Posted on 04/16/2017 12:38:42 PM PDT by Mrs. Don-o
Was “ Easter” actually borrowed or rather usurped from a pagan celebration? The argument largely rests on the supposed pagan names for the celebration in English and German (“Easter”, “Ostern”). Note, however, that in most other European languages, the celebration’s name is derived from Pascha (Greek), from Pesach, (Hebrew), Passover. Easter is the Christian Passover.
[large snips here and throughout]
The usual argument for the pagan origins of Easter is based on Venerable Bede (673-735), an English monk who wrote:
“ … Eosturmonath has a name which is now translated "Paschal month" and which was once called after a goddess of theirs named Eostre, in whose honour feasts were celebrated in that month.”Note: the forcible conversion of the Saxons in Europe began under Charlemagne in 772. Christians celebrated an Easter/Passover festival by the second century, if not earlier. Thus the Christian Easter/Passover celebration originated in the Mediterranean basin, not any Germanic pagan festival.
But does the name "Easter" come from the blurring of the Christian celebration with the worship of a English/Germanic fertility goddess named "Eostre"?. In his book, The Stations of the Sun Professor Ronald Hutton (a well-known historian of British paganism and occultism) says there is no evidence outside of Bede for the existence of this ‘goddess.’...
Another problem with Bede's explanation concerns Charlemagne's renaming of the months. Charlemagne was the scourge of Germanic paganism. He forcibly converted them to Christianity and repressed them when they revolted because of this. It seems very unlikely, therefore, that Charlemagne would name a month after a Germanic goddess.
Hutton suggests that Eosturmonath simply meant "the month of opening," which is comparable to the meaning of "April" in Latin. The names of both the Saxon and Latin months were related to spring, the season when the buds open….
(Excerpt) Read more at christianitytoday.com ...
Again, that does not say do not celebrate The Feast. Colossians 2:8 certainly does not nor does Mt 15:3, that has to do with dietary laws and washing hands, nothing to do with keeping the memorial of Christ resurrection.
St Paul in 1 Corinthians 5:6-8 (which was one of the assigned Readings at the Sunday Liturgy for the Epistle reading {a Reading from Colossians was also available) says “..For Christ our paschal Lamb has been sacrificed. Let us therefore celebrate the festival, not with old leaven, the leaven of malice and evil, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth”
The Eucharistic imagery here is clear, and the connection to the Jewish Pasaover feast is clear, thus the Celebration “Festival” referred to here is clearly referring the Church gathering together to commemorate the Passion, Death and Resurrection of Christ by partaking of the Eucharist. The writings later in Chapter 10: 14-22 and 11”23-32 continue this theme.
And again, the celebration of Pascha predates Bede by centuries, as the link I provided clearly indicates.
Stop believing the cleverly designed myths of men and come into the light of Christ.
The people who picked the books in your New Testament also picked out the Christian festivals you say don’t exist. Reject one and you’re inconsistent and illogical if you don’t reject the other.
Thanks for the ping to this good article. I could do without the Easter Bunny.
Matthew 15:8-9
8
‘These people draw near to Me with their mouth,
And[a] honor Me with their lips,
But their heart is far from Me.
9
And in vain they worship Me,
Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’
Has nothing to do with celebrating the and commemorating Pascha (Easter) as the Major Christian Feast. The Passover Feast prefigures the Christian Feast of Pascha/Pasch (Easter).
It has nothing to do with what you are trying to make it. And one other thing, I don’t go on getting into arguments with individuals. Next, I will discuss with individuals only if they disclose what type of church they belong to. If you want to post to me, then in the spirit of transparency, what protestant confession do you belong to? If you care not to disclose, then please move along.
I am not judging you about anything. You are setting up strawmen. The point of the article was the negate the notion that Easter was borrowed from pagans. As was pointed out, in most Catholic Countries, Easter is not even used. In Italy, what is called Easter here is called Pascha (Latin) or Pasqua (The Direct Italian word derived from it).
Now some customs starting in the 15th and 16th centuries were added for kids like Easter eggs and bunnies, not that they are part of the Church’s celebration, those are more of ethnic celebrations that were adopted around the time the Church Liturgically celebrated Pascha (easter).
Since you are not Catholic, then what the Catholic Church defines really has nothing to do with you does it?
For Catholics and Orthodox, and perhaps some Liturgically and Creedal based Protestants, it does. No harm no foul.
And again, by 180 AD per the writings of Saint Ireneaus, the celebration of both Lent and Pascha (Easter) were well established in the Church, if you read his letter carefully, he lists the Popes who celebrated Easter according to the Roman Custom and did not break communion with those who celebrated according to a local Eastern tradion (the so called quarterodecimanism controversy). The list of Popes gets you back to around 114 AD during the time of Sixtus. In other words, the celebration of Pascha/Easter can be dated going back to around 114AD. That would be about 10 years after the death of the last Apostle, John. Pretty darn close, and it likely means it goes back to Apostolic times.
I agree. So one guess what that means...
Only a Liberal can redefine a successful conquest as a failure somehow.
You are operating under a Sola Scriptura protestant doctrine. I do not. I never said it was ok to use Easter, it didn’t say it was incorrect. The Word Easter is an old English word that they used for Easter.
As I said, in Latin-Roman Catholicism, the word is Pascha/Pasqua in Italian, the French and Spanish have similar words that are derived from Latin.
And yes the celebration is indeed Christian, Church Fathers who were pupils of the Apostles celebrated the feast (Polycarp, for example, a pupil of the Apostle Saint John).
Not that its any of your business, but you can consider me a Fundamentalist. Southern Baptist in the Bible belt. If its not in the Bible, its of man and added.
As far as your implied duty to perform holidays:
Ephesians 2:8 and 9.
quote-Since you are not Catholic, then what the Catholic Church defines really has nothing to do with you does it?
For Catholics and Orthodox, and perhaps some Liturgically and Creedal based Protestants, it does. No harm no fou
Oh, not true..
It’s the difference between understanding Paul’s 1st/chief importance of the gospel, in accordance with the scriptures-
or following rome’s 1st/chief importance of the gospel, in accordance with rome’s catechism and calendar.
the fact more protesants or orthodox don’t see it, isn’t ‘a no harm no foul’, as you put it, at all.
sort of sets up what Paul warned about.
Rome sets the premise for the world. and it isn’t ‘no harm, no foul’.
even jews and muslims accept rome’s version. they just can’t see it.
everybody is born into roman citizenry these days.
the world doesn’t run on a roman calendar named after a pope, by accident.
that is prophetic.
However, Hasenpfeffer is declicious
delchiante:
Hmmmm, not sure you and I need to go on any further. I have my thoughts about what type of church you belong too, but I will leave it here.
The world runs on a Roman Calendar named after a Pope because it is the most scientifically accurate. Nothing more nothing less, has nothing to do with prophetic anything, which brings me back to my previous paragraph.
Good day
Like I said, I asked in the spirit of transparency. It is obvious I am Catholic, so you now what theological tradition I interpret this things. When you post to me, all I get is your screen name. So now I now I am posting to a Southern Baptist. Thus in the future, I will be more willing to continue to post with you to discuss and debate (charitably) theological issues. I have no desire to argue about anything. Only to make my points and allow you to make yours.
I appreciate the transparency.
quote-Hmmmm, not sure you and I need to go on any further. I have my thoughts about what type of church you belong too, but I will leave it here.
The world runs on a Roman Calendar named after a Pope because it is the most scientifically accurate. Nothing more nothing less, has nothing to do with prophetic anything, which brings me back to my previous paragraph.
Good day
ctrent, not a member of any church. tried a few years ago and He stopped me.
Didn’t understand why. I asked, sought and knocked. Now I know. and He didn’t let me go to a temple/synagogue either.
And it began and ended with Paul’s 1st importance of the gospel. so simple, so basic.
There’s a roman version, according to rome’s catechism and calendar.
And there’s scriptural version, according to scripture and the Father’s calendar.
And the Father’s calendar isn’t used by rome or jews or muslims or christians today.
when the bible predicts ‘times and laws’ could change, given that fact in scripture, that is prophetic.
just not something the world can see. which given a bible verse in the last book of the bible, is also prophetic.
Good day.
delchiante:
Well you should find a Church that does have the core of Christian Doctrine, Trinity, Incarnation, Death and Resurrection of Christ. IMO, there is no such thing as Lone range Christianity and thus Lone Ranger Christian. God formed a “people in the Old Testament” which prefigures the Church in the NT, where Christ incorporates believers into the Church, His Body.
You seem pretty sure that God told you what you are saying. Again, what you are positing is totally foreign to me it is hard to comprehend. So you have a calendar that you gleamed from the Bible that you think the Father gave you????
Again, try and find some mainline, but orthodox Protestant Church (wish you become Catholic, but I doubt that). While I disagree on some points of theology, there are some solid Lutheran, Presbyterian, and Traditional Anglican Churches that hold to the historic orthodox Christological and Trinitarian doctrines. Having a solid Community of fellow believers is better, in my view, than trying to go at it alone with a “me and Bible alone” approach. Again, just my two cents and my view, nothing more, nothing less.
bump for later and bookmarked
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