I’m not religious (quite the opposite, as it happens, more into Science) but actually I consider The Bible (both Old & New testaments) to be among the greatest horror stories ever written.

An example: The Book of Job.

As per your (excellent) points about (say, Hitchcockian) suspense: the Audience knows that the characters of God and Satan have had this bet… and yet the character of Job is `kept in the dark’ about this.

Then `the horror begins’ for Job – and the Audience is thinking about the story on at least 2 levels:
1) from the supernatural guys’ POV (God, and The Other Shiny Red Dude with the Horns etc) and
2) from Job’s POV.

(Also possibly – a third level, ie – if they are of a Lot of Faith [as opposed to Oh Ye of Little Faith, or Lotta Fagina from Austin Powers], and are possibly (even subliminally/subconsciously) comparing `Job’ – and how he `performs’ during the tasks he is unwittingly set, to: themselves.)

To get right into the meat of characterization for a classic villain trope, check out this awesome doco:
The History Of The Devil
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a5mYFJ4irxM

Anyway, great post Mike…!
(I’ve had some horror feature films I worked on as a writer, produced… all your points are bang-on IMHO)

JT Velikovsky
High ROI Film/Story/Screenplay Consultant
https://storyality.wordpress.com/