I am a scholar of media, religion, and culture with a PhD in Communication and Culture and a background in screen writing and media production. My MFA screenplay is a dark comedy about the assassination of Canadian icon, William Shatner. It can be seen in his presence below.
My PhD research focused on the mass media debate surrounding the very controversial and problematic Christian ex-gay movement (commonly known through the slogan, “pray the gay away”). I currently research, write, and teach on various interactions between religion and culture and I also teach several media studies and film studies survey courses. I work as a sessional lecturer at multiple universities in southern Ontario.
Although my take on religion is always academically critical and at times may appear irreverent, I am a member of a progressive and inclusive faith community, the Metropolitan Community Church of Toronto. There I volunteer as a member of the MCC Toronto Refugee Strategy and Fundraising Advisory Committee and write letters of support for LGBTQ refugee claimants seeking convention refugee status from Canada’s Immigration and Refugee Board. I have also attended a Zen Buddhist Temple, where I studied meditation, took the precepts, and received the name Maha. My religious practice is rooted in love of neigbour rather than dogmatics and I consider satire (when done well) and sacrilege to be potential forms of spirituality.
Michael E. Thorn
Michael E. Thorn 