Bible fit the typical horror genre of evil winning a final victory over good (with maybe a few good characters surviving). The last three chapters of the Bible undermine any claim that the Bible is a horror story.

Of course, yes, there are many types of horror stories, but one that realistically portrays good triumphing over evil is not truly a horror story. It may contain horrible scenes, but the story is not one of horror but of redemption.

Is the Bible really comparable with the story of “Midnight Mass?” Well, I will answer that in a subsequent blog post where I will review the movie, not as an allegedly objective film critic but as a Christian theologian—interpreting and critiquing a movie that includes in almost every episode thick layers of Christian symbols, images, language, and themes.