PDF version: What About Easter?

Are the Easter Bunny and accompanying eggs just harmless fun for children, or are we engaging in Syncretism? — “the bringing together of differing beliefs; particularly the assimilating of the views of one religion into those of another” (Erickson, Concise Dictionary, p. 163).

According to the Encyclopedia, Easter comes from an 8th century Anglo-Saxon word Eostre, the Anglo-Saxon goddess of Spring.

“Around the Christian observance of Easter as the climax of the liturgical drama of Holy Week and Good Friday folk customs have collected, many of which have been handed down from the ancient ceremonial and symbolism of the pagan Spring festival brought into relation with the resurrection theme. . . . These took a variety of forms in which Easter eggs [which can only be dated back to the 13th century], formerly forbidden to be eaten during Lent, have been very prominent as symbols of new life and resurrection” (emphasis).

“The hare, the symbol of fertility in ancient Egypt, a symbolism which it kept in Europe, is not found in North America and its place is taken by the Easter rabbit, the symbol of fertility and periodicity both human and lunar, accredited with laying eggs in nests prepared for it at Easter, or with hiding them away for children to find” (emphasis).

The first commandment, “You shall have no other gods before Me” (Exo 20.3), is still binding upon the NT church given Christ’s words in the sermon on the mount: “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill” (Matt 5.17).  Moreover, God commanded His people in the OT to destroy all the pagan gods and places of worship when they captured the promised land and not to worship Yahweh with such things (Deut 12.3-4).  God did not want His people mixing the true and pure worship of Himself with the worship of pagan gods of the land.  We see this truth highlighted in the challenge of the prophet Elijah to the prophets of Baal: “And Elijah came to all the people, and said

‘How long will you falter between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him’” (1 Kings 18.21). 

In the NT we see a similar warning from the apostle Paul when he warned the Galatians to maintain the purity of the Gospel: “But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed” (Gal 1.8).  These biblical facts present the Christian with a dilemma.

The celebration of Easter has its roots not in Christianity but in pagan worship rites.  Easter is the Anglo-Saxon goddess of Spring; the rabbit has its origins in the Egyptian god of fertility; the use of Easter eggs also has ties with pagan fertility rites.  Given the pagan origins of these practices and the Bible’s emphasis and warnings about maintaining the purity of Christianity, should a Christian participate in these practices?  To participate in these practices and claim to also observe the resurrection of Christ on the same day, or even the same weekend, is to be “syncretistic” with the Christian faith, which the Bible strictly forbids.

The early church used to celebrate the resurrection of Christ every week on Sunday.  Now, the majority of Christians celebrate the resurrection of Christ once a year and even this day is clouded with pagan symbols.  The question boils down to this, Who do we serve, Christ or the pagan Anglo-Saxon goddess of Spring?  We should hope that the answer would always be Christ.  Perhaps the words of the prophet Elijah should be paraphrased to remind us and challenge us to keep the worship of God free from pagan worship rituals: “How long will you falter between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow Him; but if Easter, follow her?”