The following is a monthly article written by Rev Kenneth Stewart to the Stornoway RPCS congregation…
Dear congregation,
Some of you might know that 31 October is celebrated in some churches as Reformation Day, since it is reckoned to have been the date on which Martin Luther posted his famous 95 theses on the Wittenberg church door in 1517 – an event which sparked the Reformation. Indeed, in most of Germany, 31 October is an annual public holiday.
All of you will know that for a greater number of people, it is Halloween. And I suspect more professing Christians will be involved in Halloween than in Reformation Day. In America, where most western trends originate, many reckon that Halloween has now become America’s second biggest holiday and many schools close accordingly. But a quick look in your local supermarket will confirm that it is growing rapidly in Scotland too. But what is Halloween and, more importantly, is it just harmless fun?
Where did Halloween come from?
It may surprise you to know that the name ‘Halloween’ is connected to the word ‘holy’ (for example, ‘hallowed be thy name’). It means ‘hallows’ evening’ or ‘saints’ evening’.
So how does a ‘celebration’ involving witches and spirits come to be called a ‘hallowed evening’?
Despite its holy name, the context of Halloween is one of paganism and witchcraft. It began as the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, the ‘Lord of Death’. Many of you will know that, in Gaidhlig, the evening is called ‘Oidhche Shamhna’ (or ‘Samhain’s Evening’).
The Celts considered the following day, 1st November, to be the day of death because, in the northern hemisphere, and with the onset of winter, they believed that Samhain, the lord of death, was overpowering the sun god – who was losing his strength. Modern day witches (‘Wiccans’) observe this day (1st November) as the day on which the sun god dies. However, he is reborn at Yule – at the time of the winter solstice when the day begins to lengthen. This re-birth of the sun god was celebrated on December 25th. Ring any bells?
The Druids – the priestly class who gave spiritual direction to the Celts – taught that on the day before the 1st November, the barrier between the spirit world and ours could be crossed more easily and, as a result, on this evening, Samhain would send the spirits of the dead to walk amongst us in this world. In order to secure protection from these spirits, the Druids would gather sacrifices and offerings from the people. According to Roman historians, these sacrifices were sometimes human sacrifices. Also, large bonfires were lit in each community in order to ward off the evil spirits. All house fires were put out and new fires lit on each hearth with fire from these great bonfires.
Most, if not all, the practices now associated with Halloween, from eating nuts to ducking apples, come from these ancient pagan beliefs and rituals. People would try to protect themselves and their children from evil spirits by disguising themselves as spirits. This ‘disguising’ evolved into ‘guising’ – the practice of going from house to house in disguise, often reciting songs or verses in exchange for food. This is connected to the ancient practice of giving offerings to the spirits when these spirits would call: Giving an offering would secure protection from the recipient while failing to do so would invite harm – hence Trick-or-Treat.
How did it get a holy name?
Shortly after the establishment of the Papacy, the Roman Catholic Church, instead of abolishing pagan practices as it had formerly, decided on an alternative (and unbiblical) policy of ‘Christianising’ these practises and adopting them into the Church ritual and calendar.
The best-known example is, of course, the pagan celebration of the birth of the Sun God on December 25th, a celebration which the Roman church ‘converted’ into a celebration of the birth of the Son of God, now referred to as Christmas – a celebration which still contains many features of the pagan practice, although now with a Christian twist.
Similarly, the festival of Samhain was ‘Christianised’ by the following measures: 1st November was designated ‘All Saints Day’ (a celebration of the departed saints); 2nd November was designated ‘All Souls Day’ (a day on which to pray for the dead and to help them escape the torments of purgatory) and 31st October was designated ‘All Saints Eve’ or ‘Hallows’ Even’ – hence, Halloween. So ‘Hallow’s Even’ was appointed, by the Roman Catholic church as a holy evening. However, the religious trappings of this day are largely gone with the result that, in this most convoluted way, a ‘holy day’ with a holy name is now observed by a series of pagan practices!
Does it all matter?
On the face of it, it is impossible for us, as Reformed Christians, to look at the pagan roots and practices of the festival as well as the feeble Roman Catholic attempt to baptise it without concluding that we should taking nothing at all to do with it. However, a great number of professing Christians do take to do with it. Why?
They do so because it so happens that the only possible defence for involvement is actually a fairly plausible one: that the original occult associations of the event are so far removed from the contemporary observance of it that it renders Halloween now, effectively, harmless. After all, what can be the problem with dressing up, going round a few doors and getting some sweets? And, for many people, that’s all Halloween is and that’s all they mean it to be. But a nagging and important question persists: is that really all Halloween is?
I think a wider, and deeper, look will reveal that Halloween isn’t quite as innocent as that. In fact, it is arguable that it is more dangerous now than it has been for a long time and that it is continuing to get worse.
Let’s begin with Wicca – essentially Paganism. According to many experts, Wicca is probably the fastest growing ‘religion’ in many parts of the western world and its adherents in the UK number somewhere around 150,000. On Halloween, Wiccans all over the nation will get together to conduct rituals and cast spells for healing, protection, fertility and for banishing so-called ‘negative influences’. Ouija boards will be widely consulted in séances to make contact with the dead.
Wicca has made particularly strong inroads into the life of teenage girls – the very constituency most attracted by Halloween and most targeted by the advertisers. And, sadly, a good number of these young girls come from Christian homes.
It is perhaps no coincidence that the rise of interest in Wicca, and involvement with it, mushroomed with the publication of the Harry Potter series of books: The Pagan Federation (a promoter of Wicca) had to appoint a youth officer to deal with the flood of inquiries into paganism following the success of the Harry Potter books. Their Media Officer stated, ‘every time an article on witchcraft or paganism appears, we have a huge surge in calls, mostly from young girls’. A few years ago, a prominent Wiccan said in an interview that ‘for Wiccans, Halloween is a time to remember those who have died – our beloved ancestors who have passed beyond life. I’ll be getting together with witchy friends to do a ritual to honour the dead. I suppose you could say it is a bit like a séance, although Wiccans don’t really use that term. We put out all the lights except for a single candle and ask departed loved ones to join us for the evening, then sit in silence for a while to see if we get messages from them’.
Not surprisingly, those who have been converted to Christ from a Wicca background are quite clear about the danger of being connected with Halloween in any way. One such convert wrote a few years ago that ‘there is nothing we ever have done or will do that would make (Halloween) acceptable to the Lord Jesus.’
And then again, there’s the spectre of Satanism hanging over the evening. Satanism goes well beyond Wicca, and the occult generally, most notably by its use of blood sacrifice. The claims of many converted Satanists that Halloween involves animal sacrifice (and sometimes human sacrifice) as well as ritual child abuse is roundly denied by Satanists – but why should we believe representatives of an organisation which deliberately names itself after the ‘father of lies’ over against the claims of those who have been converted to Christ? It is a bit rich to call yourself after a liar and expect your words to be received as the truth.
In any case, the Church of Satan (an awful name) website states that after one’s own birthday, the two major Satanic holidays are Beltane (May 1st) and Halloween. The fact is that Halloween is a prime recruiting time for Wiccans and Satanists and many people have testified that they were introduced to the occult at a Halloween party.
And, however innocent our intentions may be, it remains the case that millions of people, many of them children, will be exposed to films and TV programs, themed on Halloween, which will invite them to enjoy violence, mutilation and torture. Halloween doesn’t just focus on the occult – it celebrates and normalises it. And it is no surprise that many vulnerable people begin to dabble in the occult as a result.
All this, of course, brings Halloween very much into the realm of spiritual warfare and forms part of Satan’s plan to ‘steal, kill and destroy’ (John 10:10). Part of the problem, undoubtedly, lies in the fact that many professing Christians do not take the realm of the demonic seriously. Paul warns to the contrary (Ephesians 6:12,13).
Finally, along with the occult element, it is notable that adult involvement in Halloween in increasing dramatically and, with it comes the alarming and increasing sexualisation of its evening parties.
Does the Bible address the issue directly?
In God’s Word, witchcraft and the whole spectrum of the occult practices were crimes punishable by death (Exod. 22:18). Moving into the New Testament, witchcraft is listed among those things which are to be renounced by believers (Galatians 5:20). Also, Acts 19:18-19 records how people who had just become Christians denounced all dealings with the occult and burned all the occult materials in their possession. It is difficult to imagine those Christians continuing to participate in Halloween – had it been around then.
Sometimes, it can be very effective just to gather some scripture verses together and allow them to speak.
‘When you come into the land which the Lord your God gives you, you shall not learn to follow the abominations of those nations. There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, or who practices witchcraft, or a soothsayer, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer, or one who casts spells, or a medium, or a spiritist, or one who calls up the dead. For all who do these things are an abomination to the Lord, and because of these abominations the Lord your God drives them out from before you. You shall be blameless before the Lord your God’. Deuteronomy 18:9-13.
‘Test all things; hold fast to what is good. Abstain from every form of evil.’ 1 Thessalonians 5:21-22.
‘My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I will also reject you from being priests for Me; because you have forgotten the Law of your God, I will also forget your children.’ Hosea 4:6
‘Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.’ Proverbs 22:6.
‘Therefore, let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of Light.’ Romans 13:12
‘Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? What communion has light with darkness? And what accord has Christ with Belial? For what part has a believer with an unbeliever? And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? …Therefore, come out from among them and be separate says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean and I will receive you.” 2 Corinthians 6:14-17
“Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy – meditate on these things.” Philippians 4:8
‘Beloved, do not imitate what is evil, but what is good’ 3 John 11
‘And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them. For it is shameful even to speak of those things which are done by them in secret.” Ephesians 5:11
Conclusion
This article is written with the full realisation that well-meaning Christian parents have no intention of identifying with the evils associated with Halloween. However, in light of the above, perhaps we should all (prayerfully) ask the following questions:
First, is it spiritually safe to be involved with something that is both historically and currently intertwined with occult practices? In other words, are we sure that participating in the celebration of Halloween leaves us and our children safe from the real and active world of the demonic?
Second, by involving ourselves with this day and festival, are we helping to publicise and normalise one of the most important days on the occult calendar?
Third, are we happy to be associated, however loosely, with a celebration which, when carried out by those who take it seriously, involves overt blasphemy as well pain for animals and, possibly, humans too?
Fourth, on an evening dedicated to the celebration of paganism, are we sure that God views sending our children out to participate – however innocent our intention and theirs – with favour?
Fifth, might there be a better, enjoyable and more God honouring way to spend the night with our children and perhaps with other Christian parents and children too?
In 2 Corinthians 6:14, Paul asks, ‘What fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? What fellowship has light with darkness? And what accord has Christ with Belial (Satan)?’
I’m asking, similarly, ‘What have Halloween and Christ got in common? What communion is there between Wicca and Christianity?’ The answer, surely, is ‘nothing whatsoever’.
Halloween and Christianity just don’t belong together.
Your Minister
