November 2008

Is Celebrating All Saints Day a form of Idolatry?

Good question. Many evangelical Protestants assume that celebrating All Saints Day or any other saints’ feast days mean that we are worshipping the Saint in question. This is not the case.  The Universal Church has always held, East and West, that worship (latria) is to be given to God alone, and that we give veneration or honor (dulia) to the saints.  Many feel that the highest veneration or honor (hyperdulia) is due to the Blessed Virgin Mary, as she is a perfect example of one who humbled herself to the will of God to accomplish His purpose.  As Christians we honor faithful believers, but only worship God.

As Episcopalians, we do not pray to Saints.   Praying to or worshipping a Saint, as one prays to or worships God, is clearly idolatry.  Such an action breaks the first commandment, “Do not have any other gods before me” (Exodus 20:3). This very clear understanding of the Church has been present from the beginning of its history.  That being said, some superstitious and poorly instructed Christians in the Middle Ages fell into this idolatry.  Indeed, there may be some superstitious and poorly informed Christians making this same mistake today. Many abuses of the Church, protested by the leaders of the Reformation, were related to this and similar superstitions.

In the celebration of the Feast of All Saints or All Hallows, we do not worship or pray to the Saints, but give thanks to God for their faithful witness to Christ.  In remembering and honoring the Saints and their faithful examples, we benefit by following St. Paul’s admonition in Philippians 4, ”Finally, beloved, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. Keep on doing the things that you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, and the God of peace will be with you.” All Saints Day is simply a day to celebrate the lives of all the great heroes of the Christian faith, known and unknown, and to celebrate the deep communion we have with them as fellow members of the Body of

Christ..

Please join us November 2nd

Peace Pastor Ted