‘Children are instinctively drawn to drama, which includes stories of darkness, death, and the question of what happens afterwards. And as Christians, we want them to understand the story of Jesus’ death and resurrection, and the promise of the kingdom, as addressing these questions in a very real way. This is why the question of what, if anything, Christians should do about Halloween, is so emotional. It cuts to the very heart of our faith – what is darkness? What is light? What does death mean? And how do we, as Christians, relate to the secular world?’
Margaret Pritchard Houston, writing in our sister title Childrenswork magazine, Oct / Nov edition (out now).
Read and think through this quote with your youth work team. What are your responses to it? Does it challenge your plans around Halloween? Spend some time as a team discussing your preconceptions about the festival, and what a ‘Christian’ approach to it might be.
To get a free copy of the magazine containing Margaret’s article, visit www.childrenswork.co.uk
