Christianity and Halloween
Celebrating Halloween can be fun. October 31st is a day many people worldwide are excited about. While many are overjoyed spending weeks finding costumes and spending hundreds of dollars on candy and decorations others hide away in their homes cursing the day Halloween was established as a celebratory day. Every year the debate over Halloween reignites in many Christian circles. Some wonder if the holiday is harmless and fun, and others wonder if there is a darker side to it that exposes more sinister realms. For many believers of Christ, the answer isn’t so simple. The holiday’s origins and its modern-day expression often bring conflicting opinions, especially regarding faith.
A Divide In Views
Christians often have varied views when it comes to Halloween. Some believe the holiday is just a day for fun, family, friends, and community gatherings. While seeing Halloween as a secular holiday they still look at it as a day where little boys dress in Superman and Batman costumes and little girls dress up as Barbies and Princesses coming together to enjoy a night of harmless festivities.
Churches even join in on celebrating Halloween by often hosting Harvest Festivals” or “Trunk or Treat” events. Nevertheless, other believers choose not to participate in the holiday celebration. Many Christians view Halloween as a day rooted in pagan traditions and the occult. They believe that participating goes against the beliefs of God and Christianity; thinking that celebrating Halloween could open doors to spiritual darkness. Often standing on biblical instruction to “have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness” (Ephesians 5:11).
What Is Halloween?
Celebrating Halloween was something that was allowed in my household. Every year my mom would allow me to dress up in costumes and go out to the malls and safe neighborhoods to receive candy. Even when I got older, she would let me go to our church’s annual Halloween festival. And while many parents thought this was perfectly fine, some of the people in the church however didn’t agree with allowing the children to celebrate the holiday.
Some expressed concern, especially when they would see children dressed in themed costumes involving supernatural or overtly dark elements like witchcraft, demons, or zombies. I always thought it was fun and games until I got older. Now that I’m more grounded in my faith I desire to know more about Christianity and Halloween. I recently decided to have a face-to-face conversation with my Uncle Bishop Kenneth Copeland Sr., to learn more about Christian beliefs surrounding the holiday.
A Conversation with Bishop Kenneth Copeland Sr.
I expressed to my uncle that I was interested in gaining insight into how Christians should approach Halloween. He offered a balanced perspective that challenged my previous surmise. “So, Uncle Kent,” I began, “Halloween is a holiday that brings about so many emotions for Christians, some good and some bad. As a bishop and leader in the church, what are your thoughts on how we, as Christians, should think about Halloween?”
He cleared his throat and smiled thoughtfully before responding. “Well, Jada, it’s important to understand what Halloween is exactly. A lot of people have opinions about the holiday and don’t even know how it originated”. I stopped for a minute because as he spoke, I thought to myself, I never even knew what Halloween was.
“Back in the day, there was this ancient Celts festival of Samhain. People in costumes would gather in groups and light bonfires that essentially warded off ghosts”.
“They did this because November 1 represented the ending of summer, the start of the dark and cold winter, and the day of ghosts returning from the dead. October 31 was deemed Hallows Eve which later became Halloween”.
“Now something else special about November 1 is that it became a day of honoring the saints, or All Saints Day. All Hallows’ Eve, the day before All Saints’ Day, was originally a time to remember the saints and those who had passed. But over the centuries, it’s become something else entirely—something much more secular.”
Should Christians Celebrate Halloween?
I absorbed all of the new information entering my brain and continued with my questions. “So, is it wrong for Christians to celebrate Halloween?” I asked, still unaware of his stance on the holiday.
“This was something I thought about for years after having my kids,” he said. “I guess it all depends on what celebrating Halloween means to us. Some people feel Halloween is for the children. They don’t find harm in costumes, candy, and community. I don’t find anything wrong with allowing the kids to enjoy themselves for a day. Plus, the bible doesn’t specifically mention Halloween or speak anything negative about it. So, I think it is important that we instead apply biblical principles concerning the holiday”.
“Proverbs 2: 12-14 says: Wisdom will save you from the ways of wicked men, from men whose words are perverse, who have left the straight path to walk in dark ways, who delight in doing wrong and rejoice in the perverseness of evil. If we are glorifying what is evil or indulging in fear, that’s when it becomes a concern. But if we’re using the day to love our neighbors or to teach our children about spiritual discernment, it can be an opportunity for growth.”
Heart Posture During Halloween
“That makes a lot of sense”, I said. “So, I guess we can say it’s more about your heart posture when celebrating the day huh?”
“You got that right!” he chuckled. “If you have Christian friends or just regular friends who choose not to celebrate Halloween because they feel it’s not glorifying God then that’s okay and you should respect it”. “On the other hand, if you have friends who may want to attend a festival or take their younger family members out for candy, then that’s fine too. As long as they approach it with prayer and wisdom”.” As Christians, we must learn to live by what the bible says, because God’s word won’t steer you wrong. Not conforming to the patterns of this world but transforming our minds to discern what is good, acceptable, and perfect according to God’s will, is what God cares about.”
I loved how he quoted Romans 12:2 so smoothly almost making me think he came up with that all on his own. “Well, that was a conversation much needed unc,” I said. I felt so much more knowledgeable about Halloween and confident in my beliefs about the holiday.
Finding Balance as Christians
My talk with my uncle reminded me that even though Halloween can be controversial, it’s not as simplistic as I once thought. As Christians, God expects us to assess everything we do. Examining how we engage with cultural holidays, through the lens of our faith is crucial. This requires discernment, wisdom, and grace—both for us and others. Proverbs 3: 21-24 says “My son, do not let wisdom and understanding out of your sight, preserve sound judgment and discretion; they will be life for you, an ornament to grace your neck”.
Halloween is primarily what you make it. It can mean different things to each individual but as Christians, remember that God calls us to walk in love, wisdom, and truth. So, no matter if a person wants to attend a Harvest Festival, pass out or receive candy, or even abstain from Halloween altogether, the key is to do so in a way that reflects your relationship with Christ because God judges our heart posture at the end of the day. If you ever find yourself In deep thought about whether or not to celebrate Halloween as a Christian, let your faith guide, you and always seek God’s direction. He will help you in finding the right path. Finding Your Life Direction Through Christ
