Some Christians criticize the celebration of Christmas and Easter. They argue that these originated as pagan festivals. Hence they claim that Christians are not to celebrate either Christmas or Easter.
These Christians, who criticize the celebration of Christmas and Easter, should not endorse the celebration of Halloween. The only premise that could motivate them to endorse the celebration of Halloween would be an argument that Halloween had a Christian origin.
How did Halloween originate?
The encyclopedia describes the origin of Halloween, “Halloween, contraction of All Hallows’ Eve, a holiday observed on October 31, the evening before All Saints’ (or All Hallows’) Day… In much of Europe and most of North America, observance of Halloween is largely nonreligious…Halloween had its origins in the festival of Samhain among the Celts of ancient Britain and Ireland…During the Samhain festival the souls of those who had died were believed to return to visit their homes, and those who had died during the year were believed to journey to the otherworld. People set bonfires on hilltops for relighting their hearth fires for the winter and to frighten away evil spirits, and they sometimes wore masks and other disguises to avoid being recognized by the ghosts thought to be present. It was in those ways that beings such as witches, hobgoblins, fairies, and demons came to be associated with the day…” (Emphasis Mine).1
Halloween’s origin is not Christian. Instead, there is a very good case for a non-christian origin.
The Bible teaches us that when we die, we either go to heaven or hell. The souls of the dead do not return to visit their homes. As a Christian, the only way to fight the devil is to wear the metaphorical ‘Armor of God’ (Ephesians 6:10-18). Wearing masks and setting bonfires are an exercise in futility while fighting the devil and his entourage. So there is no connection between Christianity and the celebration of Halloween.
Therefore, ideally, there is no need to celebrate Halloween.
Given a choice, neither would I celebrate Halloween, nor would advise you to celebrate it. But Halloween is an alien festival in the Indian subcontinent and the Middle East – the territories of my stay hitherto. Hence, rejecting Halloween is certainly an easy task for me.
But if you have lived in the West and if you have grown up celebrating Halloween or watching your neighbors celebrate Halloween, then rejecting Halloween, however ideal as it may be, could be a difficult task for you. Ergo, Christian ministries advice safe practices to celebrate Halloween.
Billy Graham Evangelistic Association believes that Christians could celebrate Halloween, albeit safely, “Halloween, the eve of “All Saints’ Day” (November 1), is also associated with Martin Luther and the Reformation. They celebrate the religious freedoms won at that time in history…We encourage each family to develop their own approach to Halloween based on their own convictions and the options for celebration available to them. The responsibility to make this decision rests on the adults in the family, not the children. The peer pressure on children is far too great for them to be objective. Certainly, providing a safe, fun environment must be a priority.”2
Gotquestions.org holds a similar opinion, “So, should a Christian celebrate Halloween? Is there anything evil about a Christian dressing up as a princess or cowboy and going around the block asking for candy? No, there is not. Are there things about Halloween that are anti-Christian and should be avoided? Absolutely! If parents are going to allow their children to participate in Halloween, they should make sure to keep them from getting involved in the darker aspects of the day. If Christians are going to take part in Halloween, their attitude, dress, and most importantly, their behavior should still reflect a redeemed life (Philippians 1:27). There are many churches that hold "harvest festivals" and incorporate costumes, but in a godly environment. There are many Christians who hand out tracts that share the Gospel along with the Halloween candy. The decision is ultimately ours to make. But as with all things, we are to incorporate the principles of Romans 14. We can’t allow our own convictions about a holiday to cause division in the body of Christ, nor can we use our freedom to cause others to stumble in their faith. We are to do all things as to the Lord.”3
Finally, an article on the website of ‘Grace to You’ offers the following advice:4
First, Christians should not respond to Halloween like superstitious pagans. Pagans are superstitious; Christians are enlightened by the truth of God's Word. Evil spirits are no more active and sinister on Halloween than they are on any other day of the year; in fact, any day is a good day for Satan to prowl about seeking whom he may devour (1 Peter 5:8). But "greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world" (1 John 4:4). God has forever "disarmed principalities and powers" through the cross of Christ and "made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them through [Christ]" (Colossians 2:15).
Second, Christians should respond to Halloween with cautionary wisdom. Some people fear the activity of Satanists or pagan witches, but the actual incidents of satanic-associated crime are very low. The real threat on Halloween is from the social problems that attend sinful behavior—drunk driving, pranksters and vandals, and unsupervised children.
Like any other day of the year, Christians should exercise caution as wise stewards of their possessions and protectors of their families. Christian young people should stay away from secular Halloween parties since those are breeding grounds for trouble. Christian parents can protect their children by keeping them well-supervised and restricting treat consumption to those goodies received from trusted sources.
Third, Christians should respond to Halloween with gospel compassion. The unbelieving, Christ-rejecting world lives in perpetual fear of death. It isn't just the experience of death, but rather what the Bible calls "a certain terrifying expectation of judgment, and the fury of a fire which will consume [God's] adversaries" (Hebrews 10:27). Witches, ghosts, and evil spirits are not terrifying; God's wrath unleashed on the unforgiven sinner—now that is truly terrifying.
Christians should use Halloween and all that it brings to the imagination—death imagery, superstition, expressions of debauched revelry—as an opportunity to engage the unbelieving world with the gospel of Jesus Christ. God has given everyone a conscience that responds to His truth (Romans 2:14-16), and the conscience is the Christian's ally in the evangelistic enterprise. Christians should take time to inform the consciences of friends and family with biblical truth regarding God, the Bible, sin, Christ, future judgment, and the hope of eternal life in Jesus Christ for the repentant sinner…
Ultimately, Christian participation in Halloween is a matter of conscience before God. Whatever level of Halloween participation you choose, you must honor God by keeping yourself separate from the world and by showing mercy to those who are perishing. Halloween provides the Christian with the opportunity to accomplish both of those things in the gospel of Jesus Christ. It's a message that is holy, set apart from the world; it's a message that is the very mercy of a forgiving God. What better time of the year is there to share such a message than Halloween?
Endnotes:
1https://www.britannica.com/topic/Halloween
2https://billygraham.org/story/billy-grahams-my-answer-should-christians-celebrate-halloween/
3https://www.gotquestions.org/Christians-celebrate-Halloween.html
4https://www.gty.org/library/articles/A123/christians-and-halloween
Websites last accessed on 29th October 2018.
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