Should Christians celebrate Halloween? A biblical perspective
In this episode of Faith & Clarity, Dr. Mark Turman is joined by Dr. Ryan Denison and Denison Forum contributing writer and PhD student Mark Legg to discuss how Christians should think about Halloween, noting its broad cultural participation and spending and debating whether it qualifies as a “holiday.” They reflect on childhood experiences of trick-or-treating, then explore biblical principles such as “all things are permissible but not all things are beneficial,” along with warnings against dabbling in the demonic and passages like John 8:44 and Acts 19, including the burning of occult books in Ephesus. Together, they connect Halloween’s themes to our modern discomfort with death and grieving, highlighting the gospel opportunities that come with it.
Legg addresses horror films, arguing that the Christian worldview has room for horror while emphasizing conscience and spiritual health. Ryan summarizes Halloween’s historical roots in Samhain and its Christian reshaping around All Saints’ Day. The conversation closes with practical ideas for redeeming the night through intentional neighbor engagement and prayer.
Topics
- (0:00) Introduction
- (1:20) Is Halloween a holiday
- (3:20) Halloween by the numbers
- (12:09) Biblical principles for discernment
- (14:05) Satan and spiritual caution
- (16:35) Death and grief in modern culture
- (22:14) Halloween as gospel opportunity
- (26:12) Acts 19 and the occult
- (28:20) Holy Spirit versus demons
- (30:27) Resist the devil
- (32:49) Horror movie faith story
- (34:24) Why horror works
- (42:30) Horror in the Bible
- (47:00) Modern horror and gospel hope
- (48:43) Redeeming Halloween history
- (51:52) Practical outreach ideas
- (54:35) Conclusion
Resources
- National Retail Federation
- Denison Forum website
- What does the Bible say about horror movies
- Cremation Statistics
- Should Christians Celebrate Halloween
- What does the Bible say about Halloween
- Ask Us Anything: info@denisonforum.org
- Sign-up for a Denison Forum newsletter: DenisonForum.org/subscribe
About Mark Legg
Mark Legg is a philosophy PhD student at the University of Glasgow, as well as a ghostwriter and editor. He was previously the Associate Editor at Denison Forum before leaving to pursue his master's degree in philosophy at the University of Edinburgh, which he completed in 2024. He's published in The Gospel Coalition, Mockingbird, Remarkable Ordinary, and BioLogos; he's also a regular contributor for Denison Forum. He authors a Substack blog called Agape Sophia, writing about philosophy, following Jesus, and culture. Mark loves reading and writing everything from science fiction to academic papers and enjoys coffee, rock climbing, and drawing. He lives in Austin, Texas with his wife Shannon. You can find him at markhlegg.com or get in touch at marklegg.writing@gmail.com.
About Dr. Ryan Denison
Dr. Ryan Denison is the Senior Editor for Theology at Denison Forum and the author of The Focus newsletter, contributing writing and research to many of the ministry’s productions. He holds a PhD in church history from B. H. Carroll Theological Institute and an MDiv from Truett Seminary. Ryan has also taught at B. H. Carroll and Dallas Baptist University.
He and his wife, Candice, live in East Texas and have two children.
About Dr. Mark Turman
Dr. Mark Turman serves as the Executive Director of Denison Forum, where he leads with a passion for equipping believers to navigate today’s complex culture with biblical truth. He is best known as the host of the Faith & Clarity podcast and the lead pastor of the Possum Kingdom Lake Chapel, the in-person congregation of Denison Ministries.
Dr. Turman is the coauthor of Sacred Sexuality: Reclaiming God’s Design and Who Am I? What the Bible Says About Identity and Why it Matters. He earned his undergraduate degree from Howard Payne University in Brownwood, Texas, and received his Master of Divinity degree from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth. He later completed his Doctor of Ministry degree at George W. Truett Theological Seminary at Baylor University in Waco.
Before joining Denison Forum, Mark served as a pastor for thirty-five years, including twenty-five years as the founding pastor of Crosspoint Church in McKinney, Texas. Mark and his high school sweetheart, Judi, married in 1986. They are proud parents of two adult children and grandparents to three grandchildren.
About Denison Forum
Denison Forum exists to thoughtfully engage the issues of our day from a biblical perspective, helping believers discern today’s news and culture through the lens of faith. Led by Dr. Jim Denison and a team of contributing writers, we offer trusted insight through The Daily Article, a daily email newsletter and podcast, along with articles, podcasts, interviews, books, and other resources. Together, these form a growing ecosystem of Christ-centered content that equips readers to respond to current events not with fear or partisanship, but with clarity, conviction, and hope. To learn more visit DenisonForum.org.
All episodes are produced by Sound of a Rose. For more information, you can visit soundofarose.com.
