It’s All Hallows’ Eve – or, in the more popular shorthand version, Halloween. It is a wonderful Christian holiday, albeit one that is based on a view of the world and specific beliefs that many Christians today can no longer share – and so really little different from Christmas or Easter, when you think about it. If nothing else, it is obvious that the story of “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown” gives us plenty of opportunity to reflect on the encounter between religious beliefs and the harsh realities of real-life pumpkin patches.
Nowadays, Halloween is usually celebrated by intentionally scaring oneself and one’s friends. And so it seems clear that Christians like these, rather than being opposed to Halloween, are really just joining in the fun.
Jim West has shared a picture of a Jack O’Lantern that illustrates what happens if you overdo it with the Halloween candy. And Kevin Scull has opened himself to being scared on Halloween by inviting last-minute submissions to the Biblical Studies Carnival he’s hosting.
Finally, as a sign of the economic times, it is worth noting that one of the top search results for “All Hallows Eve” is a game in which you hunt and kill zombies – and then sell their bodies for money.
Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In