What Is Reformation Day?
It is a day many Evangelicals have begun to celebrate instead of Halloween.
Many adaptations of the traditions of the Catholic church have occurred throughout history. The intention was usually to include some of the traditions of those adopting Christianity to give them a sense that they were not forsaking their roots. Unfortunately, every single compromise was outside of Scripture, and a distraction from the Gospel. The Celt tradition of burning human fat in skulls is a good example, sanitized into pumpkins with faces and a candle inside. Now that I know, I can’t unsee that and remain horrified about Halloween.
Same philosophy the RCC used when initially shifting from paganism. The practices which originally came from Babylon eventually made it to the modern age.
@eschatologyguy I disagree. Deciding to celebrate one's rejection of everything a previous day stood for is not the same thing as syncretism, in which one seeks to merge a new holiday with aspects and practices of a previous one (as in the case of the RCC). Almost every conservative Evangelical I know who substitutes the celebration of Reformation Day for Halloween does so in protest to everything Halloween stands for. To be sure, there may be some who celebrate both, but they would be in the minority of people in my church circles, and their practice would be disapproved.
@KeithThroop I think he is not approving so much as observing the fact that syncretism did occur in the RCC, including very early traditions. For example, there is remarkable similarity between some of the traditions of Zarathustra and the RCC.
@TimTuolomne You are right. I mistook him as comparing a Protestant celebration of Reformation Day to the RCC practice of syncretism. Sorry @eschatologyguy. My mistake.