Every year around this time my newsfeed becomes filled with articles and opinions about Christians allowing their kids to hunt Easter eggs. Most of those articles, on both sides of the debate, have valid points and probably are written with good intentions. So as I chime in on the controversy realize that my intention is to inform you of where I stand and not necessarily convince you to believe one way or the other.

There is little doubt that the origination of the Easter Bunny and Easter Eggs was pagan. The Goddess Eostre was the goddess of fertility and she was depicted as a bunny due to the rapid reproductive rate of rabbits. Eggs were an ancient symbol of fertility and eventually these two were combined to create the legend of an Easter bunny. That’s a quick summary. If you want to watch a short video that gives more information then click here.

Obviously there are heated debates on both sides of this issue but Romans 14 gives me insight on how I should handle controversial subjects where Scripture is not 100% clear on the matter.

  1. Don’t argue over it. Romans 14:1
  2. If I’m offended by Easter eggs and the Easter bunny, I might be weaker in my faith than I think. After all, Paul said to avoid meat offered to idols for the sake of the weaker brother, not because there was anything wrong with the meat. Romans 14:2
  3. Do not let this issue cause division. Romans 14:3-4
  4. Those who celebrate differently than me aren’t necessarily less spiritual than me. They are just not convicted the same way I am. Romans 14:5-9
  5. I am responsible for my response to my convictions, not someone else’s response to my convictions. Romans 14:10-12
  6. If I have a friend or family member who still struggles with the worship of Estore I probably should avoid eating rabbits. Romans 14:13-23

As Christians, we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus every day. We gather as a church family to celebrate corporately on Sundays since Jesus arose on the first day of the week. Some, however, only show up to church once a year and Easter Sunday is that day. We will be having an Easter egg hunt at our church because I believe it is a tradition that is harmless. My kids were raised hunting Easter eggs and I assure you that they know far more about Jesus and His resurrection than they do about Estore, the goddess of fertility.

So how should Christians respond to Easter egg hunts and Easter Bunnies? My answer is, “Respond in the way you feel convicted to respond.” I’m not going to judge your conviction and please, don’t judge mine.

He is Risen!

Pastor Marty