Soon approaching holidays recognized in Spring brought some questions to mind so I did a little research.  What does the word “Easter” really mean and where did it come from?  

Easter: Proto-Germanic meaning “dawn”; Anglo-Saxon month April – “aust”, “east”, “toward the sunrise”; “to shine”, especially of the dawn.  Eostre, Ostara, Eastre: Ostara, an Anglo-Saxon goddess associated with Spring, dawn and fertility, which is believed to be the namesake for the Christian holiday Easter.  Eostre is associated with fertility, renewal and the changing of seasons; goddess associated with eggs and hares, which became elements of the modern Easter celebration.  

This is getting interesting, let’s keep going…

Early Christians adopted the term, take your pick of the three names presented above, and came up with the word Easter and attached it to the resurrection story in Holy Bible Scripture.  Yes, the story (in Scripture) of the resurrection takes place in the Spring but beyond that, I’m challenged at seeing how a celebration of Spring would be connected to Christ resurrecting from the dead, in the manner presented by Christian theology that is.  Especially when the word “Christ” is not a person but a process that leads to a specific status or condition within the blood.  There is a connection between Spring and Christ but that connection has nothing to do with Easter bunnies and sunrise church services. Moving on….

I will insert here that Easter is not the only holiday celebrated by many Christians that had its label snatched up from origins of long ago and has a flavor of paganism.  Manipulating God’s original intent for a celebration can only result in some form of consequence (judgment).  To step outside of God’s instruction involving recognition of a season causes the momentum of seasonal or cosmic activity to shift, it becomes out of alignment with its original purpose and plan.  Traditional Christianized Easter celebrations have developed situations where God is not happy and things that govern the weather, seasons, plant growth, etc. are thrown off course.   When humans give reverence to a manmade occasion and replace God’s definition and purpose of a specified time of the year (Spring, Winter, etc.), consequences will arise.  Big Ooops! 

Amos 5:21:  I hate, I despise your feasts!  I can’t stand the stench of your solemn assemblies.  (HCS)

Let’s bring some clarification to this picture:  Since “God” created the sun, moon, stars, earth, etc., it would make sense that celebrations would be in a fashion that recognize the things created by God such as the change of seasons. A form of thanksgiving that the winter months are over (Yahoo!!), and warmer days are coming that will “resurrect” plants back to life, flowers that bloom, and color that adorns the landscape. 

All of this is not a matter of opinion, it is a matter of the result from energies (a resulting projection or essence) from human actions/activities that provide a benefit or detriment to the atmosphere.  Human life must be in sync with the activities of the cosmos! A respect or reverence to “that which God created”, in this case Spring, is a benefit that not only helps the earth regain or maintain its vitality but benefits human life in a like manner.  It’s all a part of the Language of the Universe.  Simply put, it’s how things work and keeps those things working smoothly.  

Marketing industries drive the sale of chocolate bunnies, colored eggs and everything that spells pagan authored Easter because of the profit gained.  This “push for profit” momentum must cease for the healing of the earth to progress in the proper direction.  A few years ago, I adopted decorating my home according to season, not according to manmade holidays.  Decorating according to holidays become cumbersome and costly having to switch out Christmas trees for Easter bunnies, and so forth.  It appears a celebration of Spring is what is to be had, not a celebration of the traditional Christian resurrection story.  Resurrection has its place and certainly is important, but its place should not take over the recognition and celebration of Spring. 

1 Corinthians 10:20: No, I imply that what pagans sacrifice they offer to demons and not to God. I do not want you to be participants with demons. (ESV)

Happy Spring! 

Jill