Jesus-loving, Bible-reading, well-meaning Christians disagree about whether it is appropriate for a believer to participate in Halloween activities. Those who think that Christians shouldn’t participate in any way cite the holiday’s roots in the pagan celebration Samhain. Those who think Christians can engage with Halloween celebrations point out that there’s nothing inherently wrong with carving gourds and begging for candy.
These kinds of disputes are not uncommon in the history of the church. In Biblical times, believers argued about all kinds of things like food, festivals, celebrations, and rules (for example see Colossians 2:16). So what guidance does the Bible give us as we think through how to respond to Halloween? (Full disclosure: we carve pumpkins and go trick-or-treating in my house).
Perhaps 1 Corinthians 8 is a good place for us to start. In that passage, Paul is addressing a dispute in the church about whether it is acceptable for Christians to eat meat that had been sacrificed to pagan idols. Paul’s conclusions seem to be:
Perhaps there is a helpful pattern there for us to apply to Halloween. There is nothing inherently demonic about carving Jack-o-lanterns, wearing costumes, and trick-or-treating. Some people might do those things for wicked reasons (like the people who sacrificed animals to idols in Corinth), but that doesn’t mean that everyone who participates is similarly guilty (just as Christians in Corinth could eat those animals with a clean conscience).
Whatever you choose to do this Halloween, do it to the glory of God! (1 Corinthians 10:31)
With that in mind, here are a few humble suggestions for thinking about Halloween as a Christian:
Finally, whatever you choose to do this Halloween, do it to the glory of God! (1 Corinthians 10 v 31)
It’s not too late to see our selection of fun Halloween themed tracts and leaflets for children—perfect for helping you share a little bit of the Christian message with Trick or Treaters.
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