Undead: Revived, Resuscitated, and Reborn

by Clay Morgan

“I don’t think there is anything scarier to me than the thought that life is absolutely meaningless. If that’s true then I die now, a spiritual death that devours me from the inside and leaves me as nothing more than a zombie with a coffee mug in my hand morning after morning wondering what it even means to be alive. Merely existing is not living.” ~ Clay Morgan

Have you ever felt like something was MISSING?

Ever wonder what it means to become truly alive, to come back from the dead, to live with a sense of forever in your bones?

What if I told you that miracles really do happen?

Ancient historical traditions and biblical narratives record multiple incidents of the undead, and the New Testament records seven separate cases of dead people returning to life through the power of God.

UNDEAD: Revived, Resuscitated, and Reborn features a unique story-telling style, loads of delicious pop culture references, and insight into our shared experiences to hunt down an answer to a question as old as time: What does it mean to be truly alive?

Could our cultural fascination with the undead have something to do with deeper, spiritual longings and a nagging sense of eternity stuck in our hearts?

Many of us move through life just like those fictitious monsters. We shamble around all lifeless like zombies or make like vampires and suck the life out of those around us. Fortunately, we don’t have to stay that way.

We can come back to life.

The undead can get Undead.

This book will inspire you to live the full live you were made to enjoy.

It’s time to get up out of your coffin.

It’s time to wake up & rise up.

It’s time to get Undead.

Genres: Nonfiction, Christian Non Fiction

208 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 2012

About the author

Clay Morgan is an author living in Dallas, Texas, where he moved after spending a decade teaching college courses in history, political science, and communication at a few colleges and universities including the University of Pittsburgh.

With his signature blend of pop culture, history, and humor, Morgan's preferred writing style is memoir. He is the author of Undead: Revived, Resuscitated, and Reborn.

His current work focuses on American Ghosts: The History of What Haunts Us. Sign up to receive updates and exclusive content here.

Reviews

[Gary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book! And im not just saying that because i illustrated it!!!

[David Crumm · Rating 5 out of 5]

Light Up Your Congregation with the Undead. (Seriously.)

The Undead are more popular than ever! Zombies are stars on TV through series like AMC’s The Walking Dead. The Twilight odometer continues to spin with another blockbuster movie debuting in late 2012. Across 600 college campuses, HvZ (Humans vs. Zombies, a sort of long-running “tag” game) is played by thousands of young men and women. And comics? Comics and graphic novels love zombies, vampires, ghouls and all manner of undead creatures.

Good news for congregations: This isn’t a taboo topic. This is home turf for Christians! In fact, the resuscitation of the dead runs throughout the Bible—most famously Jesus’ own resurrection, of course, but there are many other gripping tales of the dead/undead in the pages of scripture. Historian, college lecturer, author and Christian educator Clay Morgan’s debut book, UNDEAD: Revived, Resuscitated, and Reborn, couldn’t have arrived at a more timely moment in American culture. That’s Clay Morgan’s mantra: Connecting spiritual themes with popular culture to inspire a new appreciation of our religious traditions.

In his book, you will find a host of pop culture references to the undead, starting with Sesame Street’s lovable Count von Count and ranging from the first American zombie movies to the latest trends in undead media. At this point, even the federal government is on board, using tongue-in-cheek zombie themes for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s most popular public-health promotions in years. (Smart hmmm? With a limited budget, the CDC is even recruiting the undead for our public good?)

Seriously, Clay Morgan is a historian and has researched deep into our past, including a look at Abraham Lincoln’s haunting relationship to life and death around the time he delivered the Gettysburg Address. The spiritual implications of that address have always been powerful, but in 2012 we’re seeing many historians highlight Lincoln’s experience on that battlefield-turned-cemetery. Stephen Prothero’s American Bible calls that “the greatest American speech ever.”

Morgan also covers the waterfront with biblical examples he explores in chapters that are the perfect size for a series of small-group discussions in your congregation. He begins in Psalms, then looks at back-to-life stories from Elisha and Elijah. He looks at a half dozen famous and not-so-famous stories of revival from the dead in the New Testament. Throughout these Bible-study examples, he weaves more references from American history and popular culture.

The net effect is inspiring, eye-opening reading for individuals, but more than that: Small-group leaders in congregations have a real chance to entice people back into Bible study who tend to shun the doors of the church, including high-school students, college-age men and women, fans of comics and graphic novels (a series of 1-page comic stories are sprinkled through the book) and anyone who is a fan of the super-popular undead series like Walking Dead and Twilight.

Terrific choice for you and for your church.

[Julie Davis · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this for the Patheos Book Club*. Clay Morgan uses our current fascination with zombies, vampires, and other undead figures to draw parallels with the need to come fully alive in our Christian spiritual life. He is engaging, interesting writer and Undead is an easy, fast read. I enjoyed the way that Morgan would segue from pop culture supernatural to his life and then bring it home to Christ and personal points we all can ponder about our own faith. This was always done with a light but sincere touch.

I especially appreciated several interesting points drawn especially from the interpretation of different parts of scripture. For example, I never caught the connection between Jonah and Peter before. Morgan points out that Jonah fled to Joppa when he was running away from God. In Acts, Peter raised Tabitha from the dead. Tabitha came from Joppa. Jonah went to Joppa in disobedience and Peter went in obedience to God. Just like bookends. Peter, in a sense, corrects Jonah's actions.

I must mention, though, that any Catholics reading this are bound to notice where the author is distinctly Protestant, such as when he says in a footnote:

So when he [Jesus] figuratively says to eat his flesh and blood they take him literally. When he says he will literally rise from the dead they think he's being figurative. Fascinating.

What is more fascinating to me is that the author provides no support for his interpretation of the above statement. He just assumes that everyone understands why he makes these statements. Of course, a Catholic would say that Jesus was being literal about eating his flesh and that Jesus' followers did not think he was being figurative but were continually confused and unable to understand what Christ meant about resurrection. There aren't many of those moments and the above example is the most egregious, but they are there. Catholics can get a lot from this book but they need to know their faith and be ready to shrug off the places where the author diverges from Catholic teachings.

To be fair, pushing a Protestant "agenda" isn't the point the author is making. He is trying to draw people into a deeper experience life, whether they need to find Christ or know Him already. This book would probably be especially interesting to college age and young adults who love pop culture and are seeking a deeper meaning in life. I admit that I am far past those years but I enjoyed Morgan's humor and writing style. It isn't a very deep book but sometimes the simple things are what make us dig deeper on our own. I'm giving it thumbs up.

*Publishers pay for the Patheos Book Club to read their books ... and I received a review copy free. However, my opinions are my own and I love or hate a book on its own merits.

[Leanne Shirtliffe · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I first heard about the concept of Clay Morgan’s book—zombie nonfiction!—I laughed. What the heck is zombie nonfiction, anyway? Well, now that I’ve read UNDEAD, let me tell you: zombie nonfiction is highly entertaining.

UNDEAD is peppered with whimsical and brilliant pop culture references, from oldies like The Wizard of Oz and Michael’s Jackson’s Thriller (is that old?) to newer references like The Walking Dead and the rescue of 33 Chilean miners in 2010.

The bigger picture, though, that Morgan communicates in a conversational and humorous way, is nothing less than the meaning of life. Specifically, Morgan recounts several occurrences in the Bible where people come back from the dead. Morgan is able to retell stories from the Gospel of Luke with the same easy-to-read quirkiness with which he describes scenes from The Shawshank Redemption.

Ultimately, Clay Morgan challenges readers (and himself) to awake from being spiritual zombies and truly live.

If pop culture, meaning-of-life or Bible stuff doesn’t grab you, there are two other reasons to pick up UNDEAD: (1) to look at the amazing illustrations, which are seductively creepy and mesmerizing; (2) to read Clay Morgan’s hilarious footnotes.

Can’t wait for his next book!

[Matt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Clay is well-versed in both the Bible and pop culture. When he first told me about his book, I thought it would be heavy on the pop culture side, with biblical references sprinkled in. I was totally wrong. I was pleasantly surprised to find that this book was more of an examination of all of the people that were revived, resuscitated, and resurrected within the pages of the Bible. Clay looks at each of these stories in chronological order (of how they appeared in the Bible), and along the way drops in fun pop culture references (specifically in terms of zombies and vampires that have appeared in recent movies, television shows, or books). I found this book to be a very enjoyable, quick read. I saw that Clay has described his book as "zombie nonfiction," and I think that description fits perfectly for this book.

In this book, Clay Morgan seamlessly weaves history, pop culture, and theology together to get the reader thinking about his personal spiritual life.

[Randy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked it a lot. Full review is coming soon. I'm sorting through all my thoughts and revelations right now.

[John Otte · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent exploration on the themes of life, death, rebirth, and resurrection in the Bible, overlayed with musings about zombies, vampires, and other undead creatures. A truly excellent book!

[Vanessa Jones · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting concept and idea. Can't say too much I didn't actually finish it all!

[Sonja · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book about our spiritual health!

[Caitlin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I didn't know what to expect when I agreed to read Clay Morgan's debut book: "Undead: Revived, Resuscitated, and Reborn."

Well, that's not entirely true. I was familiar with Morgan's blog so I knew that it would be funny, relevant, truthful, and full of pop culture references. But a Christian non-fiction book about being undead? What was up with THAT? And zombies*? Really?

I read it anyway.

I didn't expect to like the book half as much as I did. But the thing was, once I started it, I couldn't put it down. I started highlighting different quotes. Writing out questions. And telling a few of my friends that they had to read this book about Jesus and the undead. I found myself thinking a lot about life, death, and yes, zombies.

For some people, death is a taboo subject. I can kind of get that. It's painful. Most people are happy to distract themselves from the question of death and eternity. We're busy chasing the fountain of youth and developing an industry around the idea of living forever here on earth. Some of our attempts are laughable, but others are downright creepy (looking at you, cryogenic labs full of frozen bodies).

The fact is, if you live, you'll die. And once you accept that, a whole lot of questions come up.

But what about...the UNdead? Ranking life and death should be simple but what if the undead came back to life? What if there's something beyond physical death? What if we're the walking dead? Could we be brought back to a vibrant life? Morgan dives into pop culture, ancient culture, and the Bible to answer those questions and a few more along the way. He has a way of injecting humor into familiar scenarios that makes you snicker and then rethink the whole situation. That happened to me as I read about the people in the Bible who had come back to life after dying. Somehow, those are the stories that never get enough screen time from the pulpit. But they should as they point to the answers for the questions all of us want to ask.

UnDead is a great read. Period.

Don't get caught up in the zombies aspect as there's much more to it than that. Instead of feeling like a funeral dirge or messily indulging in the macabre, the book offers the hope of a new life. The book is more about spiritual life/death than the physical, and never feels preachy or forced...a great feat for any author.


BONUS: Really want to up the fun+spooky factor? Listen to the self-titled debut album by Dead Man's Bones while reading UnDead.


* I also heard that Morgan referenced "The Walking Dead" quite a bit in the book. While I was waiting for the book to arrive, I started watching the show. Turns out, I didn't need to get sucked into the bloody world of Walkers but anyone who enjoys the show will love Morgan's book.

[Chad · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stephen King’s Danse Macabre is a scholarly yet accessible study of the horror genre published some thirty years ago. King knows his stuff, and it shows. The scope of his book is vast, encompassing nearly all things horror from the the last (at the time) thirty years–books, films, etc.

In his introduction, King calls the book his Final Statement on the genre. It is indeed a book length paean to a genre he so obviously loves. In the book, he contends that “horror appeals to us because it says, in a symbolic way, things we would be afraid to say right out straight with the bark still on; it offers us a chance to exercise (that’s right; not exorcise but exercise) emotions which society demands we keep closely in hand.”

Which brings me to Clay Morgan.

Like Stephen King before him, he has written a great book about the undead. Also like King’s it’s scholarly (Morgan is a professor and historian), yet accessible–and chock full of zombies, vampires, and other things that gives us frights, and go bump in the night. Also like him, Morgan views the undead allegorically: they are us (or were us), and represent many things:

Unrestrained id

Rampant consumerism

The unredeemed life.

It is this last with which, as he looks at six tales of the undead from the New Testament, Morgan deals the most.

But it is no dry, dusty tome full of dead men’s bones; rather, like Stephen King, Clay is clearly a pop culture aficionado. He knows his Zombieland, Night of the Living Dead, and the Walking Dead.

But he also knows his Bible, and his purpose in writing this book–along with providing an entertaining ride though history–is simply to point out that the same Jesus who brought the dead to life in New Testament times still raises the living dead today.

[Larry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Throughout history it seems we as humans have carried a fascination with death, dying, and the possibilty of coming back from the dead.

Today you don’t have to look very far to find stories of zombies or vampires - the “undead”. What is it about the undead that fascinates us so much? What can we learn about ourselves from this fascination?

What if we have actually been created with eternity in mind? What if physical death is not necessarily the end after all? Where can we discover this hope of becoming spiritually Undead: Revived, Resuscitated, and Reborn?

I’ve been a fan of author Clay Morgan for years, following his infectious enthusiasm for pop culture, history and education. He combines the three masterfully here in his first book, Undead.

Morgan takes us on a journey through the world of the undead, from fictional pop culture to actual events documented in scripture. He sheds light on several Biblical stories where people have been brought back from the dead.

With an unexpected, healthy dose of humor throughout and undeniable passion, Morgan shows us that, like those many Biblical characters were physically called back from death to life, so we are called by God out of our spiritual death to new life. A very encouraging and entertaining read!

Want to become revived, resuscitated, reborn? Get Undead!

[Hank · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun book, very quirky, yet deeply thought-provoking. I have enjoyed the author's hosting on the podcast THE STORYMEN, and picked up this book after it was referenced on another podcast I listen to, and the title was chosen as this years theme for a youth conference young people from my church will be attending in the near future.

The author mixes in pop culture references and Bible stories in a way that opens the latter up to a fresh reexamination of the latter and leads the reader to a deeper understanding of the message of the familiar Sunday School stories.

Definitely save the last chapter four the end. Morgan ties everything up and I personally felt that his points were the best of the book here, but I would have felt cheated if I had slipped ahead to the end and then tried to go back.

In the end, it's s very accessible read that you may find yourself coming back to again.

[Melanie A · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the pop culture references and found myself laughing before the introduction was over. I was transported to a land of zombies, but also loved the link between emotional tombs and spiritual tombs. One of my favorite quotes was: Zombies lead a very active lifestyle. So should you (Zombieland)

I also liked Morgan's easy way of taking me to the time when Jesus physically walked the earth and healed many zombies (like Lazarus). I can't say enough about how much I enjoyed this book - I devoured it in 3 days! Highly recommended.

[Mandi Bean · Rating 2 out of 5]

I mistakenly picked up this book thinking it was of the horror genre, but must admit I was pleasantly surprised to find religious material infused with pop culture and humor in a unique and interesting way. That being said, and as a Roman Catholic reader, I was frustrated by the lack of certainty in the prose. I felt as if the author did not clearly state his findings and dealt with many vague ideas, perhaps playing it safe. I feel I should also mention that I read this book during the sudden and tragic passing of a colleague, which may have colored my review

[Tyler Scott Hess · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was somewhat leery of reading a book about Undead monsters such as vampires and zombies, but I wanted to give the subject matter a chance to see how it related to the Bible. I was pleasantly surprised to see that I didn't have to be an expert on such matters to enjoy the author's take on life, death, and the eternal.

[Megan · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting, quick read for a church book study. I think it's best suited for college kids and twenty-somethings, or at least zombie and vampire lovers, because it was full of movie and tv references that didn't really speak to me personally. The ultimate message was a good one, though - don't be a spiritual zombie...choose to live the life God created you to live.

[Melanie Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating psychological, historical, scientific, and biblical look at zombies. I'm better informed and more inspired than ever in my faith. Perfect for young adults, those no longer active in church, and anyone into creepy stuff. Full review on my blog psychowith6.com.

[Paul · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book. Looks at 6 deaths and 6 subsequent resurrections in scripture. This cultural look at death is ripe with funny anecdotes and pop culture references. The notes at the end of each chapter (in the ebook format) is worth the book itself. Grab a copy and have a laugh at death's expense.

[Lisa Wich · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book and such an interesting perspective- got it for my husband because he could relate to the layout and it was well received. Brilliant to incorporate the walking dead with a book about Christianity. Any book that reaches a forgotten audience and makes relevant sense gets my support!

[Cecelia Hopkins-Drewer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm actually dying to read this one, but it is hard to get hold of. Very pricey according to some suppliers, and out of print according to others. The concept is great and I want to locate a copy for research purposes.

[Tiffany · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very well written book. I really enjoyed it. I loved Mr. Morgans' perception on death and I loved the quotes he included in it. I offered it to my friends and they all loved it as well.