The historical evidence contradicts this popular notion.
Anyone encountering anti-Christian polemics will quickly come up against the accusation that a major festival practiced by Christians across the globe—namely, Easter—was actually borrowed or rather usurped from a pagan celebration. I often encounter this idea among Muslims who claim that later Christians compromised with paganism to dilute the original faith of Jesus.
The argument largely rests on the supposed pagan associations of the English and German names for the celebration (Easter in English and Ostern in German). It is important to note, however, that in most other European languages, the name for the Christian celebration is derived from the Greek word Pascha, which comes from pesach, the Hebrew word for Passover. Easter is the Christian Passover festival.
Of course, even if Christians did engage in contextualization—expressing their message and worship in the language or forms of the local people—that in no way implies doctrinal compromise. Christians around the world have sought to redeem the local culture for Christ while purging it of practices antithetical to biblical norms. After all, Christians speak of "Good Friday," but they are in no way honoring the worship of the Norse/Germanic queen of the gods Freya by doing so.
But, in fact, in the case of Easter the evidence suggests otherwise: that neither the commemoration of Christ's death and resurrection nor its name are derived from paganism.
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2 comments:
The KJV, substitutes the word Easter/Ishtar (the name of a Roman pagan goddess and celebration) for Pesach/Passover in Acts 12:4. This substitution was the preference of Constantine (who disliked the Jews) and wanted to sever Christianity from its Hebrew roots and discontinue the Jewish feasts. He encouraged (or intimidated?) the early leaders to comply with his wishes. He also wanted and taught the church leaders how to set up a centralized hierarchy of power under themselves (and under himself, of course). For this reason, the Church feasts and calendar became Roman-ized and the symbols and the metaphors hidden in the Jewish traditions and feasts and the continuity and connection of Judaism and Christianity were obscured or devalued.
Acts 12:4
And when he had apprehended him, he put [him] in prison, and delivered [him] to four quaternions of soldiers to keep him; intending after EASTER to bring him forth to the people.
The use of "Easter" here is unfortunate as it is also unfortunate that it is used in the Book of Common Prayer. "Passover" would be a much better choice and a more accurate choice of words in both places both historically. There is not need for continuing to use pagan terms for Christian events. As one may easily see the Puritan in me comes out.
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