Who's Haunting Whom: Horror, The Monstrous, and Religion as Modeled in the Work of Brandon Grafius

The use of horror as a methodological and analytical tool for engaging religion, rituals, and sacred texts has recently emerged as a significant area of study. Brandon Grafius, nominated for the Bram Stoker award, is among the scholars working at this intersection, and his research has gained attention in both academic circles and broader discussions of horror. His scholarship provides scholars and students with an innovative framework for examining religion, ritual, and sacred texts through horror, especially film. This roundtable brings together scholars to engage Grafius’s work. Participants will explore how his approach reframes scriptural narratives, interprets the monstrous, and expands the methodological range of religious studies. They will also model this method and insights via recent films (Is God Is), building on the success of Sinners. The session invites critical dialogue on the interpretive possibilities and challenges that arise when horror theory and religion are placed in conversation.