With Halloween firmly entrenched in our culture, I thought that I would take a minute to educate all of us (myself included) on the background of this “holiday” that we celebrate every October 31st. The actual origin of Halloween can be traced back to the Celtic festival of Samhain, a festival that marked the boundary between the living and the dead. However, with the spread of Christianity across Europe, November 1st was designated by the Roman Catholic Church as “All Saints’ Day,” also known as “All Hallows’ Day.” The Church at that time wanted to make sure that all of the saints throughout history, both named and unnamed, were celebrated. The evening before this holiday was “All Hallow’s Eve” which, as you might have guessed, became known as “Halloween.”
And so, let’s return to the establishment of “All Saints Day,” a day that had been celebrated by the Roman Catholic Church for over a thousand years. Interestingly, in 1517, Martin Luther chose the eve of “All Saints Day” to post his Ninety–Five Theses on the door of All Saints’ Church when thousands of worshippers would be entering the church to celebrate mass on the evening before, as well as on the day of, “All Saints Day.” As worshippers entered the church, reading Luther’s Ninety-Five Theses created a religious “firestorm” throughout Europe as Luther desperately desired that theological and practical reforms would come to the Roman Catholic Church. In the end, Church leaders would have none of it, and thus began the Protestant Reformation, to which all protestants today trace their roots.
Fast forward to today, we find a variety of responses to Halloween by individuals, families, and churches. Some have chosen the path of rejection, or at least avoidance, because of its association with the themes of death, the occult, and other practices viewed as incompatible with the Christian faith. For example, Moses told the Israelites that they were not to follow the “abominable practices” of foreign nations, and that anyone who is a . . .
. . . charmer or medium or necromancer or one who inquires of the dead . . . is an abomination to the Lord (Deuteronomy 18:11-12).
And the Apostle Paul warned against participating in the “unfruitful works of darkness” when he wrote to the church in Ephesus:
Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them (Ephesians 5:11).
Others believe, as I do, that the holiday can be observed without associating it with the “unfruitful works of darkness.” We can think of “All Saints Day” (November 1st) by remembering the sacrifices of every believer who has gone before us, as well remembering the courage of the protestant reformers on “Reformation Day” (October 31st), which bears a direct link to all protestant churches today.
And, in order to connect with our culture, we can emphasize themes like gratitude and thanksgiving by focusing on the fall season of harvest, and not upon ghoulish costumes and haunted houses. Wearing costumes that are not scary can help children and families focus on fun and fellowship by avoiding elements that could be harmful to one’s faith or well-being. This has been the approach taken by my family, and I’m sure many of yours as well.
Furthermore, many Christian families use Halloween as a chance to teach their children about spiritual discernment and our beliefs about life, death, and the supernatural. And many churches see Halloween as a unique opportunity for evangelistic outreach, greeting visitors and building relationships during special “Harvest Festivals” and “Trunk or Treat” events. Instead of scaring people, we should focus on being kind and generous to them, sharing Christ’s love as He gives us opportunity to do so. Let’s take heed to what the Apostle Paul wrote to the Christians in Ephesus:
. . . at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (Ephesians 5:7).
All who are in Christ are to walk as His children, that is, children of light. And we all know what Jesus said about concealing the light within us. None of us can let our lights shine in the darkness if we keep ourselves hidden from sight.
Finally, regardless of how one chooses to celebrate the Holiday, we should respect the personal opinions and viewpoints of others, while at the same time, focusing on “being light” in our community. And I’d like all of us to keep in mind that personal convictions grounded in Scripture may lead someone or some families to avoid the holiday altogether, and no one should ever be condemned for following their biblically held convictions.
I hope this helps, and I hope that you had a special “Halloween” evening last night. And let’s all remember to praise God for Martin Luther and “Reformation Day,” the day on which we celebrate our salvation and a return to the major themes of the Reformation, namely, “Scripture alone,” “Grace alone,” and “Faith alone”!
