Part of the New Podcast Series: The Problem of Good (and Evil) series

Why Are We Afraid of the Dark? (episode 5)

By Dr. Dru Johnson on October 31, 2022

In this week’s episode, Dr. Dru Johnson explores the psychology and theology behind the fear of the unknown and evil. He gives us a glimpse into how our imaginations have been shaped by popular culture. Dr. Johnson also explains the relationship that Ancient Near East people had with spiritual warfare, the spiritual world, and the divine, helpfully reframing much of what we read in the Hebrew Bible! Make sure to save this episode and listen—you’ll be glad you did!

Founder and Director of the Center for Hebraic Thought

Dru teaches Biblical literature, theology, and biblical interpretation at The King’s College. He is an editor for the Routledge Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Biblical Criticism series; an associate director for the Jewish Philosophical Theology Project at The Herzl Institute in Israel; and a co-host for the OnScript Podcast. His recent books include Biblical Philosophy: An Hebraic Approach to the Old and New Testaments (Cambridge University Press); Human Rites: The Power of Rituals, Habits, and Sacraments (Eerdmans); and Epistemology and Biblical Theology (Routledge).

Before that, he was a high-school dropout, skinhead, punk rock drummer, combat veteran, IT supervisor, and pastor—all things that he hopes none of his children ever become.

He and his wife have four children. Interviews, articles, and excerpts of books can found at drujohnson.com.

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