Easter ham or Passover lamb?

[MaxPC]

I haven't studied this for a lot of years, and I'm not intending to again, but if I remember correctly, for those of us who speak as a first language what Josh mistakenly insists on calling 'Dutch', the term in that language for the concept of 'Easter season' is pretty much exactly the same as the name of an Old German goddess who was honored in the springtime with a ham feast.
I still eat ham at Easter, or any other time, but it has nothing to do with the resurrection.

SR: your post reminded me of a church history lesson in my religious ed class 68 years ago (which almost qualifies it as ancient history itself ).

We were taught that after the fall of the Roman Empire, Christianity spread to pagan societies by the Christian missionaries. One of those societies was in the area known to worship the goddess Eostre in springtime. As a way of teaching the Christian Faith sometimes the missionaries compared and contrasted Christian beliefs with the pagan practices. When the converts embraced the new faith, they would often combine their old celebration customs with the newly learned rites of their new Faith, in this case wild boar/ham and decorated eggs as part of family celebrations. The Christmas tree also was assimilated this way.

Now with that said, I've never been a missionary to a foreign culture (just to other Catholics). I think Neto and our other forum members with missionary experience may be able to share some insights into the assimilation of local celebrations and their newly-found Christian Faith.

A Jewish dilemma - free ham.

[silentreader]

I haven't studied this for a lot of years, and I'm not intending to again, but if I remember correctly, for those of us who speak as a first language what Josh mistakenly insists on calling 'Dutch', the term in that language for the concept of 'Easter season' is pretty much exactly the same as the name of an Old German goddess who was honored in the springtime with a ham feast.
I still eat ham at Easter, or any other time, but it has nothing to do with the resurrection.

SR: your post reminded me of a church history lesson in my religious ed class 68 years ago (which almost qualifies it as ancient history itself ).

We were taught that after the fall of the Roman Empire, Christianity spread to pagan societies by the Christian missionaries. One of those societies was in the area known to worship the goddess Eostre in springtime. As a way of teaching the Christian Faith sometimes the missionaries compared and contrasted Christian beliefs with the pagan practices. When the converts embraced the new faith, they would often combine their old celebration customs with the newly learned rites of their new Faith, in this case wild boar/ham and decorated eggs as part of family celebrations. The Christmas tree also was assimilated this way.

Now with that said, I've never been a missionary to a foreign culture (just to other Catholics). I think Neto and our other forum members with missionary experience may be able to share some insights into the assimilation of local celebrations and their newly-found Christian Faith.

A Jewish dilemma - free ham.

And I find it interesting that in our Luther German Bibles the link between 'Easter' and 'Eostre' becomes stronger yet.

[silentreader]

SR: your post reminded me of a church history lesson in my religious ed class 68 years ago (which almost qualifies it as ancient history itself ).

We were taught that after the fall of the Roman Empire, Christianity spread to pagan societies by the Christian missionaries. One of those societies was in the area known to worship the goddess Eostre in springtime. As a way of teaching the Christian Faith sometimes the missionaries compared and contrasted Christian beliefs with the pagan practices. When the converts embraced the new faith, they would often combine their old celebration customs with the newly learned rites of their new Faith, in this case wild boar/ham and decorated eggs as part of family celebrations. The Christmas tree also was assimilated this way.

Now with that said, I've never been a missionary to a foreign culture (just to other Catholics). I think Neto and our other forum members with missionary experience may be able to share some insights into the assimilation of local celebrations and their newly-found Christian Faith.

I guess the next question would be, who assimilated what.

[gcdonner]

SR: your post reminded me of a church history lesson in my religious ed class 68 years ago (which almost qualifies it as ancient history itself ).

We were taught that after the fall of the Roman Empire, Christianity spread to pagan societies by the Christian missionaries. One of those societies was in the area known to worship the goddess Eostre in springtime. As a way of teaching the Christian Faith sometimes the missionaries compared and contrasted Christian beliefs with the pagan practices. When the converts embraced the new faith, they would often combine their old celebration customs with the newly learned rites of their new Faith, in this case wild boar/ham and decorated eggs as part of family celebrations. The Christmas tree also was assimilated this way.

Now with that said, I've never been a missionary to a foreign culture (just to other Catholics). I think Neto and our other forum members with missionary experience may be able to share some insights into the assimilation of local celebrations and their newly-found Christian Faith.

I guess the next question would be, who assimilated what.

And where do we find justification for assimilating pagan beliefs and practices in scripture? As I read my bible, I find God continually warning his people,

Eze 20:30  Wherefore say unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Are ye polluted after the manner of your fathers? and commit ye whoredom after their abominations? 
Eze 20:31  For when ye offer your gifts, when ye make your sons to pass through the fire, ye pollute yourselves with all your idols, even unto this day: and shall I be enquired of by you, O house of Israel? As I live, saith the Lord GOD, I will not be enquired of by you. 
Eze 20:32  And that which cometh into your mind shall not be at all, that ye say, We will be as the heathen, as the families of the countries, to serve wood and stone. 

I suspect that these things are as offensive to God as idols of wood and stone, coming from the same sources.

[Josh]

Could I ask what is "pagan" about how we conservative Mennonites observe Easter is?

Our biggest tradition is Easter baptisms... if that's pagan, I'm a heathen...

[MaxPC]

SR: your post reminded me of a church history lesson in my religious ed class 68 years ago (which almost qualifies it as ancient history itself ).

We were taught that after the fall of the Roman Empire, Christianity spread to pagan societies by the Christian missionaries. One of those societies was in the area known to worship the goddess Eostre in springtime. As a way of teaching the Christian Faith sometimes the missionaries compared and contrasted Christian beliefs with the pagan practices. When the converts embraced the new faith, they would often combine their old celebration customs with the newly learned rites of their new Faith, in this case wild boar/ham and decorated eggs as part of family celebrations. The Christmas tree also was assimilated this way.

Now with that said, I've never been a missionary to a foreign culture (just to other Catholics). I think Neto and our other forum members with missionary experience may be able to share some insights into the assimilation of local celebrations and their newly-found Christian Faith.

I guess the next question would be, who assimilated what.

Agreed. Before there was a formal Magisterium that examined every rite and cultural practice for Biblical support, many things were assimilated based on popular usage. I daresay that until we can buy a time machine off of Amazon, the answer to your question will remain shrouded in history's mists.

Perhaps Neto and our other missionaries can tell us how they cope with local celebration customs?

[gcdonner]

Could I ask what is "pagan" about how we conservative Mennonites observe Easter is?

Our biggest tradition is Easter baptisms... if that's pagan, I'm a heathen...

The term "Easter" is pagan to begin with. I don't know what other practices your particular church follows. Do you have easter egg hunts or paint eggs? Do you include rabbits in your decorations either at home or in church (I would doubt in your church building). You tell me.
I am pointing out generalizations and observations that pervade throughout Christendom, not pointing fingers at any particular group. If your toes are getting stepped on, then you need to answer to God, not to me.
If eating ham is a tradition of your easter traditions, then you should examine why, don't you think? Many of the Christian practices over the years have been absorbed from the culture around us and/or directly related to the anti-Semitic attitudes of Christianity of the past.

[Hats Off]

And I assumed when I read the title of this thread that it would be a poll asking what we will eat during the Easter season! I do know that we visited in a home on Good Friday many years ago where we had eggs and cheese instead of meat. This was considered fasting. Then after eating the meatless meal, some of the men headed for the sugar bush to collect and boil sap. I grew up eating whatever we had at Easter and not working on Good Friday which was kept as a holy day.

[Josh]

Could I ask what is "pagan" about how we conservative Mennonites observe Easter is?

Our biggest tradition is Easter baptisms... if that's pagan, I'm a heathen...

The term "Easter" is pagan to begin with. I don't know what other practices your particular church follows. Do you have easter egg hunts or paint eggs? Do you include rabbits in your decorations either at home or in church (I would doubt in your church building). You tell me.

As I stated earlier, the Church of God in Christ, Mennonite does not have special services for Easter. We do not decorate our church buildings at all, and we do not allow graven images of any kind of living animal or human being in either statue or photographic form. We certainly do not decorate our homes with images of rabbits at any time of the year.

We do not paint or hunt for eggs.

I am pointing out generalizations and observations that pervade throughout Christendom, not pointing fingers at any particular group. If your toes are getting stepped on, then you need to answer to God, not to me.
If eating ham is a tradition of your easter traditions, then you should examine why, don't you think? Many of the Christian practices over the years have been absorbed from the culture around us and/or directly related to the anti-Semitic attitudes of Christianity of the past.

We eat ham and other ritually unclean animals throughout the year. We do not consider Easter a time when we should eat different food than any other time of the year. Generally when we have large gatherings, pork, chicken, and beef are eaten, and sometimes other meats like venison.

[gcdonner]

We eat ham and other ritually unclean animals throughout the year. We do not consider Easter a time when we should eat different food than any other time of the year. Generally when we have large gatherings, pork, chicken, and beef are eaten, and sometimes other meats like venison.

My reference to eating ham is strictly in relation to Easter as this is a traditional meal in some circles. I also eat ham, but wouldn't on "Easter", considering it to be a slap in the face to our Passover Lamb.
It is a matter of reverence not a matter of freedom to eat. How often do we consider if something we may be allowed to do might be better not done out of reverence?
In my opinion, referring to the resurrection of our Savior by the name of a pagan goddess is certainly not reverent, nor is it needful. I simply refer to it as Resurrection Day.