The Silliness and Sacredness of Halloween: Goblins, 95 Reese’s, and the Comfort of Pocket Jesus
It is that time of year again. We begin to excitedly prepare for that magical night when it is permissible to bring your kids around the neighborhood to bug all your neighbors for free stuff – best of all, candy![1] We dress up as wrestlers, Darth Vader, or our childhood favorite movie stars and parade around from Harvest Parties to Trunk or Treats to the most epic of all – Halloween Night.
Anglican writer Tish Harrison Warren was once asked about Halloween and our cultural beliefs about death to which she responded that Halloween typically “trivializes darkness in some ways and the portrayals of death are kind of funny or silly.”[2]
She continues:
And actually, this is part of historic Halloween. Part of the idea of people dressing up like goblins and that sort of thing is that it was to mock the devil, to mock evil, to basically say “you have no power over us.” Some folks would say historically it wasn't really about glorifying darkness as much as mocking the powers, showing them that they're not all that powerful. So I don't think Halloween is a true reckoning with death. I think it sort of makes light of it.
What's interesting to think about with Halloween though is the supernatural. I read somewhere recently that more people believe in demons than angels. I'm not sure why that is, but even that is made kind of light and silly on Halloween.
Halloween is full of silliness and amidst the goblins, Scream masks, and clown costumes (which are equally as scary as any) is the underlying notion that we are making light of something very serious – death and all that is contrary to the good. As she notes this is done with a sense of belittling or a mocking of the Devil – that is humorously acknowledging that the Devil doesn’t get to win and is less powerful that God.
She also points out there is a fascination in our culture around this time of year with the supernatural – angels, demons, zombies, etc. But why is Halloween in itself not a “true reckoning with death”? Halloween in this sense can only ever be half of the story. The presence of death in humanity is no cause for mockery but grave sadness and despair. The reason Halloween is not the whole story is because it must necessarily be paired with the sacred story of the gospel. The comfort of Jesus comes to us in the midst of the dark scary times.
Not long ago while working at the hospital I had a nurse sheepishly approach me indicating she needed to tell me something. She leaned in and whispered as she reached out two hands full of “pocket Jesus” figurines saying, “I think you left these laying around.” Apparently, people had been leaving these tiny hand-held figurines that were supposed to picture Jesus and wanted to make sure the Chaplain got them back before someone tossed them. I can assure you I did not place them all around the hospital but nonetheless I now have “pocket Jesus” figurines of numerous striped-sashes and various colors. I don’t get it, but I have been told that these give people comfort. Silly. Sacred.
People find ways to express the silly and the sacred. This is why Halloween/Reformation Day is one of my favorite days of the year. The silly and the sacred meet. We can laugh at death and the devil because Jesus stands in our defense. No accusation or curse hurled upon us can stand because our Prince of Peace stands as our mediator (Romans 8). This gospel truth fought for in the Reformation ought to be front and center for us this season. If we are going to celebrate this season rightly as Christians, we should remember the beautiful preservation of the gospel of Christ and that includes our rich reformational history. We have a heritage. When Martin Luther nailed those 95 Theses on the Castle Church door in Wittenburg on October 31, 1517 the world has never been the same. That is worth celebrating.
As this Reformation Sunday approaches don’t forget that Halloween is a lot of fun – and it is – but also remember that we don’t skip Reformation Day. However you choose to honor these traditions take note that in them the silly and sacred meet. For me this will include sending my Catholic Chaplain friends my annual meme of a Luther-painted pumpkin with 95 Reese’s nailed to a board next to it with the caption: “Happy Heretic Day!” This is done largely in jest. Substantive disagreements aside they know more than anything it is a hilarious combination of humor and history that tickles theological nerds like us. How will you celebrate?
This season it is worth pausing and remembering the scary reality of sin and death and it is worth considering the preservation of the gospel as God’s promises are kept. Take it or leave it but for me, as I prepare for Reformation Sunday and Halloween, I say lets us mock that Serpent for as the old Reformer once penned, “his doom is sure” – or as St. Paul would encourage us, “thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 15:57). In the spirit of the old 1980’s Christian rock band, in all their costume-like bright yellow and black, we can herald the mantra with one voice, “to hell with the devil!” Goblins are silly and scary and that is the point. Reese’s are still incredible but that’s not really the point. The reformers cry that salvation comes to us by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone remains our battle cry in the darkness and will be until Jesus comes again. Those pocket Jesus’ were not all mine, I swear, but I do take heart that on the scariest of nights when I need him the most Jesus is always right there by my side.
[1] Midnight Milky Ways, anything Reese’s, Mr. Goodbars, and Crunch Bars are welcome donations to the Elder Board at any time.
[2] Found in episode 236 of Christianity Today podcast for her book Prayer in the Night: For Those Who Work or Watch or Weep – https://www.christianitytoday.com/podcasts/quick-to-listen/death-covid-darkness-halloween-coronavirus/#:~:text=Tish%20Warren%3A%20That's%20an%20interesting,kind%20of%20funny%20or%20silly.