What is a Christian view of Halloween? What does the Bible say about Halloween?
For an introduction, please see our article on the origins of Halloween/All Saints' Day.
Although our modern celebration of Halloween has religious influences, there is nothing biblical about the holiday. It is affiliated with "All Saints' Day," but even this holiday is not supported by Scripture. The Bible does not tell us to pray for the dead. There is no purgatory the dead need to escape from. The spirits of the dead do not come back to visit us on earth. And although the Bible does not forbid us from remembering our loved ones, neither does it ordain the practice, and attempting to contact them was punishable by death (Leviticus 19:31).
Christians can celebrate Halloween to the extent that they feel the freedom to do so and to the degree that the particular practices do not celebrate the occult.
With this in mind, the various pieces of Halloween can be analyzed individually for their current cultural and personal significance. It is not biblical to endorse or represent demons, evil, sin, or anything that would lead another to sin. But there is no injunction in the Bible against making lanterns out of gourds, wearing superhero and princess costumes, and asking neighbors for candy. Many churches and Christian organizations have Halloween alternatives, like Harvest Parties. Others encourage their members to use Halloween to meet neighbors in hopes of getting a chance to witness.
At the same time, if the origins of Halloween convict a Christian to reject the entire holiday, he or she should feel the freedom to do so, while giving others the freedom to act on their own beliefs. Within the church, we are not to judge anyone who uses their Christian liberty in a way that contradicts our personal convictions. Romans 14:5-6 says:
One person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. The one who observes the day, observes it in honor of the Lord. The one who eats, eats in honor of the Lord, since he gives thanks to God, while the one who abstains, abstains in honor of the Lord and gives thanks to God.
At the same time, verses 13-19 say we are not to use our liberty to lead another into an act that he or she regards as sin. "I know and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself, but it is unclean for anyone who thinks it unclean" (Romans 14:14).
Our heart attitude should not be one that tries to justify the secular tradition of Halloween; nor should it be one that seeks out evil intent where there is none. Instead, we should strive to glorify God in all that we do. Whether we go trick-or-treating, attend a Harvest Party, or ignore the day altogether, our actions should reflect God's leading on our own lives.
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