On Halloween: A Christian Reflection on Redeeming the Night

Halloween 2025Brian Lee

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A Christian Reflection on Halloween

“The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” (John 1:5, NIV)

Every year, as October draws to a close, neighborhoods across the nation are decorated with pumpkins, cobwebs, and (I dare say) weird stuff. But the innocent children are just excited because it's different. Parents exchange greetings under the orange glow of the night. For many Christians, Halloween remains a confusing day. It's because we are unsure how to clearly draw the line between innocence and naivete, between tolerance and participation, and between community and compromise.

At its core, Halloween began not as a celebration of ghostly traditions but as All Hallows’ Eve (meaning "the evening before All Saints’ Day), when Christians remembered the faithful saints who had gone before them. Sadly, over time, this Christian remembrance was eclipsed by superstition and later by commercial excess. What was once a night of worship has become, for many, a fascination with what Scripture calls us to resist: the darkness and death.

But as Abraham Kuyper famously declared in his inaugural address at the Free University of Amsterdam in 1880,

“There is not a square inch in the whole domain of our human existence over which Christ, who is Sovereign over all, does not cry, ‘Mine!’” (Abraham Kuyper, Sphere Sovereignty Address, 1880).

The question, then, is not whether this day belongs to God—it already does. The question is whether God’s people will live as light in that day.

Rather than withdrawing in fear or blending in without thought, we are called to discernment. Francis Schaeffer reminded the church that

“True compassion is the mark of the Christian; but it must be a compassion grounded in truth. There must be the simultaneous exhibition of God’s holiness and God’s love” (Francis A. Schaeffer, The God Who Is There, Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1968, p. 34).

Halloween, oddly enough, gives us that opportunity. It reveals a culture that trivializes evil and mocks death—two realities Christ came to defeat. Yet it also opens literal doors to our neighbors.

As Tim Keller observed, the church must

“Neither withdraw from the world nor assimilate into it, but engage it as missionaries” (Tim Keller, Center Church: Doing Balanced, Gospel-Centered Ministry in Your City, Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2012, p. 198*).

That’s the posture we need on this night. Instead of retreating behind closed doors, we can step forward with open hearts. Our porch lights shine as symbols of grace. While others decorate with ghosts and fear, Christians can adorn their homes with warmth, hospitality, and the aroma of Christ.

For a community church in Bergen County, this could take many forms. It might mean hosting a simple “Light the Night” event, offering hot cider, music, and prayer. It might mean encouraging families to walk their neighborhoods with Christ's grace and love. Or it might simply mean explaining to our children that we do not need to fear darkness, because Jesus has already overcome it. As John writes,

“The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” (John 1:5)

The early Christian church did not fear Rome’s pagan festivals. Instead, she transformed them by embodying a greater joy. In the same way, we can redeem Halloween by proclaiming hope. We stand in the light of the One who entered the grave and came out alive. His victory gives meaning to every shadowed night.

So this week, as you see the Halloween decorations, remember: we are called to shine the brighter light of the Gospel in this world. We are the salt and the light. The light of Christ still shines, and it will never be overcome.

“That you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast to the word of life.” (Philippians 2:15-16)

Prayer

Lord Jesus,

You are the Light of the World!

Teach us to walk wisely and lovingly in days that blur the lines between good and evil. Help us not to withdraw in fear or blend in carelessly, but to live as children of light—kind, discerning, and full of grace. Use even this night to show your victory over death and to draw hearts to you.

In the name of Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen.