Halloween is a major cultural event in 2023 America. Don’t believe me? People put their wallets into it! On average every man, woman and child in America spends on average… $108.
Let’s go back in time to see the back ground behind the dark holiday. The holiday originally was a pagan festival as the seasons changed from fall to winter. Samhaim (pronounced Sow-Win) fell on October 31. It was believed that on that day there was a break in the spirit world. So to protect themselves they would wear costumes and light bon fires (bone fires were the lit with the bones of animals). Everything changed in the 8th century when Pope Gregory II moved All Saints Day from May to November.
The challenge is that this didn’t stop people from celebrating a pagan holiday. They just rebranded it. The hope was that over time the pagan aspects of this day would be replaced with Christian ones. This synergy had mixed results, as the word would imply. I’m slow to judge history critically. What would I do if I came into a pagan culture and tried to share Jesus?
Jumping back into the present. Should the Christian church abandon the holiday? No, traditions can have a wonderful place in our lives. The church year itself is a witness to all that God has accomplished in our lives. The rhythm of the church year focuses us on the life of Jesus. Right now we’re in the season of End Times. Each year our church takes time to talk about Christ’s Second Coming, the details behind the Last Day, heaven, hell, and how Christ is our King. I get MANY questions on a day-to-day basis on the upheaval in the world. No matter what the world is doing around us – Christ is still in control.
Want to hear more? Watch this week’s study on Halloween.
Please click HERE for the Bible class slides.