Horror Writing and Religion - An American Prophets Program

Schedule

Fri Oct 10 2025 at 06:30 pm to 07:30 pm

UTC-05:00

Location

University of Chicago Divinity School | Chicago, IL

Advertisement
Leading writers of horror and suspense—Tananarive Due, Levi Holloway & Matt Ruff—discuss the role of religion in their work and the genre.
About this Event

Join us for a panel discussion about religion, spirituality, and horror writing!

Leading writers of horror and suspense discuss their use of religion in their work, from magic and voodoo in Tananarive Due's The Good House, to historical cults in Matt Ruff's Lovecraft Country, to reckoning with the past in Levi Holloway's play Paranormal Activity. What frightens us so deeply about religion, and how do different kinds of writing explore the topic?

This program takes place at the University of Chicago Divinity School, 1025 E 58th St, Chicago, IL 60637.

This program is presented in conjunction with the AWM's forthcoming special exhibit , opening November 2025. American Prophets is supported by a grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. through its Religion and Cultural Institutions Initiative.


About the authors:

TANANARIVE DUE is an award-winning author who teaches Black Horror and Afrofuturism at UCLA. A leading voice in Black speculative fiction for more than 20 years, Due has won an American Book Award, an NAACP Image Award, and a British Fantasy Award, and her writing has been included in best-of-the-year anthologies. Her books include The Reformatory (winner of a Los Angeles Times Book Prize, Chautauqua Prize, Bram Stoker Award, Shirley Jackson Award, World Fantasy Award, and a New York Times Notable Book), The Wishing Pool and Other Stories, Ghost Summer: Stories, My Soul to Keep, and The Good House. She and her late mother, civil rights activist Patricia Stephens Due, co-authored Freedom in the Family: A Mother-Daughter Memoir of the Fight for Civil Rights.

She was an executive producer on Shudder's groundbreaking documentary Horror Noire: A History of Black Horror. She and her husband/collaborator, Steven Barnes, wrote "A Small Town" for Season 2 of Jordan Peele’s The Twilight Zone on Paramount Plus, and two segments of Shudder’s anthology film Horror Noire. They also co-wrote their Black Horror graphic novel The Keeper, illustrated by Marco Finnegan. Due and Barnes co-host a podcast, "Lifewriting: Write for Your Life!" She and her husband live with their son, Jason.

LEVI HOLLOWAY is an American playwright, actor, and educator. He is the co-founder of the Neverbird Project, a youth based deaf and hard of hearing theatre company. He specializes in working with deaf children and creating theatre for deaf people. He was an elementary school teacher in Chicago in the deaf department at Bell Elementary for over a decade. He is a repertory member of A Red Orchid Theatre in Chicago, and also performed as an actor in productions with Lookingglass Theatre Company and Steppenwolf. His play Grey House marked his Broadway debut as a playwright in 2023. He teaches playwrighting at Silk Road Rising Theatre Company in Chicago. His latest play Turret premiered at A Red Orchid Theatre, running from May 2-June 9, 2024, starring Michael Shannon.

MATT RUFF is the award-winning author of eight novels, including Fool on the Hill, Set This House in Order, Bad Monkeys, The Mirage, 88 Names, and the bestselling Lovecraft Country, which was adapted as an HBO series. His most recent book is The Destroyer of Worlds: A Return to Lovecraft Country.

Advertisement

Where is it happening?

University of Chicago Divinity School, 1025 East 58th Street, Chicago, United States

Event Location & Nearby Stays:

Tickets

USD 23.18

American Writers Museum

Host or Publisher American Writers Museum

It's more fun with friends. Share with friends

Discover More Events in Chicago

Lyric Opera of Chicago: Medea
Fri, 10 Oct at 06:00 pm Lyric Opera of Chicago: Medea

Lyric Opera House - IL

TRIPS-ADVENTURES
Matt Maltese
Fri, 10 Oct at 06:00 pm Matt Maltese

Riviera Theatre - IL

ART THEATRE
Richy Mitch and The Coal Miners
Fri, 10 Oct at 06:00 pm Richy Mitch and The Coal Miners

The Salt Shed Indoors - Chicago

TRIPS-ADVENTURES
Stardew Valley: Symphony Of Seasons
Fri, 10 Oct at 06:00 pm Stardew Valley: Symphony Of Seasons

The Chicago Theatre

ART THEATRE
Flamencodanza
Fri, 10 Oct at 07:00 pm Flamencodanza

201 S. Ashland Avenue, Chicago, IL, United States, Illinois 60607

MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT
Groundhog @ Espresso Palette
Fri, 10 Oct at 07:00 pm Groundhog @ Espresso Palette

5730 W 111th St, Chicago Ridge, IL 60415-2440, United States

Mushroom Church - Chicago
Fri, 10 Oct at 07:00 pm Mushroom Church - Chicago

Wicker Park Lutheran Church

ART MUSIC
Startups Fund Raising Program
Fri, 18 Sep at 12:00 pm Startups Fund Raising Program

Chicago

BUSINESS CONFERENCES
Launch Your Own Successful AI App | AI Startup | Workshop 2025
Tue, 30 Apr at 01:00 pm Launch Your Own Successful AI App | AI Startup | Workshop 2025

Regus Office

BUSINESS WORKSHOPS
Human Resources & the Education Industry
Tue, 11 Feb at 03:00 pm Human Resources & the Education Industry

Chicago

WORKSHOPS VIRTUAL
Group Deposit
Sun, 01 Jun Group Deposit

United Center

Game On! Team Time Sports Class 4 Girls
Sat, 06 Sep at 09:00 am Game On! Team Time Sports Class 4 Girls

Menomonee Club

SPORTS WORKSHOPS
Game On! Basketball & Pickleball Class 4 Girls
Sat, 06 Sep at 10:00 am Game On! Basketball & Pickleball Class 4 Girls

Menomonee Club

SPORTS WORKSHOPS
Thu, 11 Sep at 10:00 am Survivorship Bootcamp – From Healing to Advocacy

University of Illinois Cancer Center

WORKSHOPS
Africa Forum: September 2025
Fri, 12 Sep at 06:30 pm Africa Forum: September 2025

NEIU Carruthers Center for Inner City Studies (CCICS)

ENTERTAINMENT MUSIC
IXL Live: Classic Edition - Chicago, IL (Sept. 30)
Tue, 30 Sep at 08:30 am IXL Live: Classic Edition - Chicago, IL (Sept. 30)

Hilton Chicago Magnificent Mile Suites

WORKSHOPS
2025 Annual Meeting and Installation Luncheon
Tue, 30 Sep at 11:30 am 2025 Annual Meeting and Installation Luncheon

Union League Club

MEETUPS ART
Flavor Summit: Food Showcase
Tue, 30 Sep at 12:00 pm Flavor Summit: Food Showcase

Rockwell on the River

BUSINESS FOOD-DRINKS
Elevate  Series, Fig Factor Foundation Fundraiser
Tue, 30 Sep at 04:30 pm Elevate Series, Fig Factor Foundation Fundraiser

Willis Tower

NONPROFIT ART

What's Happening Next in Chicago?

Discover Chicago Events