Jean Uayan

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind… (Rom. 12:2)

This past Holy Week, I made it a point to greet my friends “Happy Resurrection Day.” I’m trying to find a better alternative to the word “Easter.” I could use Pascha, which is the Greek form of the Hebrew Pesha/Pasah. The Spanish say Pascua; the Italians, Pasqua; and the French, Pâques. All of these words refer to the Exodus event which is celebrated by the Jews in the festival called Passover. The trouble I have with the English word for “Easter” is that it comes from the word “Eostre” (from where we get the name of the female hormone, estrogen) or “Eostur” which are of Teutonic (ancient German) origin.

“Eostre” is the name of pagan goddess of fertility, and “Eostur” is the festival of spring. It is the time of equal day and equal night, a perfect balance, and this is significant to those who worship Mother Nature, whether as a religion or as an ecological focus, because spring brings a new cycle in life, a cycle that is so closely related to the fertility and prosperity that all men covet. Customs of celebrating with eggs (symbolic of cosmic egg of creation) and rabbits (fertility) were imported from Mediterranean lands, and the early inhabitants of the British Isles observed it. This celebration takes place during the full moon of the lunar month, called Vernal Equinox Full Moon.

Although the Church didn’t celebrate full moons and they fixed Christ’s resurrection day on the first Sunday after the Full Moon, yet they retained the name Easter. The Catholic Church was so adamant about not incorporating lunar goddess symbolism that they decided to postpone the celebration to the next Sunday if ever the date fell on the Full Moon itself. Yet down through the ages, vestiges of the pagan practices still prevailed, especially with the eggs, rabbits, and chicks motifs. The Microsoft Encarta Encyclopedia states that

Aware of the connotations of these motifs, some churches have urged their members to focus on other motifs, such as the lamb, the empty tomb, light shining in darkness, and retelling or acting out the story of Christ’s resurrection. These are more significant and better alternatives, in my view.

Likewise, Christians need to be aware that among pagans and other religions, there is a mythological motif of either a goddess or god descending into the Underworld, and the duration is for three days! This is because before and after the Full Moon, there are two days when the moon is not in sight, or hidden from our views. This is the season of celebrating the victory of life over death, and in the pagan world, there are many solar and lunar heroes/heroines, or gods/goddesses who undergo this experience. Examples are King Arthur, Gwydion and Amaethon (Welsh tradition), and Eostra.

And yet Jesus Christ is not just one among many of these gods/goddesses because he died, “descended into the lower parts of the earth,” (Eph 4:9, NASB) was raised from the dead and is now enthroned in heaven. Christ’s victory over death is a once-for-all, no-need-to-be-repeated momentously powerful event that permanently broke the stranglehold of death and brought everlasting life into this hopeless world. As the Bible declares: God put His power to work in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places. (Eph 1:20) This assurance and firm foundation that were accomplished by Jesus Christ are infinitely better and definitely much more desirable than what non-Christian religions can offer. This earth will one day pass away; Mother Earth is an illusory deity, and man is now free from the cycle of birth-death-rebirth that is the only “hope” traditional religions can offer. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which He has called you…and His incomparably great power for us who believe. (Eph. 1:18 NIV). HALLELUJAH! HAPPY RESURRECTION DAY!