The Rapture: A Challenging Vision of Horror
Carl Greiner
Journal of Religion & Film April 1, 1997 DOI: 10.32873/uno.dc.jrf.01.01.03 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Key points | Argues that the film The Rapture keeps viewers suspended among competing interpretations—prophetic religious statement, biography of madness, or satire—and asks whether Sharon's experience can be authentic religious experience and whether a terrifying, apparently malevolent God can be tolerated in contemporary Western culture. The authors contend this ambiguity makes the film a stimulus for discussion and reflection. |
Abstract
Can horror characterize a religious experience? Can God today still be terrifying (tremendum) as well as attractive (fascinans)? The Rapture presents a horrifying view of an apparently malevolent God. Can such a view be tolerated in today's Western culture? Can Sharon's be an authentic religious experience? The film suspends the viewer between a variety of interpretations. Is the story of the experience a prophetic religious statement, the biography of a madness, or simply a satire? The text and imagery of the film make this question a potent stimulus for discussion and reflection.