Is the Easter Bunny a secular attempt to distract people from the true meaning of Easter? That’s up to you. For now, who is the Easter bunny anyway? And how did a rabbit become connected to Easter?
In AD 595, monks from Rome were sent by Pope Gregory to England to convert the Anglo Saxons to Christianity. Under the Pope’s instructions, the missionaries convinced the pagan Britons to integrate their ancient celebrations with Christian festivities.
The Anglo Saxons worshiped the goddess Eostre and held feasts in her honor on the March Equinox. Known as the goddess of springtime or dawn, Eostre (or sometimes seen as Eostra or Eastre) is associated with rabbits, pastels, and springtime celebrations. So the Roman monks were able to encourage the Anglo Saxons to celebrate Jesus Christ’s resurrection at Easter, as long as the rabbit remained.
The first fictional story of the Easter Bunny was published by the 1680s. The legend of the Easter Bunny was fortified through the traditions of German immigrants who settled in the United States in the 1700s. Over time, the Easter Bunny and the hunt for his Easter eggs have become a cultural association of the Easter holiday, especially for children.
In other cultures, such as Ancient Rome and even prior, rabbits were associated with rebirth and new life because of their prolific fertility. Because of this, people would include rabbits on their gravestones.
Although there is no direct biblical connection between Jesus and rabbits, his resurrection promises new life! “If anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here” (2 Corinthians 5:17). And these furry, multiplying creatures inspire Christians to multiply too, as we “make disciples” (Matthew 28:19).
PRAYER: Jesus, thank you for new, abundant life through your resurrection. I pray that your living love produces even more living love in me and our world. Amen.
EVANGELISM ACTION: Share this with a friend who needs Jesus.