Is the Message of Easter Hindered by Pagan Traditions?

Easter is the time Christians celebrate the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is a holiday that is also shared with secular traditions, such as Easter egg hunts, candy, and the infamous Easter bunny. Although some of these traditions derive from pagan observances, which date all the way back to the Roman Empire, do they hinder the gospel message?

While churches around the world celebrate the message of Easter, some find its non-sacred traditions troubling. The title Easter is not biblical; it is a derivative of Eastre, an Anglo-Saxon Goddess of Spring and Fertility. Many believe this Spring Goddess had a hare as her companion. The hare symbolized rebirth and fertility. Some reports say Christians later changed the symbol from a hare to the Easter bunny.

It has been stated that this goddess, known by the names of Eastre, Oestre, and Ostara is a goddess of the dawn and spring. Her name comes from the words for dawn and means the shining light which arises from the east. Our words for estrogen, the female hormone, are derived from her name.

Christians have mixed feelings about these pagan traditions, which are closely associated with Easter. Today, many believers have adopted the name Resurrection Sunday, as opposed to the traditional name of Easter.

Executive committee member of the Southern Baptist Convention, Roger Sing Oldham, said even devout Christians have mixed feelings about secular traditions. They are divided on whether it is appropriate to have egg hunts for Easter. Some have said absolutely no way, while others see them as opportunities to meet people in their communities and share the message of Jesus Christ. Oldham said in both cases the core truth of Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection is the message Christian churches teach and preach during this season as well as year-round.

Professor of philosophy and religion and dean of Humanities at Hillsdale College, Thomas Burke, said he believes it is acceptable for Christians to partake in secular traditions during the Easter season. He reasoned that these secular rituals no longer have the same pagan meanings and associations. They are perfectly legitimate practices for Christians, and they should feel comfortable when using these efforts to spread Christ’s message to the world.

Burke added, that the mission of the church is not only to save people, but also to redeem cultures as much as possible. This should never be done by force, but by means of teaching and living the gospel of Christ. Once people become Christians, they should not leave the world to paganism. According to Burke:

The effort of taking pagan symbolism and using them in Christian worship, according to Burke, is simply ‘Christianizing the culture’.

President of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference, Reverend Samuel Rodriguez, said Easter is not about bunnies. It is about the Lamb of God being crucified and resurrected. He said he has no problem with activities that provide space for conversation and engage children, but the message of the most transformative week in history cannot be compromised.

The question remains, can Christians embrace colored eggs and fluffy bunnies during the Easter holiday, without taking away from the message of Jesus Christ? Assistant professor of Contemporary Christian Ministries, Dr. Quentin P. Kinnison, said:

It is common for Christian missionaries to use secular symbols such as eggs and bunnies when attempting to evangelize others who have no knowledge of Christianity.

Kinnison, who teaches at Fresno Pacific University, said the use of eggs has been used to identify the importance of life, along with the resurrection of Christ. Many are unfamiliar with biblical stories, and these known symbols can be used to communicate and connect these cultures to the message of the Gospel.

Matt Slick, of Christian Apologetics and Research Ministry, had many concerns about formerly pagan practices. He questioned if Christian traditions for Easter were part of a “genetic fallacy”. Slick explained the genetic fallacy as follows:

If the origin of something is bad, then what comes from it cannot be trusted and should be avoided.

Slick said this is like saying you cannot trust the directions given to you by someone who was a thief. His being a thief does not mean his directions are bad. Likewise, just because a word originated in pagan history does not mean the word in modern times is now somehow ungodly or tainted.

Are Easter bunnies and egg hunts okay in the world of Christendom? For many, yes, they are, but for others, it is an unacceptable practice. How do you feel about it? This is a question that each person must answer for themselves – what do you believe?

By: Cherese Jackson (Virginia)

Sources:

CARM: What is Easter?
Daily Journal Online: The history of the Easter Bunny

Image Credits:

Top Image Courtesy of NickyP’s Pixabay Page – Creative Commons License
Inline Image Courtesy of geralt’s Pixabay Page – Creatvie Commons License
Featured Image Courtesy of jclk8888’s Pixabay Page – Creative Commons License