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April 23, 2025 • 16 mins
Today on the Sunday Word which was recorded on two separate days we look at the difference between what we celebrate as Easter/Resurrection and is there a difference. We also look at the question many have asked. Is Easter a pagan holiday. And we also look at it from how the Easter Custom is celebrated in multiple cultures

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Episode Transcript

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Speaker 1 (00:12):
Question right here.

Speaker 2 (00:40):
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Speaker 3 (00:57):
Welcome to Anthony Smith.

Speaker 4 (01:01):
This is a rare Tuesday evening that we're doing this
only I want to take a look back at what
we celebrated called Easter. Of course, there was a word
that was and it hasn't just been flowing around. It's
been thrown out on member's occasion. Some have called it Easter,

(01:21):
some have caught it Resurrection Day. So in this first segment,
so we want to look at a question of opposed,
was Easter ever deemed a pagan holiday? We have those
scriptures of those texts that will probably come tomorrow, which
will be another rare occasion that we're doing the Sunday

(01:42):
word on.

Speaker 3 (01:43):
Days that on Sunday. But it's been in my spirit
to take a look at this.

Speaker 5 (01:49):
So today the first question was Easter ever deemed a
pagan holiday? So the question of whether Easter was ever.

Speaker 4 (01:58):
Deemed a pagan holiday, they is a common one and
has historical and cultural nuances.

Speaker 5 (02:05):
The historical background pre Christian roots. Some scholars argue that
certain Eastern traditions, especially related to springtime festivals, fertility rights,
and the use of eggs and rabbits, have origins that
pre date Christianity and are linked to pagan.

Speaker 3 (02:26):
Celebrations of fertility and renewal.

Speaker 5 (02:28):
For example, Easter eggs eggs have long been symbols of
new life and fertility used in pagan spring festivals. Rabbits
and hareson these animals are also associated with fertility and
appear in various pre Christian spring rites. The Christian adoption

(02:51):
and adaptation. When Christianity spread across Europe, many existing pagan
festivals celebrating the arrival of spring and fertility were gradually
incorporated into Christian observances to facilitate easier cultural integration. This

(03:12):
process is known as Christianization of pagan festivals. Was Easter, Everdean,
a pagan holiday not officially? The Christian Church did not
officially declare Easter a pagan holiday. Instead, it established Easter
as a Christian celebration of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

(03:36):
The cultural overlapped over time. Some customs associated with Easter,
like eggs and spring symbols, have roots in.

Speaker 3 (03:46):
Earlier pagan practices.

Speaker 5 (03:48):
However, these became integrated into Christian celebrations rather than being
considered pagan in themselves modern perspectives. Some religious groups or
individual view certain Eastern customs as having pagan origins, but
the core religious significance of Easter, the resurrection, is distinctly Christian.

Speaker 3 (04:12):
So to summarize this, while.

Speaker 5 (04:14):
Some customs associated that Easter may have pagan origins related
to spring and fertility, festival as a Christian holiday celebrating
the resurrection of Jesus Christ, is never officially deemed a
pagan holiday by the Christian Church. Instead, Christian celebrations often

(04:35):
incorporate local customs and symbols that predated Christianity, adapting them
to Christian meaning.

Speaker 3 (04:49):
And I'm pretty sure there is more than we can
add to this.

Speaker 4 (04:54):
As I continue to research this, I am going to
give you as much information about this as I can,
because the sin goes people perished from lack of knowledge.

(05:18):
So we're going to take a deep dive as we
look at as we continue on, as we look at.

Speaker 5 (05:39):
The origins and evolution of Eastern pre Christian spring festival.
Many ancient cultures celebrated the arrival of spring, and festivals
emphasize and renewal fertility and rebirth. These festivals often included eggs,
similar fertility and the life found in many cultures such

(06:02):
as Persian the Roots, Egyptian Orisons, rights, and Roman fertility festival,
Rabbits and harris. Due to their prolific breeding, these animals
symbolized fertility. Spring Equinox celebrations making the end of winter

(06:25):
and the beginning of longer days, often involving feasts, ritual
and offering pagan roots and symbols, yes Tree and Astero.
Some scholars link the name Easter to frustrate are Astero,

(06:49):
a goddess of spring and fertility worship in Anglo, Saxon
and Germanic pagan traditions. However, historical evidence for this connection
is limited and debated among scholars.

Speaker 3 (07:03):
Eggs and fertility symbols. The use of.

Speaker 5 (07:06):
Decorated eggs and spring festivals predates Christianity and was adopted
into Easter customs. Egg symbolized fertility and rebirth, fitting theme
for spring celebration. The Christian adoption and transformation the Christianization
of existing festivals. As Christianity spread, early Christians sought to

(07:30):
replace or assimilate pagan festivals with Christian meaning. This helped
facilitate conversion by making Christian holidays familiar and meaningful. The
date of Easter was set to coincide with Jewish Passover,
but many customs, such as eggs and spring symbols persisted, persisted,

(07:53):
and were reinterpreted. The resurrection of Jesus became the central
focus of the holidays and exist these spring symbols were
incorporated to emphasize spiritual rebirth and renewal. Easter and the resurrection.
The core Christian celebration of Easter commemorates jesus christ resurrection

(08:15):
as described.

Speaker 3 (08:16):
In the New Testament.

Speaker 5 (08:18):
It is a move away from fertility rights toward a
spiritual celebration of life overcoming death. The date of Easter
varies each year based on the lunar calendar, aligning with
the first Sunday after the first full moon following the
spring equinox. Modern perspective and cultural practices the contemporary customs eggs,

(08:45):
decorated eggs, egg hunts, and egg rolling are popular Easter activities.
The egg, symbolized the new life, is a direct link
to ancient fertility symbols. Rabbits, the Easter Monday, a symbol
of fertility, originated in German folklore and became popular in
America in the nineteenth century. Spring celebrations many customs are

(09:08):
now secular or cultural, blending Christian and Pagan traditions. The
religious views Most Christians denominations view Eastern primarily as a
religious celebration of Jesus resurrection. Some Christian groups emphasized the
spiritual significance over cultural or pagan symbols, while others recognized

(09:36):
the historical blending of christditions. So, in summary, Easter as
a Christian holiday celebration resurrection of Jesus Christ. Many Eastern customs, eggs, rabbits,
spring symbols have roots in pre Christian pagan's fatility and
spring festivals. The Christian Church historically adopted and and adapted

(10:00):
these customs to help convert pagan populations, embedding familiar symbols
into Christian practices. Today, Easter is celebrated worldwide with their
mixing religious observances and cultural traditions, some of which have
pagan origins, but the central focus remains Christian.

Speaker 3 (10:20):
So I hope that gives us an understanding of what.

Speaker 4 (10:23):
You call Easter and some call Resurrection Day.

Speaker 3 (10:28):
I heard it said that call it.

Speaker 4 (10:30):
Resurrection Day is equivalent to saying exomoust to which that
point I have to disagree with it.

Speaker 3 (10:39):
Christmas.

Speaker 4 (10:40):
You can't have Christmas without Christ in it. So when
you go exomists, yes, I do believe you're axing out
Christ from Christmas. But when you say Happy Easter or
you say happy Resurrection Day, the focus is on the
resurrection of Jesus Christ. Want to have more for you

(11:00):
when I come back, you go to where it is
Spunday word written, ministry.

Speaker 2 (11:05):
Anthem before you delve into the upcoming episode. Have you
considered joining this podcast supporters Club? It not only unlocks
exclusive content, but also means you're actively supporting your favorite podcast.
Check the link in the episode description for more details.
Now let's get back to the episode.

Speaker 3 (11:25):
Welcome back to the Sunday Mind. Thank you, particularly podcast
Tuesday Nights. And we concluded looking at it with meaning

(11:55):
East for Frendshift. So it's one more question than we
want to look at as.

Speaker 4 (12:02):
We wrap this, and the question is what's the difference
between the celebrating Easter.

Speaker 3 (12:13):
And the Resurrection. Celebrating Easter in the Reservation will bring
to different aspects of the.

Speaker 4 (12:24):
Same religious events, the reservation of Theologically, the reservation refers
to the core Christian belief that Jesus Christ rode from
the dead on the third day after his crucifixion. It
is a central event from Christianity, signifying victory over sin

(12:44):
and death and confirming Jesus as the Son of God.
These historical religious significance, it is considered a divine miracle
and the foundation of Christian faith relations emphasized the moment
in Jesus fiscally rose from the earth, as described in

(13:06):
the New testamenty celebrating these cultural and religious observice. Easter
is the angual celebration observed by Christians who commemorate the
resurrection of Jesus Christ. It usually includes took services, prayers, ms,

(13:27):
and various traditions tiny and customers. Easter is celebrated on
the specific study known as Unstid Sunday, which follows active
coldly rea and Easter visuals customs very globally that often
include egg hunts, festive meals, and symbolic viduals like the

(13:49):
Easter egg, which represents glee, life and resurrection, and the
reservation is if the event itself the miraculous return Jesus
from the dead. Celebrating Easter is the annual commemoration of
the defense in Marven religious services and cultural traditions. In essence,

(14:15):
Easter is the celebration of the resurrection, which is the foundation.

Speaker 3 (14:20):
Of the event that Easter come in. So I hope
that you have been enlightened as to what.

Speaker 4 (14:29):
Some call thests some kind of resurrection, that you can
separate the team or they are one and the same.
I just wanted to give the team so we could
have clarity and understand whether Bible the players all.

Speaker 3 (14:43):
They're getting to give a good under spending.

Speaker 4 (14:48):
Hope that you will enjoyed this episode of the Sunday
Worlds administer Anthemsmith. They would be accredited on two separate days,
maybe be blessed and to be a blessing to the others.

Speaker 3 (15:03):
Preferly you will come back to give to the power.
This is something I okay, the power of the gods.

Speaker 4 (15:20):
Which episode drop Lor it's given to Marvel right back
to rap things like we don't listen.

Speaker 2 (15:38):
Ministry, Hey there, did you know that this podcast has
a supporters club. By becoming a supporter of the show,
you can gain access to exclusive content and play an
active role in helping the podcast, or continue producing the
content you love. See the link in the episode description
for more details. Now let's get back to the episode

Speaker 3 (16:16):
Script sp
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