Richard - When I saw the title of your next email post about DracuIa I thought I probably wouldn't be much interested but there were so many thoughts in it that really hit me. I can't comment on all of them but this was a highlight for me.
"It is the fault of our science that it wants to explain all, and if it explain not, then it says there is nothing to explain." and "science….all those facts, those small truths, we keep and value them. But we don't let this handful of facts trick us into thinking we have in our possession all the truth in the universe." RB, April, 16 2025 (from Bram Stokers – Dracula) I have a "secret:) file" on my computer titled "Good Quotes" where I record anything I read (of importance to me) from my morning readings (I read you, Richard Rohr, Fredrick Buechner, Henri Nouwen). It seems that some light goes off, or a ring of truth, or some sort of poke happens when I read some material and many of your thoughts are in my file. Thanks for the part you play in my life. Murray
I get that the modern vampire genre has moved away from the original, theological message in Dracula e.g. Good versus evil, use of the sacraments, discussion around Catholic/Protestant practices.
However, I think that the reason why this generation love the vampire genre is because it does touch on the notion of what is good and evil, immortality, questions about ageing, old, young, time and space, intense relationships, along with generally triggering a longing for an enchanted, deep, meaningful existence & relationships.
The Vampire Diaries and the Twilight Series demonstrated this very well. This interesting, slightly gruesome, relatable overlapping of a spiritual realm with the earthly realm we live in, was very appealing to many young people. I for one watched ALL the Vampire diaries episodes and ALL the Twilight films 🤣The teenagers who I worked with at the time were obsessed with both these series! They were very popular.
They still tap into something within us I think.
But, yes, the sacraments, the power of the cross, the Host have mostly been omitted as major features/props in the modern vampire genre. It has actually, from a moral perspective, actually often been reversed, where evil is seen to be good. The evil of being a blood sucking vampire, is alluringly, crazily seen to be the attractive way to live in both these series. This is due to the vampires often being very physically attractive people. However, in both these series, to become a vampire IS to be resisted, and yet it is also a real temptation, there is a sense that to become a vampire in the end, has an inevitably about it. This can been seen in both the Twilight film series and the Vampire Diaries. Jesus is not even part of the story, but I do think teenagers like the vampire genre because it is an enchanted version of a life they relate to.
Whereas in Bram Stoker’s Dracula, there is a clear message: Jesus is the Way.
And, I will say though, I am sure the exploration around the sacraments will continue to be one of life’s greatest mysteries! It is still is 128 years after Dracula was published and probably will be until the end of the age!
Interesting. I remember watching the 1992 film where The Count was originally motivated towards a kind of twisted sacramental revenge, by his wife Elisabeta's accidental suicide where she had believed that he had died in battle defending the faith. The almost unfathomable psychotic rage that can manifest from the meaningless loss of loved ones, is something that has unleashed violence and hate on an unprecedented scale over the centuries. The 'Pit of Hell' can be opened up in the heart and mind of a deeply scarred person where all hope is lost and absent. This is why I believe that Simon of Cyrene is such a profoundly penetrant figure. Like him, we are all innocent bystanders watching the suffering and torture in the world around us, but we cannot ignore it, it will eventually pull us in, and we too will be compelled to participate in 'The Passion' one way or another. But paradoxically, this beautifully will lead to our ultimate redemption.
I have to say, although I am not a Catholic, the most powerful experience I have had when taking the sacraments was when I was allowed to take the bread and the wine at a Catholic charismatic Eucharist. The sense of holiness, the Real Presence in the room was 🤔 … well, no words to describe.
Yes, this idea of our modernised, post-Lutheran replacement of our personal, subjective ‘faith’ instead of just simply experiencing the realities and Real Presence of God and HIS power is provoking. The metaphysical happenings, what might actually be going on in the sacraments can easily be dismissed IF we limit our thinking into who God is and what he chooses to do is dependent on whether I have enough faith. It makes God sound a bit pathetic. This kind of theology puts man in a dual - whoever fights the hardest and has the most faith wins! By faith alone, rather than by God alone.
Fascinating and very thought-provoking. Richard Beck are you Catholic? Do you subscribe to the Catholic position on transubstantiation and the real presence?
I'm not Catholic, I'm a member of the Churches of Christ, which is a memorialist tradition. But I myself believe in the real presence, but that is different from transubstantiation. For example, Lutherans believe in the real presence but not transubstantiation.
Richard - When I saw the title of your next email post about DracuIa I thought I probably wouldn't be much interested but there were so many thoughts in it that really hit me. I can't comment on all of them but this was a highlight for me.
"It is the fault of our science that it wants to explain all, and if it explain not, then it says there is nothing to explain." and "science….all those facts, those small truths, we keep and value them. But we don't let this handful of facts trick us into thinking we have in our possession all the truth in the universe." RB, April, 16 2025 (from Bram Stokers – Dracula) I have a "secret:) file" on my computer titled "Good Quotes" where I record anything I read (of importance to me) from my morning readings (I read you, Richard Rohr, Fredrick Buechner, Henri Nouwen). It seems that some light goes off, or a ring of truth, or some sort of poke happens when I read some material and many of your thoughts are in my file. Thanks for the part you play in my life. Murray
I get that the modern vampire genre has moved away from the original, theological message in Dracula e.g. Good versus evil, use of the sacraments, discussion around Catholic/Protestant practices.
However, I think that the reason why this generation love the vampire genre is because it does touch on the notion of what is good and evil, immortality, questions about ageing, old, young, time and space, intense relationships, along with generally triggering a longing for an enchanted, deep, meaningful existence & relationships.
The Vampire Diaries and the Twilight Series demonstrated this very well. This interesting, slightly gruesome, relatable overlapping of a spiritual realm with the earthly realm we live in, was very appealing to many young people. I for one watched ALL the Vampire diaries episodes and ALL the Twilight films 🤣The teenagers who I worked with at the time were obsessed with both these series! They were very popular.
They still tap into something within us I think.
But, yes, the sacraments, the power of the cross, the Host have mostly been omitted as major features/props in the modern vampire genre. It has actually, from a moral perspective, actually often been reversed, where evil is seen to be good. The evil of being a blood sucking vampire, is alluringly, crazily seen to be the attractive way to live in both these series. This is due to the vampires often being very physically attractive people. However, in both these series, to become a vampire IS to be resisted, and yet it is also a real temptation, there is a sense that to become a vampire in the end, has an inevitably about it. This can been seen in both the Twilight film series and the Vampire Diaries. Jesus is not even part of the story, but I do think teenagers like the vampire genre because it is an enchanted version of a life they relate to.
Whereas in Bram Stoker’s Dracula, there is a clear message: Jesus is the Way.
And, I will say though, I am sure the exploration around the sacraments will continue to be one of life’s greatest mysteries! It is still is 128 years after Dracula was published and probably will be until the end of the age!
Interesting. I remember watching the 1992 film where The Count was originally motivated towards a kind of twisted sacramental revenge, by his wife Elisabeta's accidental suicide where she had believed that he had died in battle defending the faith. The almost unfathomable psychotic rage that can manifest from the meaningless loss of loved ones, is something that has unleashed violence and hate on an unprecedented scale over the centuries. The 'Pit of Hell' can be opened up in the heart and mind of a deeply scarred person where all hope is lost and absent. This is why I believe that Simon of Cyrene is such a profoundly penetrant figure. Like him, we are all innocent bystanders watching the suffering and torture in the world around us, but we cannot ignore it, it will eventually pull us in, and we too will be compelled to participate in 'The Passion' one way or another. But paradoxically, this beautifully will lead to our ultimate redemption.
I have to say, although I am not a Catholic, the most powerful experience I have had when taking the sacraments was when I was allowed to take the bread and the wine at a Catholic charismatic Eucharist. The sense of holiness, the Real Presence in the room was 🤔 … well, no words to describe.
Yes, this idea of our modernised, post-Lutheran replacement of our personal, subjective ‘faith’ instead of just simply experiencing the realities and Real Presence of God and HIS power is provoking. The metaphysical happenings, what might actually be going on in the sacraments can easily be dismissed IF we limit our thinking into who God is and what he chooses to do is dependent on whether I have enough faith. It makes God sound a bit pathetic. This kind of theology puts man in a dual - whoever fights the hardest and has the most faith wins! By faith alone, rather than by God alone.
Fascinating and very thought-provoking. Richard Beck are you Catholic? Do you subscribe to the Catholic position on transubstantiation and the real presence?
I'm not Catholic, I'm a member of the Churches of Christ, which is a memorialist tradition. But I myself believe in the real presence, but that is different from transubstantiation. For example, Lutherans believe in the real presence but not transubstantiation.