What Movies Like The Exorcist Teach Us About Religion—With Dr. Joseph Laycock

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In this captivating episode of Faithful Politics, political host Will Wright sits down with Dr. Joseph Laycock, an expert on new religious movements and American religious history, to explore the fascinating intersections of religion, culture, and politics. Together, they uncover surprising insights into how horror movies, exorcisms, and even the Satanic Temple have shaped modern religious practices and societal beliefs in unexpected ways.

Dr. Laycock delves into the resurgence of exorcisms, revealing why they're more common now than at any time since the 1600s and how pop culture phenomena like The Exorcist redefined public perceptions of demons and rituals. The conversation also unpacks how films like The Omen and The Exorcist have influenced Christian theology and explores the role of the Satanic Temple in challenging traditional ideas of religious freedom, exposing the tension between pluralism and privilege.

The discussion takes a deeper turn into the eerie parallels between the satanic panic of the 1980s and today’s conspiracy theories, such as QAnon, shedding light on how these narratives have real-world implications. Dr. Laycock also shares his thoughts on how religious myths, conspiracy theories, and cultural fears have evolved, and what they reveal about society’s search for meaning and identity.

With insights from his extensive research, Dr. Laycock previews his upcoming projects, including a book on the lizard people conspiracy theory and its implications for politics and culture. If you’re intrigued by the unexpected ways religion, politics, and pop culture collide, this episode is a must-listen.

Guest Bio:

Dr. Joseph Laycock is an associate professor of religious studies at Texas State University, specializing in new religious movements, American religious history, and the intersection of religion and popular culture. He is known for his thought-provoking research on unconventional religious groups and has written extensively on topics such as the Satanic Temple, exorcism, and the influence of horror movies on religious beliefs. With a knack for exploring the extraordinary, Dr. Laycock brings a fresh perspective to understanding the ways faith, culture, and society intersect in unexpected ways. He is the author of several books, including Dangerous Games: What the Moral Panic Over Role-Playing Games Says About Play, Religion, and Imagined Worlds and the upcoming Penguin Book of Cults.

Support Sarah Stankorb’s work and preorder Damned If She DoesWhy Women Quit Church and What It Means for the Future of Religion, Releases September 15, 2026.  Bookshop.org

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