In 1973, a little film called The Exorcist was unleashed upon the world.

Made for a mere $12 million, it went on to gross nearly half a billion dollars in ticket sales.

It wasn't just the first horror film ever to be nominated for an Academy Award.

It quickly became known as one of the scariest movies of all time.

But an excellent day for an exorcism.

Some would say it still is.

But the film's ongoing relevance is just one example among many others

of the unprecedented popularity of the horror genre.

In case you missed it, people are watching horror of one kind or another

now more than ever. But not me. I was 43 years old the first time I saw The Exorcist. That was just

last year and truth be told, I didn't really have a choice in the matter. After all, as a professional

researcher, my areas of expertise are the theological and psychological effects of contemporary film and media.

I also happen to be a person of Christian faith and a father of adolescent kids,

which means I can no longer avoid asking the deeper questions about why so many are drawn toward films like The Exorcist, even if and when they

terrify us.

So fair warning, this podcast isn't about how to avoid fear, how to leverage it, or even

whether or not it's okay to be afraid. This podcast is about how to fear rightly. Exploring fear,

faith, and stories that scare the hell out of us. Be afraid. Subscribe wherever you find,

your favorite podcasts. You're listening to The Russell Moore Show, where we look for signposts in a strange time

by standing fast to what really matters.

Kingdom over culture wars, truth over tribalism, pilgrimage over partisanship, sanity over cynicism,

witness over winning, and Christ over everything.

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