Reformation Day vs. Halloween: Dr. Peter Hammond on the Choice Between Life and Death

In this Christian Perspective on the News insert on Radio Cape Pulpit (7–9 a.m.), host Anton Brink welcomes Dr. Peter Hammond, who notes that 31 October is not just the end of the month — for many it is Halloween, but for Protestants it is Reformation Day. He recounts how a Frontline Fellowship mission team in 1994 delivered Bibles behind enemy lines to a remote village in Cuando Cubango province, Angola, and found the whole village celebrating the Reformation — singing "A Mighty Fortress Is Our God" and displaying a banner reading "31 October 1517" with the five solas in Latin. Hammond argues that Reformation Day is the birthday of all Protestant, born-again, Bible-believing churches, yet many Christians — even children in Christian schools — now associate the date only with Halloween. He traces Halloween's pagan and occult roots (the Druid festival of Samhain, trick-or-treat, jack-o'-lanterns, and the historical Count Dracula), cites Tom Sanguinet, a former Wiccan high priest, on Halloween's evil nature, and grounds his case in Deuteronomy 18, Ezekiel 34:23, Isaiah, Proverbs 22:6, Matthew 18, Romans 12:9, 1 Corinthians 10, 2 Corinthians 6, Ephesians 5:11 and James 4:7. He calls believers to separate from paganism and instead celebrate the Reformation, inviting listeners to a guided tour of the Huguenot Monument in Franschhoek at 10:00 and a Reformation Day celebration service at 12 noon on Saturday 31 October, followed by a picnic lunch. He also announces his upcoming five-week mission to Malawi, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Namibia and Botswana, and that Anthony Stander will take his slot while he is away.