Posted on 10/16/2009 4:19:52 PM PDT by NYer
October 31 celebrates the day that the Reformation in Europe began with Martin Luther posting his 95 theses on the Wittenburg church door, leading to a firestorm response in Germany. Why not use this occasion for a celebration of our Reformed heritage. And yes, this can be fun for the kids too!It's ironic that protestants are choosing Holloween to celebrate the Reformation, considering that many Catholic families celebrate All Souls Day by dressing as Catholic saints. Of course - protestants probably won't be up for a good old-fashioned cult of the saints party like we are.
[Here is what Reformation day involves:]
Why not have a celebration at church where all get dressed up as characters from the Reformation (I've dressed up as John Calvin, Martin Luther, a peasant, and even John Tetzel (the salesman of those infamous indulgences)? When I couldn't get a 16th century idea then I dressed as a Bible character. You can transform the fellowship hall into Wittenburg, Germany or Geneva. Here is an opportunity to go over the great "solas" of the Reformation: by Scripture alone, by grace alone, by Christ alone, by faith alone, and to God be the glory alone. Have people explain them. Show a video of one of the reformers. Draw murals of Reformation events.
Here are some other things our church has done over the years: Medieval line dancing (a lot like Scottish line dancing), Medieval relay races (put the indulgences in the bottle), bobbing for apples, German cover dish dinner, acting out your character (don't tell anyone who you are, but act it out -- the ideas are limited only by time and background).
I thought about going as St. Agatha this year - you know, it being breast cancer awareness month and all.
So, I can go to such a party as Lady Montague? Despite it all in England she was a stalwart Catholic, but still a figure of the revolt.
LOL,
Now, now, don't get in the way of the poster's desire to poke at the hornet's nest.
I’ll put on a Keith Obermann costume and scare the hell out of everybody.
Halloween is a fun time in my family, we always treat the youngsters coming to the door with good treats, decorate the lawn and trees with ghosts and goblins and large monster balloons. So, in our household, let the good times and the heads roll.
But it was a bigger thing in Lutheran synods. Often, all Saints Sunday was either celebrated at the same time, or on November 1.
Oh brother.
***I am afraid that too many of our Catholic “brothers and sisters” consider us Protestants to be in the same category as “witches and satanists”.***
Nonsense. There are no such things as witches.
***I’ve been working on my scraggly beard since the beginning of summer. Now to find a black beret. This is the look I’m aiming at:***
I’ll try to dig up somebody to burn at the stake for ya. :)
Of Course, the origin of Halloween was that it was the “eve of All Hallows” or the night before All Saints Day, a day on which ALL the departed saints (small “s”, meaning everyone who had died in Christ)was honored! sO HA HA HA! The joke is on the witches and goblins! Halloween is a CHRISTIAN Holiday!
Personally, I enjoy the nonsense. It is the one day of the year everyone laughs at the one thing everybody on the planet is AFRAID of...death.
I love the Lord, By the way. Peace and love to ALL my brothers and sisters out there!
Just curious about your tagline. Could you tell me where it’s from?
***Just curious about your tagline. Could you tell me where its from?***
Certainly. It is a quote from St. Augustine in his Against the Heretics as part of his explanation as to why the Catholic Church was the correct one and all the other churches were inventions of men and therefore incorrect.
Thanks. I knew I’d read it somewhere, but couldn’t remember where.
***Thanks. I knew Id read it somewhere, but couldnt remember where.***
I remember when I first remembered it and used it as a tagline here on FR. I had many children of the Reformation violently object to it; when they found out that it was a quote (and taken in context) from St. Augustine, the challenges dropped to only occasional. A knowledge of the early Church does much to indicate the development of Christian theology and therefore what we need to believe.
We shall all stand before our Father eventually and answer for our transgressions
Ill try to dig up somebody to burn at the stake for ya. :)
"Heretics roasting on an open fire
Jack Frost nipping at your nose.."
Oops, that's a Christmas song.
***”Heretics roasting on an open fire
Jack Frost nipping at your nose..”
Oops, that’s a Christmas song.***
But seriously, folks. The Church teaches that heresy is as heresy does and excommunication is the acknowledgement of the Church as to the wishes of the individual. Same as we believe that God does not condemn. We believe that God merely accomodates the wishes of the individual as to the desire for heaven or hell based upon his actions and his belief in God.
This is ridiculous, and I am an evangelical protestant. Our church has a “trunk or treat” where kids go trick or treating from one car to another.
When I was a kid at Catholic school, our school Halloween festival was the big thing in town.
I love Halloween. Not for the modern stuff, but for the history of it. October 31 was the eve of All Saints, when the veil between this world and the next was thin. Children would go house to house and get “soul cakes” in exchange for praying for the dead. Halloween has a very rich history and my only gripe with it is the fact that we have lost the history. I would love to hand out “soul cakes” instead of candy.
I love it!
It is the one day of the year everyone laughs at the one thing everybody on the planet is AFRAID of...death.
- - - - - - -
Actually, I am not afraid of death. Of course, I study/write about it for a living, so...
We have a statue of St. Lucy in our church. One of the parishioners recently climbed a ladder to dust her off and suddenly began to chortle. Stepping down, he whispered ..... This is the money you could have been saving with GEICO.
We all cracked up :-)
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