The first kind of response is where Christians who treasure
the traditional church calendar simply reassert the primacy of celebrating All
Saints’ Day. In some respects this might be regarded as ‘reclaiming’ the day where
prayer, hymns, rituals and processions centre on thanking God for Christian
martyrs and those who are among the cloud of witnesses (Heb. 12:1; Rev. 6:9). It
is possible to simply celebrate All Saints’ Day as we do any other important
event – Christmas, Easter, Pentecost, etc. – irrespective of what other people
are doing on Hallowe’en in secular and Pagan contexts.
A second response is where Christians who are not accustomed
to celebrating All Saints’ Day and do not really follow most of the traditional
church calendar, may decide to create an alternative kind of celebration. A few
examples include Halo-een and Light Parties. Halo-een has been developed by a colleague
of ours, Vanessa Hal, who runs International Trust Ministry. She took the step
to launch an alternative in 2012, and she has created some resources, a
website, video, and merchandise, themed around love.15 Vanessa urges Christians
to step away from being judgmental of those who choose to celebrate Hallowe’en.
She started this ministry as a positive response to Hallowe’en because, in the
process of her growth as a Christian, she found herself being reminded of her
past cultic involvement in it. Her approach is to empower us and churches to
have a different presence and voice on the day. Families wear white costumes or
those of angels, adorn their letter boxes with white balloons, and distribute
treats like heart-shaped chocolates and Bible verse cards.
Over the past five years in the UK, Australia and elsewhere
Light Parties is another trend. Sometimes a local church or a network of
churches sponsors a Light Party. The event typically awards prizes for those
who come as the best dressed superhero or cartoon character. It features lights
as a sign that Jesus is the light of the world and overcomes the darkness. At
the party there are all kinds of amusements such as rides, games, craft
exercises, giant slides and bouncy castles. Often a Hallowe’en fact sheet is
handed out, which briefly covers what we’ve outlined as the three versions.
Scripture Union UK has created on its website an article on alternatives to
Hallowe’en, and another page offering resources to use at such parties.16 It
also explores what a Christian light party might look like. The focus is on
transition from darkness to light. You might start in a dark space and a Bible
story like the Fall, and then physically move around to a new space where the
light of Jesus becomes clear. It can include a moment of prayer and remembrance
of loved ones who have died.
There are other similar responses from some churches such
as Hallowe’en community days which focus on craft, food, and kids’ activities.
On these occasions the ‘true’ meaning of Hallowe’en is shared about the hope we
have in the resurrected Christ.
A third response is for those Christians who intend to
treat Hallowe’en as an opportunity for missional outreach. An example is
Columbia Baptist Church in Virginia, which is just a few miles from Washington
DC. One of us shared in this church’s Hallowe’en outreach. The senior
minister, Jim Baucom, is a leader of the Missional Alliance, and he entered
into the spirit of the night. It was a ‘trunk or treat’ Hallowe’en where some
200 cars were parked on the church grounds, and the car trunks or boots were
open. Each trunk contained different things like sweets, cakes, toys, prizes,
as well as information to support charities. The church members stood by their
vehicles dressed up as Disney or superhero characters. There was a barbecue
with food served to literally thousands of people from the local community. All
the adjacent church doors were open and various spaces inside had a popcorn dispenser,
games, face-painting, photographs with ‘superheroes’. It was a seamless move
from the car park and car trunks to inside the church. People were available to
have conversations about faith, and the role of the church in the community. It
all worked well.
US pastor Mike Jones moved to Australia in 2004 and has brought
to a church culture that is alarmed by Hallowe’en the trunk or treat
alternative. On the preceding Sunday he challenged the congregation, ‘Some of you
may be concerned about what we are going to do if some kids come dressed as
gruesome creatures, devils, vampires or witches. Well if that’s the case and it
probably will be, we are going to let them in, love them, be gracious to them
and care for them.’ His small Lakeside Baptist Church, with a Sunday school of
twenty-five children, connected to one hundred and eighty children in the
Hallowe’en outreach. Three hundred people attended the BBQ and the majority were
unchurched. The programme was similar to the one above. As one grandparent said,
‘I just can’t believe the church just cares for our families so much that you
would do all of this.’
If we discern it is appropriate there are various ways that
we can make a connection to Hallowe’en. Perhaps the provocative question we
need to consider is, should this event stay as it is? Or is it possible to make
the event less ghoulish and less commercial, and turn it into something very
positive?
This is an extract from Taboo Or To Do: Is Christianity complementary with yoga, martial arts, Hallowe'en, mindfulness and other alternative practices? by Ross Clifford and Philip
Johnson. It is available now in paperback and eBook, priced £12.99.
No comments:
Post a Comment