Ray Horton

Ray Horton is an Associate Professor of English and Co-Coordinator of the Undergraduate Literature Program at Murray State University. He holds a Ph.D. and M.A. from Case Western Reserve University and a B.A. from Mercyhurst University. His research focuses on American Literature, particularly intersections of religion and secularization, and contemporary fiction. Horton has published in prestigious journals like PMLA, Christianity & Literature, and LIT: Literature, Interpretation, Theory. His current book projects include American Fiction’s Secular Faith. He has received notable awards such as the 2023 KCTE/LA College Teacher of the Year and 2022 Murray State Board of Regents Teaching Excellence Award.

Research interests emphasize how American fiction negotiates secular and religious frameworks, with a focus on authors like Marilynne Robinson and Zadie Smith. His work critiques cultural narratives around white supremacy, secularism, and ethical judgment. Publications analyze texts through lenses of theology, political history, and aesthetic theory.

Horton’s academic service includes leadership roles: President of the American Religion and Literature Society (2016–2019), Treasurer (2019–2022), and Vice President of the Gender Equity Caucus (2022–present). He also serves as a Murray State Faculty Senator (2023–24). Teaching spans undergraduate and graduate courses on American literature, critical theory, and religion-literature intersections.