Reply #370: Do you really want to discuss early christian worship practices? [View All]

[RevCheesehead]

I can provide resources, if you are interested.

Suffice it to say that early Christian Worship practices borrowed heavily from both Jewish and Pagan practices. But it would be incorrect to assume that Christians were "celebrating Easter" in 90 CE.

What you call a "rip-off", Christians call "adaptation." Do you believe in archetypes? All cultures use certain archetypes, which are then interpreted in light of their own experiences. Some common archetypes, used by Christians, include ritual bathing/washing/purification (baptism); bread/meal/fellowship (communion); wine/alcohol/celebration (communion). There are many cultures which use these symbols. Nobody ever claimed that Christianity had the exclusive rights to them.

In a sense, one could argue that everybody rips off everybody. Christians took Pagan archetypes and Jewish worship practices, and made something which was new and meaningful for them. They did not do it because "that's how you attract more people." They did it because it had significance to them.

The first "official" setting of the date of Easter took place at the Council of Nicea (325 CE), where it was set "on the 14th day of Nisan" - the Jewish lunar calendar. Several years later, the Western Church agreed that "Easter" would be set on the first Sunday after the vernal equinox.

It is more accurate to claim that Christians chose Easter as a time to remember the events of Christ's life, death, and resurrection, because they historically occured at Passover.