Why Christians Should Celebrate Halloween

[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he origins of Halloween are often confusing, but there is evidence of some clear influences. Traditionally, Halloween is thought to have arisen from three sources:

  • The pagan celtic holiday Samhain
  • The Roman festivals of Pomona and Feralia
  • Christian celebration of All Saints’ Day.

Let’s look at each of these festivals.

Celtic Samhain

[dropcap]S[/dropcap]amhain was something of a combination of a harvest festival and a day of the dead for the Celts of Britain and northern France. As counterpart to the May festival, Bealtaine, which ushered in the summer months, Samhain announced the coming of winter, and thus a kind of death as the tribes gathered in the harvests. Sacrifices and bonfires to the dead were also a part of the rituals. Some say that this is where our tradition of dressing up comes from—the celts would disguise themselves, though why they did so is not certain. Possibly it was to hide from evil spirits, or to appease them, or to steal the gifts meant for the spirits.

Roman Festivals of Pomona and Feralia

[dropcap]W[/dropcap]hen Roman influences began to reach the Celts, festivals were combined. The Romans already celebrated two festivals around the same time: Feralia and Pomona. Feralia was dedicated to dead ancestors, while Pomona, the Latin word for orchard fruit, was more like a harvest festival. It is believed that Pomona gave us the tradition of bobbing for apples (whoever successfully bit an apple out would supposedly be the next to marry). Can’t you just picture all the toga and stola-wearing youths bobbing for apples in Rome and in the provinces? Perhaps the Celts thought their invaders rather eccentric at first—but that didn’t stop them from adopting the game, and passing it on to our generation, nearly 2,000 years later!

All Hallow’s Eve

halloween[dropcap]S[/dropcap]oon a different kind of influence was coming out of Rome as the Gospel spread out from the Roman world and transformed pagan nations and cultures. Pope Gregory III, in the mid 8th century, moved the feast day called “All Saints Day” to November 1. Hallow is another English word for holy, and so this holy day was preceded by what became called All Hallow’s Eve, later morphing into Halloween. It is said that children would dress up and do a “Danse Macabre” in gruesome outfits as a way of mocking death.

Now that is a different approach! Halloween is not celebrating death, it is mocking death! Here fabulous video explaining all this: (click HERE for the script). (Thanks to the folks at 10ofthose.com for creating this fantastic video!)

Time to find a Noah costume

[dropcap]T[/dropcap]here is one element in the history of Halloween that has been overlooked. As Answers in Genesis points out, there were multiple festivals at this particular time of the year all over the world, even the southern hemisphere, that all seem to reference death in a significant way. What if, behind all the festivals which morphed into Halloween, there was a single festival? And what if that festival was not pre-Christian, but even pre-pagan? Bodie Hodge and others suggest that the true origins of Halloween and its parallel festivals around the world actually commemorate a time of death from before the dispersion of Babel.

“Because the celebrations call for the remembrance of the dead and have sacrifices, it is reminiscent of the large sacrifice that Noah and his family performed after the Flood. This would also explain why many other cultures have a variant of this regular sacrifice. When Noah and his family exited the Ark, they offered sacrifices to God (Genesis 8:18–9:1); of course, deviations in the manner of this sacrifice over the years and its meaning would have varied down through the ages. Based on the evidence, this seems to be the most likely explanation.”

What a thought! Halloween may not simply be tied to a Christianization of pagan festivals, but to one of the great events of Genesis, and a time both of God’s judgment and covenantal faithfulness! As new creatures in Christ, we should be going forth and taking dominion not just over the wild land of a new world post-flood, as Noah and his sons had to do, but we should be taking dominion over traditions and cultures, redeeming what has been corrupted!

It is because of this that we can mock death in our celebrations of Halloween! Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting? Death is swallowed up in victory! Therefore, as Christians, don’t be afraid of Halloween – rather join Christians past and present, and mock death, for it has no hold over you. 1 Corinthians 15:55

More resources:
The Holy, Horror, and Halloween (Pastor Douglas Wilson)
– Kirk Cameron, Halloween, Christmas, Oh my! (Dr. Joel McDurmon, American Vision)

Valerie FoucachonValerie grew up in France where her father Francis Foucachon was a church planter with Mission to the World. She studied under Wesley Callihan in high school through Schola Classical Tutorials, and then attended Logos School where she graduated Summa Cum Laude. She graduated from New Saint Andrews College in 2015 with honors. Her thesis, The Mirror of All Christians Queens, is published by Roman Roads Media, and also featured in Shield Wall, the quarterly academic journal of New Saint Andrews. An official Latin Nerd, she shows her love for the classics by quoting from the Aeneid at random times (in Latin of course).

by Valerie Abraham on Posted on

Comments

  1. Gloria says:

    I don’t agree with this post period…Too much to explain why, but christians should stay away from such practices period…IMHO..

  2. Jenn says:

    I found this to be an interesting and insightful article. I do have a hard time with Halloween, but this definitely gives me food for thought. Thanks for sharing!

  3. A.P. says:

    This is why we celebrate Halloween. It’s not to get lots of candy. I celebrate all saints day and I learned early that Halloween is about scaring and mocking evil spirits and to keep them away from our home. We are not inviting them in. We are guiding them away.

    I sure do not celebrate Satan.

  4. Ken says:

    I find the reference to Noah’s sacrifice on 27th day of the second month to be quite interesting. But, I see nothing of value and much that is worthless in our culture’s celebration of Halloween. Better to discard it in my opinion.

    1. Flanoy Hank El Juade says:

      Curious response. Should Christians abandon everything that the culture perverts? This line of reasoning would lead to abandoning the marriage bed because the culture perverts and makes sex public (via porn). I’m pretty sure that’s not your intention, but that’s the logical end of your proposal.

  5. Brittany says:

    Deuteronomy 12:31New King James Version (NKJV)

    31 You shall not worship the Lord your God in that way; for every abomination to the Lord which He hates they have done to their gods; for they burn even their sons and daughters in the fire to their gods.

    Ephesians 5:7-12
    Don’t participate in the things these people do. For once you were full of darkness, but now you have light from the Lord. So live as people of light! For this light within you produces only what is good and right and true.
    Carefully determine what pleases the Lord. Take no part in the worthless deeds of evil and darkness; instead, expose them.

    Deuteronomy 12:31New King James Version (NKJV)

    31 You shall not worship the Lord your God in that way; for every abomination to the Lord which He hates they have done to their gods; for they burn even their sons and daughters in the fire to their gods.

    For being a christian article, it sure lacks the word of God.

    1. Emmanuel says:

      Exactly, the truth is meant to edify and minister grace to the hearers (Ephesians 4:29).

      There’s no reference to what the Bible says in here.

  6. Toby says:

    Nothing engenders faith like telling your children only pagan kids get candy.

  7. Stacie says:

    I received revelation from God concerning this matter, you can take from it what you will and discern for yourselves.
    I tend to take into serious consideration the messages of the Holy Spirit that is given through the body of Christ, my fellow brothers and sisters. First of all , when allowing your children to eat Halloween candy, bless it in the name of the father son and Holy Spirit . As witches do pray over candy sometimes before they give it, you should counter act that offense.We should in fact bless all things we eat anyways. Lastly I asked the Lord if I should participate in Halloween. The Holy Spirit said “Do atheists who celebrate Christmas believe in the meaning behind it? “ I said no and he said”The meaning of Halloween means just as much to you as Christmas means to atheists “. So even though you are out getting candy you will not be judged by the bad intent of others who may practice the occult. Praise the Lord for lifting my burden with his light yoke. I still dress as princesses and innocent characters out of preference. I don’t watch horror flicks and I protect my mind and home. Just be aware of the wiles of the devil in all you do as the word says to do and stay in tune to the Holy Spirit that knows your heart. He knows our good intentions and created us to have characteristics that enjoy festivities, just be wise my fellow Christians.

  8. Stacie says:

    I would like to add that this is a great topic for discussion and is relevant for our understanding challenges our thoughts and hearts face today.Remember Jesus made wine at the wedding but he’s not giving permission to the world to be a drunkard and not enter his kingdom. If you celebrate Halloween or any festivities be a responsible candy eater and don’t participate in occultism practices and use opportunities to spread the love and light of God instead.

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