Dear Church of the Open Bible,
Tomorrow is Halloween. I might not care to write about it if it wasn’t increasing in popularity year after year here in North America. It is not rare for houses in our neighbourhood to have 250-300 kids stop by asking for candy. While a believer’s particular response to the holiday is a matter of conscience, the popularity itself can tell us a lot about the people we have been called to minister to.
Firstly, there is an increasing fascination with spirituality and fear itself. Much like how New Year’s allows for reflection and resolutions, Halloween allows for recognizing that there might be more to life than the physical world. While some take this seriously, most trivialize it with costumes and decorations. But for many, fear itself has become like a narcotic used to deal with anxiety. For believers, the fascination of these days allows us to ask questions like, “Do you believe there is a spiritual realm?” Or “Why do you like being scared?” On any other day, these questions might be off-limits.
Secondly, there is an increasing celebration of greed and excess, especially among children. While it can seem innocent, competition for the most candy and judging others by what you receive only reinforces the materialism of our present age. Instead, these days give us the opportunity to teach generosity, as well as the only place where our longing can find ultimate satisfaction (Lk 12:31). How Paul opens his preaching in Athens is instructive for us today, before leading to his eventual presentation of the gospel in Acts 17:30-31.
“Men of Athens, I perceive that in every way you are very religious. For as I passed along and observed the objects of your worship, I found also an altar with this inscription: ‘To the unknown god.’ What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you.” - Acts 17:22-23
Halloween is an opportunity to observe the objects of worship in our culture. When we recognize them, may we be discerning and loving in applying the hope of the gospel of Jesus Christ