Informing Your Worldview Halloween

overview Historical Halloween: The Debate Informing your worldview: Halloween overview Historical Halloween: The Debate Christian “Origins” of Halloween Pagan “Origins” of Halloween Modern Halloween Impact Samhain Celebrations Conclusion

Historical halloween: The Debate Informing your worldview: Halloween Historical halloween: The Debate Christians claim Halloween is a Christian holiday that started in 609 AD to celebrate “All Saints Day”. Pagans claim that Halloween is a far more ancient holiday that stems from: The Celtic/Druidic holiday of Samhain. The Roman festival of Lemuria.

Halloween: a christian holiday - Name study Informing your worldview: Halloween Halloween: a christian holiday - Name study Alholowmesse (Middle-English) All-hollowmas All-hollows All Hallow Even All Hallows Eve Hallowe’en Halloween (Modern English)

Halloween: a christian holiday - origin Informing your worldview: Halloween Halloween: a christian holiday - origin The celebration of “All Saints Day” is a Catholic holiday. It was first celebrated on May 13th, 609 (or 610) AD. The first celebration was performed by Pope Boniface IV, when he consecrated the Pantheon in Rome. The Pantheon was consecrated in the name of the Blessed Virgin and all Christian martyrs.

Halloween: a christian holiday - A new date Informing your worldview: Halloween Halloween: a christian holiday - A new date Pope Gregory III gave a speech at St. Peter’s in 731 AD. The speech was given for the relics “of the holy apostles and of all saints, martyrs, and confessors…” At this time the celebration of “All Saints Day” was moved from May 31st to November 1st.

Halloween: a christian holiday - evolution Informing your worldview: Halloween Halloween: a christian holiday - evolution “All Saints Day” eventually expanded and became: Nov. 1st - All Saints Day - A celebration of the Christians who had died and found their reward in Heaven. Nov. 2nd - All Souls Day - A day of prayer and remembrance for all of the souls still held in Purgatory.

Halloween: a christian holiday - the reformation Informing your worldview: Halloween Halloween: a christian holiday - the reformation With the Protestant Reformation came conflict between Catholics and Protestants. The Protestants rejected the Catholic holidays they saw as corrupted, superfluous, or pagan-influenced. All Saints Day (then called All Hollows) was rejected. Protestants took it upon themselves to disrupt Catholic celebrations and events they didn’t agree with.

Halloween: a christian holiday - treats Informing your worldview: Halloween Halloween: a christian holiday - treats On the night before “All Saints Day” Catholics would go out to their Catholic neighbors and mock beg for a sweet TREAT. Typically people handed out fruit or soul cakes. Soul cakes were often made to look like skulls to be a reminder of the deceased saints that would be celebrated the next day.

Halloween: a christian holiday - costumes Informing your worldview: Halloween Halloween: a christian holiday - costumes When people arrived at the door of a home they either said a rhyme or put on charades, pantomimes, and small dramas. Eventually, these began to lead to people wearing costumes to play their role in the activities. It initially started by wearing clothing of deceased saints who the “plays” were about.

Halloween: a christian holiday - rhymes Informing your worldview: Halloween Halloween: a christian holiday - rhymes Two old rhymes were: “A soul cake, a soul cake, have mercy on all Christian souls for a soul cake” “Soul, soul, an apple or two, If you haven't an apple, a pear will do, One for Peter, two for Paul, Three for the Man Who made us all.”

Halloween: a christian holiday - tricks Informing your worldview: Halloween Halloween: a christian holiday - tricks Protestants made it a point to disrupt Catholic preparations and celebrations on the night before All Hallows. The Protestants eventually marked their activities on the the night before All Hallows with the name ALL HOLLOWS EVEN. From that point on Protestants considered “All Hollows Even” a night to play TRICKS on their Catholic neighbors.

Halloween: a christian holiday - “Trick or Treat” Informing your worldview: Halloween Halloween: a christian holiday - “Trick or Treat” “Trick or Treat.” is a common phrase stated today by those standing at the door asking for a treat. A common misconception is that the meaning of the phrase is “Give me a treat or I will play a trick on you.” Originally “Trick or Treat?” was a question asked by the Catholic person at the door. What they were asking is “Are you a Catholic here to celebrate or a Protestant here to make trouble?”

Halloween: a christian holiday - In America Informing your worldview: Halloween Halloween: a christian holiday - In America From it’s birth, American’s were aware of the Halloween traditions that they had celebrated in their homelands. Halloween was not a recognized holiday. During the 1840s, Irish immigrants moved to the United States due to the Irish Potato Famine. They brought their Halloween traditions with them, from their communities Halloween traditions were “Americanized” and spread through the culture.

Informing your worldview: Halloween Halloween: Today http://www.forensicscolleges.com/blog/resources/halloween- crime-in-10-cities Charlotte-Mecklenburg #9 in the country.

Informing your worldview: Halloween Halloween: Today Deputies check-in with sex offenders ahead of Halloween WCNC.COM: October 30, 2015 FBI warns of possible Halloween attacks on local police - WCNC

Halloween: samhain rituals Informing your worldview: Halloween Halloween: samhain rituals Feast for the Dead or Silent Supper or Dumb Supper Typically a solemn meal paying honor to the dead followed by an evening of drinking and revelry. Ideally includes the Samhain bonfire. The Samhain Bonfire The center of the Samhain celebration. Witches gather around the bonfire and perform different incantations, spells, blessings, and curses.

Halloween: CONCLUSION Informing your worldview: Halloween Halloween: CONCLUSION How is a Christian to respond to Halloween? Are there any positive, redeeming, or God honoring elements in the Christian history of Halloween? Do we teach our children the difference between the Christian and Pagan elements of Halloween? Are we equipped to recognize and avoid the elements of the holiday that do not honor God?

informing your worldview: Halloween