Is Easter a Pagan Holiday?
Easter is one of the most important Christian holidays, celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ after his crucifixion. However, some claim that Easter has pagan origins and is not actually a Christian celebration. What does the Bible say about this?
The Name “Easter”
The English word “Easter” comes from the German word “Ostern”, which is related to the name of an ancient Germanic goddess named “Eostre”. Some pagans celebrated the vernal equinox and the start of spring in her honor.
However, there is scholarly debate about whether or not Eostre was an actual pagan goddess or just a fictional personification of the season. The only historical reference to her comes from the writings of the Venerable Bede, an English monk who lived in the 8th century AD. He simply states that the month of April was once called “Eosturmonath” and was named after a goddess named Eostre (De Temporum Ratione). There are no other contemporary sources confirming her existence as an actual goddess.
So the connection between the name “Easter” and an ancient pagan goddess is not definitive. Most languages do not derive the name of Easter from this goddess. The Christian celebration is called Pascha in Greek and Latin, relating it to the Jewish festival of Passover.
Resurrection Celebrations
The most important thing is that the Christian celebration of Easter commemorates the resurrection of Jesus as described in the Bible. The Gospels record that Jesus was crucified during the Jewish Passover feast and resurrected on the Sunday following it (Matthew 28:1; Mark 16:2; Luke 24:1; John 20:1).
The fact that Jesus’ resurrection took place around the time of the Jewish Passover and pagan spring equinox does not invalidate its significance for Christians. There is no suggestion in the Bible that early Christians syncretized pagan equinox celebrations with the resurrection. Rather, the timing reinforced the symbolic meaning of Jesus’ resurrection coinciding with new spiritual life and rebirth.
The New Testament records followers of Jesus commemorating his death and resurrection from the beginning. The book of Acts describes the early Christians gathered together to “break bread” in remembrance of Jesus (Acts 20:7). And the apostle Paul writes to the Corinthians about observing the Lord’s Supper, stating “For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes” (1 Cor 11:26). Paul also refers to Jesus as “the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep” (1 Cor 15:20), evoking the Jewish festival of First Fruits which took place around the same time as Passover.
So the New Testament provides evidence that Christians were celebrating Jesus’ resurrection from the very start. There are no indications that they syncretized these observances with pagan festivals. Rather, the language uses Jewish metaphors to explain the meaning of Jesus’ resurrection.
Spring Symbolism
The fact that Jesus’ resurrection coincided with the season of spring does have symbolic significance, even if it was not intentionally aligned with pagan equinox celebrations. Springtime brings new life and rebirth in nature. This reinforces the spiritual meaning of Jesus’ resurrection bringing new life. As Paul wrote:
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” (2 Corinthians 5:17).
“For we know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. For one who has died has been set free from sin.” (Romans 6:6-7)
The seasonal alignment allowed early Christians to metaphorically explain the spiritual new life brought through faith in Jesus. But there is no evidence that pre-existing pagan celebrations were Christianized. Rather, the resurrection was celebrated on its own biblical terms tied to the Passover.
Revisionist Connections
Most claims that Easter has pagan origins come from the late 19th and early 20th century. Authors such as Alexander Hislop (The Two Babylons) and Jacob Grimm (Deutsche Mythologie) attempted to reconstruct ancient pagan religions and find connections to Christianity. Modern scholars have rejected many of their conclusions as speculative and erroneous projections back onto ancient people.
For example, Hislop claimed that ancient Babylonians worshipped a goddess named Ishtar who was symbolized by rabbits and eggs. But there is no solid evidence that Ishtar was ever associated with either symbol. There are only a couple ancient references connecting Ishtar to fertility, probably related to her status as a goddess of love and war. Hislop’s purported pagan connections were more fabricated than factual.
So claims about Easter originating in the worship of Ishtar, Eostre, or other pagan goddesses reflect mostly discredited modern conjecture rather than evidence of actual ancient celebrations.
Should Christians Avoid Easter?
Given the lack of any definite pagan roots, there is no biblical reason Christians should avoid commemorating the resurrection of Jesus during the Easter season. There is no command or even suggestion in the Bible to stop celebrating the resurrection if it happens to fall in the spring. Rather, the problem would be neglecting to celebrate the resurrection at all! As Paul states:
“And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain.” (1 Corinthians 15:14)
The date is not inherently pagan. And there are no alternative biblical instructions about when to commemorate the resurrection. The day and season to celebrate Jesus’ victory over death does not seem to be a concern in the Bible, only that it is celebrated.
Can Easter be Commercialized?
A larger issue is that, like Christmas, the modern observances of Easter often have become highly commercialized. Consumerism, candy, toys, and other secular traditions can distract from the spiritual meaning. But this is not a problem unique to Easter. Materialism often threatens to eclipse the biblical focus of Christian holidays.
Christians can still celebrate Easter in a biblical manner while rejecting the commercialism. Congregations can hold special resurrection-themed services focused on the scriptural foundation. Families can decorate Easter eggs as opportunities to explain the meaning of Jesus’ empty tomb. Gift giving can shift from secular toys to things that uplift Christian faith and service.
Cultural traditions are not wrong in themselves, so long as the biblical message remains central. As Paul taught concerning meat sacrificed to idols:
“Therefore, as to the eating of food offered to idols, we know that ‘an idol has no real existence,’ and that ‘there is no God but one.’ [..] Food will not commend us to God. We are no worse off if we do not eat, and no better off if we do. But take care that this right of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak.” (1 Corinthians 8:4-9)
The same principle applies to Easter bunnies and eggs. These traditions have no inherent spiritual power if God and the resurrection are kept primary. But if they distract from biblical teaching or are a stumbling block to others, they can be minimized or avoided. The key is maintaining the biblical focus on Christ’s victory over sin and death.
Conclusion
Is Easter a pagan holiday? No solid evidence actually connects ancient pagan equinox celebrations to the modern Christian commemoration of Jesus’ resurrection. The biblical texts show the early church developing its own traditions based on Jewish metaphors and practices. Any alignment with the vernal equinox and spring rebirth themes in nature were secondary. The name “Easter” has a debated connection to pagan goddesses, but the exact origin is unclear. The key is that the Bible nowhere suggests Easter was rebranded from paganism and generally focuses on the spiritual meaning rather than particular timing. Christians can celebrate the resurrection on Easter by rejecting secularism and emphasizing the biblical message of new life in Christ.