With that in mind, I do feel it is important to know where the holiday originated and what is represents so that you can make an informed decision. So, research, read and pray about God's will for you and your children.
P.S. If anyone has any comments, thoughts or research on this holiday, please feel free to share with me. I look forward to your thoughts and ideas!
Lesson Plan - Halloween History
Wikipedia - Halloween
Halloween Origins and Customs
Halloween History
Also, check out this very telling excerpt below regarding Halloween I found on a website called neopagan.net. The writer is obviously not a believer, but is accurate in his assessment I think...
"The Christian Church was unable to get the people to stop celebrating this holiday, so they simply sprinkled a little holy water on it and gave it new names, as they did with other Paleopagan holidays and customs. This was a form of calendrical imperialism, co-opting Paleopagan sacred times, as they had Paleopagan sacred places (most if not all of the great cathedrals of Europe were built on top of earlier Paleopagan shrines and sacred groves).
So when Fundamentalists come to your local school board and try to get Halloween removed from the public schools because “it’s a Pagan holiday,” they are perfectly correct. Of course, Valentine’s Day/Lupercalia, Easter/Eostre, and Christmas/Yule also have many Paleopagan elements associated with their dating and/or symbols, as the Jehovah’s Witnesses and others have pointed out for decades. So if we decide to rid the public schools of all holidays that have Pagan aspects to them, there won’t be many left for the kids to enjoy."
4 comments:
Hey there Tina,
Looks like everyone is doing well these days. I kind've keep up with y'all through my Google Reader. I'm subscribed to your blog. Everything is well here. Lots of school. But that's what I'm here for, so that's good. Tell Nami and the kids that I said hi and that I miss and love them (you too).
Your post is a provocative one. As you know, although it's not exactly my field per se, I'm interested in how Christians talk about and relate to culture. I understand your reservations concerning Halloween. Some elements of the festivities are somewhat distasteful and suspect. And it's a parent's duty to protect their childrfen from harm, psychological or otherwise. But let me challenge not so much your conclusion but your method. The way you approach seems to commit what's called the "genetic fallacy." This fallacy entails arguing that because something's origin was negative or suspect, it's current form is also. For instance, it seems like you're saying that because Halloween (or whatever you want to call it--it has a few acceptable names--few Christians I know call this celebration "Halloween"--most around here call it a "Harvest Festival")had an origin that wasn't even remotely Christian, then as it stands today it can't possibly be permissible for Christians--that is, it is still an altogether negative thing that Christians should avoid. As you'll probably notice, that logic doesn't follow. Like I said, I have no problem with your personal conclusion. I would like to hear, though, your thoughts on how Christian involvement today in this Fall festival resembles what took place in early pre-Christian forms. Also, what do you see as the reasons for not allowing your children to be involved? Those are the more interesting question as I see it. What are the dangers? Remember, I would challenge you to argue from Halloween as it's thought of and practiced today by Christians. Again, call it what you will. For if the term "Halloween" is troubling, then that's easy to remedy.
While I do see negative aspects to certain practices by non-Christians, very seldom do I see negative aspects as Christians practice it (Christians I know, that is). I don't follow your all or nothing approach. It doesn't seem justified. How do you justify it? Again, that's not to say that everything done by all people around Halloween is acceptable for Christians.
And remember, how Christians in the New Testament relate and advocate relating to culture varies. See Niebuhr's classic work, Christ and Culture.
You invited comments, so I thought I would post. Keep up the provocative posts:)
Love,
James
Hi James,
Thank you for your comment. I am so glad that I can always count on you (and Amy) to make me think more deeply and to learn and grow in so many ways. I really cherish that part of our relationship, as well as other parts too!
I plan to call the library and have them round up that book “Christ and Culture” on interlibrary loan that you mentioned. You have mentioned it before, and I frankly forgot to look into reading it, but I definitely will now.
As you know, I am very much interested in the Jewish Roots of the Christian faith, and so as I have been reading into this more and more, I am more struck by just how far we have disconnected ourselves from these roots through the centuries. It seems to me that during the first few centuries of the Church, we became a “branch” that boasted over its root, as was warned against in Romans. I believe this is where it all began.
Many of the early church fathers distanced themselves from anything which looked remotely “Jewish” and began to form their own traditions and their own ways to celebrate. That also meant “redeeming” their pagan holidays into “Christian” ones. Why? Why go to all this trouble when God has already set up appointed times, feasts and celebrations for His covenant people to enjoy? The reason seems to be quite anti-semitic at its origin, actually hatred toward the Jews, the way I see it right now. I think foundations do matter.
Now, am I saying that we MUST celebrate all the feasts and holy days written of in the Old Covenant in order to receive salvation? Certainly not! No doubt, the answer is no. But can we be blessed and drawn closer to our Messiah through our observance of them? Yes, I believe so. Can we glorify God through our observance of these holidays? Yes, I believe so. Regardless of what culture in which we live, God’s Word endures forever and transcends cultural bounds or influences. Culture does not define His Word. His Word defines culture.
On the same vein, is it a matter of salvation if a believer participates in Halloween (Harvest Festival) etc? Certainly not! But, is it actually beneficial? It reminds me of 1 Corinthians 10. The whole chapter is good, but verse 23 stands out. “All things are lawful but not all things are profitable: all things are lawful, but not all things build up.” I know he is speaking more specifically about food here in this passage, but I think it pertains to this as well. How is this holiday profitable? How does it bring glory to God? I am also seeing verses 20-22:
“But that which the heathens are offering, they are offering to demons and not to God: I do not want you to become fellowshippers of the demons. You cannot drink a cup of the Lord and a cup of demons, you cannot share a table of the Lord and a table of demons. Or do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than He?”
It seems from the history that I have read that this celebration was an offering to the Sun God for a good harvest, etc. It doesn’t really matter whether believers know this fact or not. For lack of knowledge, people perish. So obviously, there are things behind the scenes working that we may be very ignorant of, even as believers.
The Jews allowed idolatry and pagan influences into their life time after time, and this is one reason they were continually being disciplined by God. Our Father didn’t do this arbitrarily. He knew that if His people allowed this mixing of false religions into their lives, that it would eventually lead them away from God. Has this changed somehow since then? Has the Lord changed His mind on this subject? Is He now in favor of this for His chosen ones? Do we no longer need to be concerned that we might be influenced in a negative way by our participation or our mixing?
The final verse that comes to my mind is Philippians 4:8:
“The rest, brothers, whatever things are true, whatever things are honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is spoken with good will, if there is any moral excellence and any praise, you must continually consider these things for yourselves…”
Is this holiday true? Is it honorable? Is is just? Is it pure? Is it pleasing to God? Does it promote good will? Is it morally excellent or praiseworthy? I just don’t see that it is. I seen no benefits in life from a celebration of death.
So, these are some of my initial thoughts, although not well organized at all, I am sure! I love you, James, and hope school is going very well for you!
Love,
Tina
Hey there Tina,
Who said that God's word (or Word) was above culture and therefore not influenced by it? I know what you're trying to say, but the way your using the idea is not biblical. Yes, the word of God in our hearts (if we understand it correctly--and that's a big "if") should not be changed because of cultural influences, but it is not above culture. Any investigation into the the parallels between the OT and other Near-eastern literature should disillusion anyone of the notion that "God's word" (if by that you mean the OT scriptures themselves)is somehow above culture. God's word as OT Scripture, opposite of what you say, is actually embedded in culture. And thank God that He accommodates us in our cultural boundedness! The difficulty of interpreting the word of God for today is precisely because it is embedded in foreign (i.e. other cultures). If they (i.e. Scriptures) were written to us, in English, out of Tennessee, then the problems of interpretation would decrease, but even then we would have to discern how to read the text against the background of our culture and knowledge. Plus, the incarnation of God in the flesh is the ultimate scandal of cultural particularity. Culture, like the air we breathe is all-inclusive (Jewish or otherwise).
Therefore, the issue of discerning how to live out our covenant with God during the time of Halloween is not as easy as citing an OT verse. This is where I think reading Christ and Culture helps us in our quest to be more Christian in our culture.
Also, I would challenge you to be careful with the term "anti-semitism" when applying it to early Christians. "Anti-semitism" is a modern term that is heavily associated with its German version. To charge someone of anti-semitism who lived 1800 years requires more nuance that you've given it. You've used it anachronistically. This might be similar to using the term "slavery" to describe the first-century A.D. Yes, there was slavery in the first century, but very unlike African-American slavery in America. Nuance is needed. Especially when the term is so highly charged and the accusation can be so devastating.
Foundations do matter, but they are not determinative or normative for the present (necessarily). We have to argue that they are. It seems like you're saying that God would desire everyone to act like they were Jews living in the OT. To some extent surely that's true. But to what extent is the question. If you've decided to align yourself more closely with the way people acted in the OT (as best as you can understand it) then that's good, but it calls for extra discernment on your part in deciding what is in and what is out. Surely you don't intend to start slaughtering animals. Where do you draw the line in a way that's not arbitrary? What are your criteria for determining what's in and what's out?
Yes, some things are lawful, etc. And there are influences that we're not aware of, but my challenge to you is not to live out of the fear that there's a demon behind every bush, but to argue that a "Harvest Festival" is a "demonic" influence as Christians practice it today. To be honest, I went, with my children, amidst a host of around 1000 other Christian families and found it to be a beneficial and God-honoring thing. Is Halloween (or again, whatever you want to call it) as Christians understand its importance or lack thereof and how they practice it "demonic" as Paul understands it? Of course, people who don't believe in Christ and desire to be pleasing to him are not concerned about celebrating a Harvest Festival in a Christian manner. But that's them, not us. And I must say, I consider Halloween as about as important as having a cook-out with friends; it has a very low-level importance in the whole scheme of things. To say that I "celebrate" is a bit overstated. "I do it" is more in alignment to how important I see it.
But your right, Halloween as many practice it is not pure, pleasing, honorable, and just. But that's exactly why Christians don't do Halloween like unbelievers. Surely there's a powerful transformative witness in that that you'll never be a part of if you go with an all or nothing approach.
I'm not for sure that I'll be able to comment further for reasons of school. I'll note your response, but otherwise we can pick the conversation at Christmas. Well, that is, if your still celebrating it:)That was tongue-in cheek of course.
Always in Love,
James
Hello there,
Well, I can certainly count on you to make my head spin intellectually! But, it’s good. I like it! I need these brain cells exercised after all day with a 2 year old!
You wrote:
The difficulty of interpreting the word of God for today is precisely because it is embedded in foreign (i.e. other cultures). If they (i.e. Scriptures) were written to us, in English, out of Tennessee, then the problems of interpretation would decrease, but even then we would have to discern how to read the text against the background of our culture and knowledge.
This is a fundamental issue for me. I believe that we as believers, no matter what cultural background we come from (even Tennesseans!), could and should understand life from a primarily Hebrew mindset. I believe that early on in the first centuries of the Church, a schism formed between Jews and Gentile believers, which was fueled by hatred toward the Jews as being “Christ killers” and in effect, this broke us away from the roots of our faith. I believe this separation has caused a great deal of harm not only to the Jewish people, but also to the Church. I think American culture did eventually take on a mindset, and that is primarily the Greco/Roman mindset. This seems to be the lens through which we primarily view our lives. But, I see a movement of restoration happening in this area, and I think it is very interesting and exciting.
Then, we come to the question, “Well, is the Hebrew mindset inherently better than the Roman?” My initial answer would be “yes.” I do believe it is the way, basically because it was and is the mindset of my Lord Jesus.
You wrote:
"Anti-semitism" is a modern term that is heavily associated with its German version. To charge someone of anti-semitism who lived 1800 years requires more nuance that you've given it.
What I am trying to express (not very well obviously!) is that the majority of the most influential early church fathers had no love loss for the Jewish people. As a matter of fact, their writings that I have read contain not just a disdain, but a vicious hatred of them as an entire race. I am extremely saddened by this, yet I know they were human and were not perfect. Yet, to harbor such a hatred against ANYONE, much less God’s chosen people, is so against the words of Jesus. It is so ANTI-Christ. And these men were the leaders! So, probably anti-semitic is not the most accurate term, but this is what I was trying to say.
You wrote:
Surely you don't intend to start slaughtering animals. Where do you draw the line in a way that's not arbitrary? What are your criteria for determining what's in and what's out?
Ha Ha! Now, please, James! Of course, slaughtering animals for sacrifices is out, for the obvious reason that Jesus is the Lamb who takes away the sins of the world! He is our perfect sacrifice, fulfilling the sacrificial law. The criteria for what’s in and out is based on loving God will all my heart, soul, mind and strength, and loving my neighbor as myself. I know that I am not bound to OT sacrifical and ceremonial laws. But, in learning and celebrating the feasts and Sabbath, which all found their fulfillment in Jesus, I can celebrate Him! I can learn more of Him and understand who He is more and more. This is not in a legalistic sense or even a prescribe “way” to celebrate, but by just honoring them in my heart. I believe that is a blessing and a way to honor God as well.
I’m not saying we have to throw out everything that doesn’t find its origin in Hebrew thought, such as gymnasiums and even our government system. But, if it is something that does not honor the God of Israel in some way, then it is not worth honoring at all. (I’m on a rabbit trail here!)
You wrote:
Is Halloween (or again, whatever you want to call it) as Christians understand its importance or lack thereof and how they practice it "demonic" as Paul understands it? Of course, people who don't believe in Christ and desire to be pleasing to him are not concerned about celebrating a Harvest Festival in a Christian manner. But that's them, not us.
When Paul writes this, from my understanding, he is writing to those who are already believers. He is warning them of the dangers of mixing their faith in God with other beliefs, practices, etc. Am I saying that believers who participate in Harvest Festivals are worshipping idols? No, definitely not. But, there is still a warning for us.
All for now, my friend! We can talk at “the time designated by the Church that we should celebrate the birth of Jesus” intertwined with pagan customs and all! Love you!
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