As you know, I love all holidays—including Halloween. But does Halloween have anything to do with our faith? To that I would say, yes! Absolutely! 

I say that, knowing that many Christians want nothing to do with it. And they are in good company. In fact, the church has tried to stamp this holiday out altogether.

From the start, Christians were never too wild about this Celtic holiday. When the Catholic Church gained a foothold in that part of the world, it sought to eliminate this pagan festival by placing two holy days right around it: All Souls Day and All Saints Day. 

Both of these Holy Days are a nod to the idea that at the autumnal equinox, the veil between this world and the afterlife becomes very thin. What better way to win over pagans than to convert this time of year into the holy celebration of departed loved ones (All Souls Day) and the great Saints of the church (All Saints Day)? The word “Halloween” itself means “all hallows eve” or “the holy evening before these holy days.”

Despite this, of course, All Souls Day and All Saints Day never eclipsed Halloween itself. So the question remains, should Christians celebrate it? There are a couple of good reasons why I think we should. 

Many cultures have some cathartic festivals surrounding death. It is a way of acknowledging our fear of death and the unknown that follows this life. Halloween is our version. These festivals are really helpful because when we name our fears, they lose at least some of their power over us.

Most importantly, then, Halloween allows us to face our fears. It is here that our faith should kick in. We all have fears. It is part of being human. The Christian faith, however, stands in opposition to fear. Consequently, Halloween is an opportunity to strengthen our faith. It is a chance to say, yes, I have fears, but I also have something greater than those fears: My faith in God through Jesus Christ. 

Scripture is full of calls to place faith over fear:

• “God did not give us a spirit that makes us afraid. He gave us a spirit of power and love.” (2 Timothy 1:7)
• “Perfect love casts out fear…whoever fears has not reached perfection in love.” (1 John 4:18) 
• And, of course, Jesus was constantly repeating the phrase “Do not be afraid.”

Can Halloween be taken too far? Sure it can. But on the whole, I think it is a fun holiday. It is also a holiday that can prompt us to face our fears and strengthen our faith.

See you in church,

–Rev. Dominic