The Origin of Halloween

Over the years I’ve had numerous conversations with different individuals on the topic of Halloween. Questions that came up ranged from whether or not Christians should let their children participate, and if not, do we lock ourselves in the house with the lights turned off or should we in some way try to fight back against this evil? One side of the spectrum says that it’s the most dangerous time of the year, and the other side thinks that it’s nothing more than a secular time of fun and games. Personally, I don’t find it my place to tell you whether or not you should participate in Halloween. That is a decision for you and your family to make on your own, before God. However, I do find it important for everyone to understand the origins of Halloween so you are best equipped to make an educated and rational decision about your family’s participation in this event. Each family must be persuaded in their own mind about how they approach Halloween, so the purpose of this paper is to provide you with an unbiased perspective on its origins, the early church’s response, and nothing more. Once you have prayerfully considered the information contained in this paper, and a decision is made, please be sure to communicate the reasoning behind that decision to your children. It is important for them to understand the origin of this ritual for themselves, as well as why your family chooses to participate or not. So, without much further ado…

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