In Theory: Should Christians buy into Halloween?

When I first became Christian, I embraced the popular party line that pilloried Halloween for being an evil pagan celebration. So I joined with alternatives similar to JesusWeen, and likewise boycotted. I don’t disparage anyone’s desire to redeem the day, but after years of faith and a bit of education, I now believe we are addressing the issue inappropriately.

Recently, Jimmy Kimmel aired a spoofy commercial about JesusWeen with the children declaring themselves Jesus Weeners. “Yay, no candy, just Bibles!” Is that how we’re perceived? “Don't go to the house with its lights out, Christians live there, they hate everything!” What happened to letting our light so shine that people praise God as a result (Matthew 5:16)? I know the Weeners want to distribute Bibles, but even the ancients would touch their children’s tongues to honey before they shared scripture so they would remember to “taste and see that the Lord is good” (Psalm 34:6). If we distribute Bibles, we’d better attach really nice candy bars, lest the good news leave a bad taste in everyone’s mouth.

Besides, the facts show that Halloween is a Christian holiday. It’s the hallowed e’en’ (evening) of All Saints, like Christmas Eve is the night before Christmas. It started when early Christian persecution waned and a feast was declared to memorialize all martyrs (akin to America’s 9/11 remembrance). Eventually recognizing all saints, it was calendared during fall for two reasons: to feed the celebrating throngs, and to fill the void of defunct pagan harvest festivals. How ironic that Christians should now deny our own day, surrender it to paganism, and retreat to our own meaningless harvest festivals.

God created the autumnal colors and the creepy crawlies of earth, and declared them what? He declared them good (Genesis 1:12, 25). So Hollywood horror has joined in, but Halloween was always frightening. It was about Christian genocide, both Jew and Gentile. “You believe in Jesus? Face the lions, torture, crucifixion!” The secular fright component actually highlights Halloween’s spiritual purpose. I’m no fan of the inordinate gore and grossness that tags along, but Christians shouldn’t act as Halloween whiners either.

The Rev. Bryan Griem

Montrose Community Church

Montrose