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).
We celebrate Reformation Sunday on the week after Halloween.
But we don’t burn anything.
Plus they are missing the Eve of All Hallows.......Vigil of All Saints Day
Most of the Catholic students have either ignored it or laughed it off... every once in a while some would wear tame Halloween costumes just because they could.
Cool idea! I also like the Fall festival themes, too.
“”Heretics roasting on an open fire
Jack Frost nipping at your nose..”
This is another:
Christians roasting on an open fire,
Lions nipping at their toes..”
That one almost got me expelled from my Catholic High.
Nuns don’t do tongue-in-cheek!
I’m envisioning the young trick-or-treaters showing up at our door dressed as vampires, witches and reformers!
ROFL!!! Okay ... that’s bad, making fun of a saint but, I just couldn’t help myself :-). St. Rafqa, one of the Maronite saints, had to have an eye removed and chose to do so without any anesthesia or pain killers, out of love for our Lord. Still ... it’s a challenging image to view.
I don't know about anywhere else, but in New York City, every day is Halloween.
Isn't that the truth!!! I worked in Manhattan for more than 20 years. During one mini depression, I watched folks bathe in a fountain on 6th Avenue. There was a homeless woman who pushed a shopping cart filled with her belongings and had a dog tied to the cart. When she died, they went through her personal possessions and found a bankbook with $60,000! In New York City, there is a school for professional beggars. Truly, in New York City, everyday is Halloween.
I just had a great idea for a Hallowe'en costume -- St. Lucy with the money she saved with GEICO . . . .
I’m sort of surprised by the bitter representation of Catholicism in this article. It’s no doubt a little perused blog, as it has no bearing on the views of the Catholics I know. But hey, maybe burning Protestants in effigy could catch on - sort of a whimsical “Spanish Inquisition”
That's one thing about NYC: if you don't have credentials, nobody trusts you.
"Sorry, I only give money to degreed beggars..."
Me neither! Although I don’t study and write about it, I have a peace in my heart about it.
My little conservative Southern Baptist church used to to take us on haunted hay rides and once took us to a cemetery for ghost stores when I was a child. Was that “occultic”? LOL. Seriously though, I think everything looks darker these days to discerning believers because our culture is so hostile to anything resembling biblical Christianity. Even Christmas is godless. Just a different country than thirty, forty, years ago.
Is it occultic? Hard to say, but it’s a step in the wrong direction. We have become inured to occult images in our society. There is no doubt that this breaks down barriers for some people to their possible everlasting regret.
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