The Rapture: A Challenging Vision of Horror

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.