The Reverend Harold A. Linn, Pastor

Can Christians Celebrate Halloween?

By Dr. Richard P. Bucher

In recent years the festival of Halloween has caused great alarm among many Christians. Christian literature abounds which sees Halloween as an ancient pagan and satanic festival of great evil, and one that one must be avoided, if not stopped, at all costs. Such Christians answer the question, "Can Christians celebrate Halloween?" with a resounding, "No!"

In this essay I will examine three typical arguments used by some Christians as reasons for objecting to Halloween. The arguments are:

(1) Christians should not celebrate Halloween because its customs and practices come from an ancient, pagan (Celtic) festival of the dead. Therefore to participate in Halloween is to serve the devil;

(2) Christians should not celebrate Halloween because pagans and satanists still observe it today as an un-holy day;

(3) Christians should not celebrate Halloween because it is wrong to participate in something that is used for evil or has evil connected to it.

As I examine each in turn, I will ask, "Are these arguments founded on fact or fiction? Are they consistently thought through on the basis of Scripture?" Finally, I will offer guidelines for a God-pleasing answer to the question, "Can Christians Celebrate Halloween?"

Turn to Halloween Argument #1

Turn to Halloween Argument #2

Turn to Halloween Argument #3

Guidelines

© Pastor Richard P. Bucher, Th.D 1998, 1999