The Easter season is the most special season to Christians all over the world, because it chronicles the journey Christ took on His way to die on the cross for our sins. The highlight of Easter week is Resurrection Sunday, when we celebrate our risen Saviour. Although this is a very sacred season for us, many of the traditions and symbols are rooted in pagan traditions. From the eggs we dye to the rabbits we decorate with, the pagan roots are found.
As Christianity spread across the world, there was a constant struggle of how to get the people to lay aside their old ways and traditions and adopt a new way of looking at things. When the Emperor Constantine "converted" to Christianity, he took many of the pagan ways of doing things and melded them with Christian beliefs. As Christianity continued to spread, the merging of the local traditions and Christians traditions became inevitable.
Non-Christians and pagans of today are quick to point out the pagan of roots of Easter. They point out the name Easter is a variation of a pagan goddess. That the Easter egg was exchanged as gifts to celebrate the rebirth of nature and a belief that the earth was hatched from a giant egg. They point out that the rabbit or bunny is a sign used to celebrate fertility. Also, they point to the fact that the day of Easter is determined by a lunar cycle. Some even go as far to compare the Resurrection of our Lord to other resurrection stories found in ancient stories and myths.
What does that mean for
us as Christians? Should we NOT celebrate Easter? Should we forego
dyeing eggs and eating chocolate bunnies? Where do we draw the line? As with most issues that can't be defined by Biblical truths, I think it is a heart issue that needs to be decided by the individual after much research, study, and thought.
Our family celebrates Easter with all the decorations, the dyeing of eggs, the Easter egg hunts, the eating of Cadbury Eggs, and the arrival of the Easter bunny, but always with the REAL reason for the Easter season in our hearts and on our minds. There are others in our life that don't do many of these things and don't wait for the arrival of the Easter bunny. We are okay with that and they don't mind how we celebrate. What matters is that we are in accord with when it comes to the most important element of the Easter season which is the celebration of the Resurrection of our Lord.
Each person and family must determine for themselves how they choose to celebrate Easter. It may take a while for you to sort your thoughts, to do some studying, and give prayerful consideration to the issue. With God guidance and a focus on what really is the most important thing about Easter, everyone will find their way and what is right for them and their family.
Simply living a life I pray is pleasing in the eyes of my risen Saviour!
******************************
If you are interested in finding out more about the pagan roots of Easter, here are some links to a few articles to get you started.
He is risen! We serve a risen Saviour! Hallelujah! Amen!
No comments:
Post a Comment