Douglas E. Cowan is Professor of Religious Studies and Social Development Studies at Renison University College. Some of his previous books include Sacred Space: The Quest for Transcendence in Science Fiction Film and Television, Sacred Terror: Religion and Horror on the Silver Screen, and America’s Dark Theologian: The Religious Imagination of Stephen King.
Groundbreaking, disturbing, and riveting. Cowan recognizes that
horror has a penchant for being at the same time scary and sexy,
and that religion likewise has a unique ability to terrify in
connection with restrictions on human sexuality. The intersections
and even the simple comparability of these two human phenomena has
not been explored by academics, much less explored adequately. Only
Cowan could write this book, and write it so well.
*James McGrath, Butler University*
Adds depth and texture to our understanding of horror’s relation to
the body and religious imagination. This is a new area of inquiry
in the world of religious studies and Cowan is at the forefront as
a clear authority on the questions raised by horror, popular
theology, and religious studies.
*Laura Ammon, Appalachian State University*
Cowan has managed to write a philosophical take on what is clearly
his favorite genre, inviting readers to figure out why and how
they, religion and sex fit into these salacious, silly and scary
stories.
*Real Change News*
Cowan successfully illuminates representations of disfigured
(sexualized) bodies in the horror mode while demonstrating how the
religious imagination supports or enacts these representations. The
book also offers a striking perspective on the different culturally
internalized fears that shape our living together and influence our
daily choices, preferences, fears, and attitudes…Thanks to the
appealing and entertaining way of writing, the book also stimulates
curiosity for exploring the abysses in the cosmos of sexuality,
horror fiction, and religion.
*Reading Religion*
The Forbidden Body proceeds somewhat like a string of pearls,
presenting a series of interesting insights as Cowan leads the
reader through some of his favorite horror texts and what he finds
sociologically significant about the way they deploy sex and raise
questions about the unseen order… this is great reading for anyone
hoping to produce their own scholarship on religion and popular
culture.
*Nova Religio*
Horror fans will find much to be excited about in this
book––perhaps in more ways than one... This is great reading for
anyone hoping to produce their own scholarship on religion and
popular culture.
*Nova Religio*
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