Witches

This page offers a brief history, from a Christian perspective, of witches as a Halloween symbol and image.

NOTE: This information is drawn from a Rose Publishing pamphlet, Christian Origins of Halloween. The content has a copyright © 2012.

NOTE TO PARENTS: Since the Halloween season is full of images of witches, it affords the perfect opportunity to discuss the dangers of witchcraft. Kids (particularly teenagers) are often lured into witchcraft that purports to be “good” or to use “white magic.” However, witchcraft of any kind (even simple charms or divinations — seeking to know the future) makes us extremely vulnerable to demonic spirits.

Witches most likely came to be connected with Halloween for two reasons:

1. Witches and their “craft” were associated with darkness, and Halloween marked a change in season to an increasingly dark time of year.

2. Witches had a supposed ability to communicate with the dead and Halloween was established specifically as a holiday to remember the dead. See our Halloween History page to understand the association of Halloween with the dead.

God expressly forbids the practice of witchcraft:

“Let no one be found among you . . . who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead. Anyone who does these things is detestable to the LORD” (Deuteronomy 18:10-12a).

Webster’s broadly defines a “witch” as one who “is credited with usually malignant supernatural powers.” Many modern proponents of witchcraft, especially within the Wicca movement, claim that their magic (some add the letter “k” and use the term magick to distinguish it from stage magic or illusion) is innocent and harmless. Yet, even witchcraft that purports to be “good” or use only “white magic” usually seeks its source of power from the spirit world (making one extremely vulnerable to demonic spirits whose intentions are never good).

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You may freely use this content if you cite the source and/or link back to this page. This content is drawn from Christian Origins of Halloween by Angie Mosteller. It has a copyright © 2012 by Rose Publishing Inc.

			For further reading we recommend: Spellbound (Paperback)

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