If you’re up late with a sugar buzz from consuming Halloween candy, here are a few must-reads for Christians when it comes to Halloween:
- James B. Jordan: “Halloween: A Distinctly Christian Holiday”
- Michael Spencer: “The Great Pumpkin Proposes a Toast”
- Jollyblogger has some excellent articles linked as well
Also, it was this time last year that Fred the Fundamentalist experienced his final Halloween, which took place shortly after his conversion to fundamentalism:
It’s been far too long since I’ve written a good “Fred” episode.
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chris holdridge 10.31.06 at 1:04 pm
Well…I think it’s a little naive to act like kids, even Christian kids, are dressing up like spooks to mock the powers of darkness. Actually, I think our contemporary “dressing up” has become more of a form of building up. I won’t go as far as to say it’s a form of worship, because I don’t want to go fundamental; let me make a comparison, even though it will be sloppy.
I like hiphop music, so I listen to it. I listen to some secular stuff, because it’s very good. But very little of it is G-rated and I like my kids to listen to what I’m listening to. So I have a lot of Christian stuff too, even though some of it is corny as hay-el. But there’s no way I’m putting on some ganster rap for them. That would be irresponsible and as the spiritual head of my family, outright stupid.
My sloppy comparison is this: Halloween night on most of our city streets is like gangster rap. Why in the world would I want my kids walking around looking at demons and zombies (ok, there will be a few cowboys and Strawberry Shortcakes, whatever)? The Word is really clear about what we are to fill our minds with (Phil. 4:8) and that kind of imagery with no narrative, no redemptive strata, is what we are to avoid. Okay, maybe I can sit down afterward and say to my son, “Okay son, stop crying. Remember that kid dressed up as a vampire with the blood soaked shirt on…yes the one with the big teeth who snarled at you…no he wasn’t real. Uh, er, he was just mocking the devil. Yeah, well, that other guy’s arm was falling off becuase he was a zombie. Yeah, zombies are people who were dead…no they’re not real! What do you mean you can’t sleep? Afraid of what?”
If Halloween maintained in any way what Jordan says it once did, I’d be down; but for me and my family, gimme Reformation Day.
I’m not advocating for harvest parties or church alternatives either. I was part of that stuff in the past and yes we had a kid come dressed as a mummy and he was like, “I’m Lazarus. Poor, poor Lazarus (say like Ralph Wiggam).” It’s bogus. Better idea: let the church grow some courage and say intelligently, “the way the world does this is wrong and here’s why.” You can disagree with our contemporary Halloween and have nothing in common with Fred. But the Fred spot is hilarious.
Nice writing, Travis.
Travis Prinzi 10.31.06 at 7:47 pm
Chris, I understand where you’re coming from, even if I have a different perspective on it. Here are my thoughts.
First, Jordan’s not saying that most of the people on the streets are dressing up like goblins to mock the devil; he’s not being naive about that. What he is saying is that Christians have good reason to do such a thing, and this is our day, and we’re not giving it up or reinventing it. We’re going to go out there and celebrate it like we’re supposed to.
I think Halloween (and I confess that I say this as a father of a 3 month old, so I’m not exactly there yet) is a night to face fear (or what the world or Satan would want us to be afraid of) in a controlled environment, where parents can explain to their children what they don’t have to fear, while having a fun night to exercise their imaginations (something Christians sorely lack these days).
I imagine a different conversation than the one you proposed. Goes something like this:
“No, honey…we’re not going to dress up tonight. There are scary things out there. No, no. The candy’s not scary. Yes, I know, I’ll be right there with you, so you don’t actually have to be afraid. Yes, I know your princess costume isn’t scary. But, you see, what’s really exciting is that 500 years ago a fat monk nailed a piece of paper to a chapel door that had 95 reasons that indulgences are bad, and we’re going to celebrate that instead. Yes, on the only night of the year that everyone dresses up and goes out for candy, we’re going to go to church and sing ‘A Mighty Fortress.’Â Doesn’t that sound like fun?”
Halloween for me was a night of fun, imagination, and laughing at things that were “supposed” to be scary. That’s what it’ll be for my daughter. I’m not giving up the night because some people misuse it. It’s ours, and I want it back!
Jollyblogger’s got some good stuff on this, by the way.
chris holdridge 11.02.06 at 12:32 pm
Travis,
I too, can appreciate your view. I had different Halloween experiences growing up, however. They were mostly negative as I was in serious rebellion. I think we can agree that individual experience is not sufficient to gauge what is appropriate behavior in this case. What it comes down to for me, as with any thing, is how I bring my life into harmony with what the scrtiptures command. Note: I am in no way creating a law about Halloween celebration for the church. I’m well aware of the “food sacrificed to idols” argument. I just think that some times when negative aspects of the culture are too entrenched in a practice, that it’s worth abstaining, particularly for our weaker brothers and sisters.
On “taking back” Halloween; it’s the same thing to me as “taking back” Christmas. What a boatload of crap we get shoved down our throats at that time of year. How do you pull the Christ-child out of it? You choose to try and be balanced, or you choose to allow yourself to get swallowed up in the commodification of the thing (even the dang commercialization of Santa! Is nothing sacred!!?). I think Christmas is more worth it for what is underneath, and for its imaginative value (a point a agree with you on for sure!). I’m not sure of the imaginative currency of Halloween…seems pretty depraved to me; but I’m willing to acknowledge that I’m missing something, maybe even a lot.
BUT…on your sarcasm over church worship vs. fun in our imaginary dialogue: it’s sad to me that we have to act like it has to be either/or for our children, especially. Like it’s either fun or its church. That’s terrible. It’s the fault of the church and its leaders for sure and I agree that the sentiment is there. Wouldn’t you rather put your “taking back” efforts into taking back the church in order to properly adorn the Gospel and set ablaze our children’s hearts for God…their imaginations included? I’m sure your answer is “yes, but” to that. And that’s cool. I’ll be your friend even if you’re a Hallo-weiner.
PS. I think I’m the only one in my church that doesn’t dress his kids up like little dorks on Halloween. I get the uncomfortable, “Oh…well…good for you guys” response. In my mind I’m thinking, “Good for me? You think I’m a total dweeb!”
Peace
Travis Prinzi 11.03.06 at 12:17 am
Chris, I agree entirely that the “fun” vs. “church worship” dichotomy is sad…we’ve done an awful job when our kids have to make that either/or choice. My point, though, was not that that is the inevitable choice for children: fun or church. My point was that Halloween night is the only night where everyone gets up in costumes and goes out for candy, and since it has Christian roots, it seems a tad odd to me (and I think it would be disappointing for children, and legitimately so) to say that we’re not going to do that, we’re going to church instead.
I am all for taking back the gospel and celebrating its proper proclamation by the church, and making that exciting for children (there’s so much that could be said about the maddeningly trivial way children are treated in Sunday Schools…). I believe children have incredible capacity for thought and imagination, and I seem to recall Jesus reminding us that there’s much we need to learn from children about the kingdom.
I just fear that the Christian retreat from culture and back into the safety of our four walls is getting worse, and Halloween seems to me to be one of those issues. There’s so much good remaining in Halloween - imagination, creativity, victory over darkness, community (what else gets all us really snobby suburb people who love our privacy out knocking on doors and meeting neighbors?), generosity, questions about what happens to the dead…all of these things are so central to Halloween that I find it difficult to substitute the opportunity for a Reformation Day service instead. Halloween has more long-standing Christian roots, anyway.
I’ve written way too much on this, and I’ve probably been unclear since it’s after 11pm. Glad you’ll be my friend even though I’m a Hallow-wiener. I’ll be your friend even though you’re “a total dweeb.”