SAINTS AND SINNERS

                When I was growing up, as for many of you, Halloween was just a fun event for children. We did not think ghouls and goblins were real, so it was all make-believe fun. In fact our church often had a Halloween party in the basement of the church with games and food and candy.

                Today, Halloween has taken on a much more sinister and evil persona. Although many children see it still as a fun night to dress up and go door to door gathering candy, adults have co-opted the evening for less innocent activities. The emphasis on evil spirits and witches has lent a satanic bent on the event. Secular people who laugh at the idea of a real spirit world, use the night for uninhibited revelry, often with negative consequences.

                So how did this whole thing get started. Why is there a Halloween? The answer may surprise you. Halloween actually has its roots in the Church. Halloween falls on the evening before the Christian holy days of All Hallows' Day, also known as All Saints' Day, on 1 November and All Souls' Day on 2 November, thus giving the holiday on 31 October the full name of All Hallows' Eve (meaning the evening before All Hallows' Day). Since the time of the primitive Church, major feasts in the Christian Church had vigils which began the night before, as did the feast of All Hallows'. 

                These three days are collectively referred to as Allhallowtide and are a time for honoring the saints and praying for the recently departed souls who have yet to reach Heaven. All Saints was introduced in the year 609, but was originally celebrated on 13 May. In 835, it was switched to 1 November at the behest of Pope Gregory IV.  On All Hallows' Eve, Christians in some parts of the world visit graveyards to pray and place flowers and candles on the graves of their loved ones.

                By the end of the 12th century these three days had become holy days of obligation across Europe and involved such traditions as ringing church bells for the souls in purgatory. In addition, "it was customary for criers dressed in black to parade the streets, ringing a bell of mournful sound and calling on all good Christians to remember the poor souls."

                 "Souling", the custom of baking and sharing soul cakes for all christened souls, has been suggested as the origin of trick-or-treating. The custom dates back at least as far as the 15th century and was found in parts of England, Belgium, Germany, Austria and Italy. Groups of poor people, often children, would go door-to-door during Allhallowtide, collecting soul cakes, in exchange for praying for the dead, especially the souls of the givers' friends and relatives. Shakespeare mentions the practice in his comedy The Two Gentlemen of Verona .

                 The custom of wearing costumes has been explained by Prince Sorie Conteh, who wrote: "It was traditionally believed that the souls of the departed wandered the earth until All Saints' Day, and All Hallows' Eve provided one last chance for the dead to gain vengeance on their enemies before moving to the next world. In order to avoid being recognized by any soul that might be seeking such vengeance, people would don masks or costumes to disguise their identities".

                 In the Middle Ages, churches displayed the relics of martyred saints and those parishes that were too poor to have relics let parishioners dress up as the saints instead, a practice that some Christians continue in Halloween celebrations today.

                 Folklorist Kingsley Palmer has suggested that the carved jack-o'-lantern, a popular symbol of Halloween, originally represented the souls of the dead. On Halloween, in medieval Europe, "fires were lit to guide these souls on their way and deflect them from haunting honest Christian folk." In addition, households in Austria, England, and Ireland often had "candles burning in every room to guide the souls back to visit their earthly homes". These were known as "soul lights". 

                Many Christians in continental Europe, especially in France, acknowledged "a belief that once a year, on Hallowe'en, the dead of the churchyards rose for one wild, hideous carnival," known as the danse macabre, which has been commonly depicted in church decoration, especially on the walls of cathedrals, monasteries, and cemeteries.  The danse macabre urged people not to forget the end of all earthly things." This danse macabre, which was enacted by "Christian village children who celebrated the vigil of All Saints" in the 16th Century, has been suggested as the predecessor of modern-day costume parties on this same day.

                In parts of Britain, these customs came under attack during the Reformation as some Protestants berated purgatory as a "popish" doctrine incompatible with the notion of predestination. Thus, for some Nonconformist Protestants, the theology of All Hallows’ Eve was redefined; without the doctrine of purgatory, "the returning souls cannot be journeying from Purgatory on their way to Heaven, as Catholics frequently believe and assert. Instead, the so-called ghosts are thought to be in actuality evil spirits. As such they are threatening." Other Protestants maintained belief in an intermediate state, known as Hades and continued to observe the original customs, especially souling, candlelit processions and the ringing of church bells in memory of the dead.

                 With regard to the evil spirits, on Halloween, "barns and homes were blessed to protect people and livestock from the effect of witches, who were believed to accompany the malignant spirits as they traveled the earth." In the 19th century, in some rural parts of England, families gathered on hills on the night of All Hallows' Eve. One held a bunch of burning straw on a pitchfork while the rest knelt around him in a circle, praying for the souls of relatives and friends until the flames went out.

                Many Evangelicals today want to distance themselves from Halloween, for many different reasons. I am not advocating for Halloween, but I think it can serve as a reminder to us of some truths we so easily forget.

                All of us have come to faith on the shoulders of those saints who have gone before us. The Bible is clear that every believer is a saint. The term saint refers to anyone who has responded to God’s offer of salvation and by God’s grace has been set apart for His service. It is all too common today for church members to be ignorant of church history in general and denominational history specifically. The danger of this is that we cut ourselves loose from the spiritual foundation upon which our faith is built. We begin to believe that our generation is the only one who understands the truth and that history has nothing to teach us. In that we are sadly mistaken. Many churches are in danger of giving up certain fundamental practices and beliefs because they don’t understand how and why they came to be.

                The writer of Hebrews stressed the importance of remaining connected with those who have run the race before us. In Hebrews 11, he goes to great lengths to remind us of our spiritual heritage. Then he begins chapter 12 with these words. Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Hebrews 12:1

                Another thing that we have lost as a society is our connection to family. Not just our immediate family, but to our historical family. We tend to live such isolated, independent lives that we give little thought to our personal history. Understanding where we have come from and what influences have shaped our lives is essential for being a whole person. None of us was born into a vacuum; we were all born into a family, warts and all. Many families today are seeking to rediscover their roots.

                When my parents stayed with us this past summer, they brought with them quite a cache of old family photos. Many of them were from when I was growing up, but a number of them reached farther back. I was, for the first time, able to really hear the story of my Dad’s half brother who was killed in WWII. For the first time I saw a picture of him, which I now have. Delving back into our family history can help us understand ourselves better.

                In the Old Testament, honoring and respecting one’s family and heritage was very important. The Jews kept meticulous records of family connections all the way back to the patriarchs. This was especially true for the priests and Levites. In fact, nestled in the center of the ten commandments is the command to honor your father and mother. This command extended well beyond the nuclear family.

                There is one other truth that Halloween should remind us of; the reality of the spiritual world, both good and evil. There is a whole spiritual realm of angels and demons that are actively involved in our world. We most often live oblivious to this reality. That does not diminish its influence. The Bible speaks often of God sending his angels to guide and protect his people. It also speaks of the evil spirits in the world that seek to do harm to God’s people. Paul reminds us of this in Ephesians 6:12. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Paul goes on to tell us to take this seriously by putting on the whole armor of God so we can take our stand against such evil forces.  Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Ephesians 6:13

                We often see ancient times and primitive societies as superstitious and backward. In our scientific age, we tend to discount anything that cannot be tested in some tangible way. But in many ways, those who we view as primitive were and are more in tune with the spiritual realities of this world than we are. We often deny what the Bible clearly teaches is a present reality.

                There are many inappropriate and even evil aspects to Halloween, as it is observed today. There is also still an innocent, playful aspect as well. But behind it there is some spiritual truth. We are not on this journey through life alone. We are connected with our fellow travelers from the past, the present and the future.

    Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. Hebrews 12:1-3

(Historical data obtained from Wikipedia)