A Conversation with a Pagan and Satanist on Christian Responses to Halloween

We can count on it every October. Not only will trick or treaters be at our door, many Christians will share their concerns about the alleged evils of Halloween, and with it, sometimes literally demonize Pagans and Satanists. David Dashifen Kees, a Pagan, and Stephen Bradford Long, a Satanist, share their thoughts on Christian responses to Halloween. Along the way we reflect on things associated with the holiday, and spirituality, including the importance of liminality, boundary maintenance, and living in the shadow of death.

For those who want to explore this topic in more depth from an alternative perspective see these resources.

The Reformation of Halloween: Rethinking Christianity's Response to Halloween by Phil Wyman

Halloween and Other Festivals of Death and Life by Jack Santino

"Samhain Past: History, Myth, and Mystery" from the Patheos Pagan channel