Every spring, social media fills with memes and posts claiming that Easter is nothing more than a repackaged pagan festival. Critics argue that Christians “borrowed” symbols like eggs and bunnies from fertility cults, and that the very name “Easter” comes from pagan goddesses like Ishtar or Eostre. These assertions can cause confusion among believers and skepticism among seekers.
But are these claims historically accurate? Or do they rest on flimsy scholarship and popular-level assumptions? As Christians who value truth and the historical reality of Jesus Christ’s resurrection, we must engage these ideas with clarity and grace.
Let’s take a deeper look at the origins of Easter and why its Christian significance stands firm.
1. The Name “Easter” — Not as Pagan as Claimed
Critics often point to the English word “Easter” and claim it comes from a pagan fertility goddess named Eostre (or Eostrae). This idea stems primarily from an 8th-century monk named Bede, who mentioned that in Anglo-Saxon England, a month named after a goddess called Eostre was later replaced by the Christian celebration of the resurrection.
But there are a few problems with this theory:
- No primary sources about this goddess exist apart from Bede’s brief mention. No temples, inscriptions, or widespread traditions confirm a cult of Eostre.
- Most non-English-speaking cultures don’t use the word “Easter” at all. For example, in Greek and Latin, the word is Pascha, derived from the Hebrew Pesach (Passover). This directly connects the resurrection of Jesus to the Jewish Passover, during which the crucifixion occurred (Luke 22:1–20; John 19:14).
- Even if a month was once named after a deity, that doesn’t mean the Christian feast derived from pagan worship. After all, we still use names like “Thursday” (from Thor’s Day) and “March” (from Mars), without invoking those deities.
In short, the term “Easter” is more a linguistic artifact than a theological compromise.
2. Timing and the Jewish Roots of Easter.
Some argue that because Easter falls near the spring equinox, it must be tied to ancient fertility rites. But this confuses correlation with causation.
Easter is not celebrated based on the solar equinox, but on the Jewish calendar, specifically tied to the date of Passover. Jesus was crucified during Passover week (Matthew 26:17-19), and the Gospels are explicit in drawing this connection. Christians celebrate the resurrection on the Sunday following Passover — which is why Easter moves each year but remains anchored to the Jewish lunar cycle.
Paul calls Christ our Passover lamb (1 Corinthians 5:7), making it clear that the theological foundation of Easter is rooted in Old Testament typology, not pagan mythology.
3. Eggs, Bunnies, and the Real Symbols of Resurrection
Admittedly, the Easter bunny and decorated eggs don’t come from the Bible — but they also don’t originate from any central pagan mythology. The link between eggs and spring festivals is culturally widespread, but the Christian adoption of eggs as a symbol of new life dates back to early Christians in Mesopotamia, who stained eggs red in memory of the blood of Christ.
Similarly, rabbits — known for rapid reproduction — became associated with spring and renewal, but their inclusion in Easter traditions is more a matter of folklore and Victorian-era marketing than pagan worship. Cultural elements like egg hunts and bunny decorations are non-essential accretions, much like Christmas trees or candy canes. They neither define nor defile the heart of the Easter celebration.
Let’s not confuse cultural customs with theological core truths.
4. The Centrality of the Resurrection
More than anything else, we must emphasize this: Easter is not about symbols — it is about a historical event.
The apostle Paul was crystal clear: “If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins” (1 Corinthians 15:17). The earliest Christians didn’t gather around spring festivals; they proclaimed that Jesus, crucified under Pontius Pilate, had risen from the dead on the third day — according to the Scriptures (1 Corinthians 15:3–4).
This is not myth or metaphor. It is historical proclamation — rooted in eyewitness testimony, empty tomb evidence, and transformed lives. The resurrection is the central fact of the Christian faith. Everything else is peripheral.
5. A Better Narrative: Redeeming, Not Borrowing
The narrative that “Christians borrowed from pagans” assumes that early believers were desperate to gain converts by blending in. But history tells a different story. The early church was known for being counter-cultural and persecuted, not for compromising. The idea of “syncretism” in this case lacks evidence.
Instead, the better narrative is one of redemption. Just as God took Roman roads and Greek language to spread the gospel (Galatians 4:4), so He can redeem cultural elements and reorient them around the glory of Christ.
What’s more, the consistent witness of church history — from the early church fathers to the Nicene Creed — is that Easter is about Jesus’ bodily resurrection, not seasonal fertility.
6. Conclusion: Don’t Let Misconceptions Steal the Joy
For believers, Easter is not about bunnies or baskets. It’s about the victory of Christ over sin and death. It is the heart of the gospel, the anchor of our hope, and the declaration that new life is possible.
Yes, some cultural confusion exists — but let’s not throw out the celebration just because of misinformed internet posts or pseudo-history.
Instead, let’s reclaim Easter as what it truly is:
“A living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.” (1 Peter 1:3)
Ready to Stand Firm?
The next time someone says “Easter is pagan,” respond with clarity and grace. Point them to the historical evidence, the biblical foundation, and the resurrected Christ.
Easter isn’t borrowed from the world. It declares that the world has been changed forever.
