Discussion Jumpstarter
Study leader reference - not a definitive answer
Question 8
David compares “Easter vs Pascha” to the entrenched pagan-origin day names “Sunday” and “Saturday,” mentioning the Quakers’ failed attempt to rename the calendar; what does this teach about Christian separation from pagan backgrounds versus living with cultural leftovers, and where should a church draw lines today?
Another way to ask: We still use day names like Sunday and Saturday even though they have pagan roots. What does that suggest about rejecting pagan background vs living with leftover culture, and where should churches draw the line today?
Discussion Jumpstarter
Direct Answer
The transcript suggests Christians can acknowledge pagan-origin leftovers in language without believing that using those words makes the practice pagan. It also implies that some cultural habits are so entrenched that total separation through renaming is unrealistic, so churches must choose their battles thoughtfully.
- He compares Easter’s name debate to “Sunday” and “Saturday,” saying “both of those words are of pagan origin.”
- Yet he asks practically, “how do you stop it?” indicating the limits of renaming.
- He cites the Quakers: they tried a calendar that removed pagan day/month names, but “their calendar never caught on… because… [the names] are too entrenched in our culture.”
- He concludes it’s “very hard to get most English-speaking people to change the name from Easter to Pascha.”
- His own stance is moderate: he has “no problem calling it Easter,” though he prefers “Pascha,” and also appreciates “Resurrection Sunday.”