On Thursday 31 October, many churches will stage “light parties” as a “positive” alternative to Halloween. From their perspective, Halloween is spiritually dangerous: a gateway drug that can lead to full-on devil worship.

I used to believe that myself but, mercifully, I’ve long since been delivered from the curse of fundamentalism and the church I lead now actively embraces Halloween. So, each year, we throw open the doors of our none-more gothic building and invite the hundreds of little witches, vampires and werewolves who are already out trick or treating in the village to come in and take part in further fun activities such as apple-bobbing, a slimy lucky dip and (my favourite) spooky stories in the graveyard (by which I mean Peppa Pig’s Pumpkin Party, not Edgar Allan Poe).

I’m aware that this may horrify some of my fellow believers but churches should think this through: for me, the alternative is far worse. Hating Halloween, which is now a big event in our society, seems like an own goal for an organisation that is already struggling to attract younger people. And what’s the problem anyway? Whatever the roots of the........

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