Dear Revealer readers,

For the past several weeks, the world has watched as Russia has shot missiles at buildings sheltering Ukrainian citizens. Not satisfied with only targeting the Ukrainian military, Russia has made a point of murdering the Ukrainian people. Each day, we read headlines that describe the situation as “horrific,” as a “nightmare,” and that label Vladimir Putin as a “monster.” The images out of Ukraine remind us that one need not turn to film to witness horror; the worst things one can imagine are happening right in front of us.

Revealer Editor, Brett Krutzsch

The war in Ukraine is but the most recent nightmare-inducing situation during the pandemic years. Perhaps for that reason, I have avoided all television shows, movies, and novels that are meant to frighten and disturb. The world is scary enough. But as I’ve learned from people who enjoy watching horror films, the horror genre can shine a light on how we are the monsters of our own worst nightmares. Horror can offer commentary on society, on the dangers of excess power, and on life’s vulnerabilities.

For these reasons and more, this issue of the Revealer is focusing on horror. Our April issue marks the launch of our three-part series on “Catholic Horrors” that we will publish over the next three months. The series will explore the genre of Catholic horror found in such films as The Exorcist and Rosemary’s Baby alongside actual horrors committed by the Catholic Church. Jack Downey opens the series with “Catholic Monsters, Priests, and Supernatural Dread,” where he looks at the history of Americans depicting Catholic priests and nuns as depraved, then as a source of protection against the occult, and finally with renewed skepticism as the sex abuse scandal unfolded. In the issue’s next article, Christina Pasqua reviews the horror film Saint Maud and considers if feeling God’s presence is a sign of mental illness or if it would feel as terrifying as demonic presence.

The issue also explores horrors unfolding in the present day. In an excerpt from her new book Between Heaven and Russia, Sarah Riccardi-Swartz investigates why American converts to Russian Orthodoxy are drawn to Vladimir Putin and his vision for a Christian nation. Next, in “Writing about Healthcare, Religion, and Equality” Kali Handelman interviews former Revealer editor (and acclaimed author) Ann Neumann about her work to expose inequities in nursing homes, the medical industry, and the systems that keep certain people perpetually vulnerable. Then, in “A Sanctuary for Abortion: How Sanctuary Reveals the Fears of Our Time,” Michael Woolf explores the history of sanctuary movements in the United States, from churches that protected Vietnam War resisters to California’s recent announcement that it will provide sanctuary to anyone seeking an abortion if the Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade. And, in “Changing Stereotypes of South Asians On Screen,” Bhakti Mamtora reflects on the all-too-common painful stereotypes of South Asians and reviews two recent programs that are attempting to change how South Asians are portrayed on television.

The April issue also features the newest episode of the Revealer podcast: “For Putin, God, and Country: American Converts to the Russian Orthodox Church.” Sarah Riccardi-Swartz joins us to discuss why Americans with no ethnic ties to Russia are converting to Russian Orthodoxy. We explore their political views, their frustrations with democracy, their love of Vladimir Putin, and what all of this means for America and the war in Ukraine today. You can listen to this important episode on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

For those who enjoy watching horror films, this issue has intriguing insights to offer. And for those like me who avoid such movies, the issue sheds light on the critical issues facing us today. If the classic impulse for viewers of horror films is to cover their eyes when the monster appears, the articles in this issue show us why that is the precise moment when we must watch what is happening. If we refuse to see the horror, we may never understand the problems of our world.

Yours,
Brett Krutzsch, Ph.D.