Thank you for asking a question that may be heard worldwide. Non-Christians love to suggest that Christians and Christian festivals are somehow steeped in paganism, while well-meaning Christians often fail to make important distinctions while discussing the subject. I am not sure a one-page answer will be enough to satisfy you, but it can perhaps identify important distinctions to be maintained.

Is the name Easter derived from that of a pagan goddess? This is quite possible, although some philologists say that Easter comes from the word “east,” referring to the rising of the sun and linking to Christ’s resurrection. The term is shrouded in enough mystery; it would be speculative to say precisely how the term Easter became the name used for the day we celebrate Christ’s bodily resurrection. Nevertheless, we note that many etymological theories derive the name from some pagan goddess. So let’s not contest that point. Let’s move on to more important issues.

Let’s distinguish between the event and the name given to it

Even if the term Easter was derived from the name of a pagan goddess, using that name need not signal a compromise of the truth or a deficient faith. Generally speaking, Christians use the name Easter because of long-standing custom. If there ever were pagan associations with the term, they have long ago ceased.

Many terms in common usage have strange origins that no one thinks about anymore. Each day of the week was named after a pagan god or goddess, e.g., the Sun’s day, the Moon’s day, Saturn’s day. The pagan associations with these names have long ceased to be meaningful. As we worship on various days, we are not giving any tribute to the pagan deities to which those days were once dedicated. Word origins often fade into obscurity. God looks upon the heart and sees the believer’s intention to worship him and does not mistake it for idolatry. Christians who celebrate Easter commemorate the resurrection of Jesus Christ; they do not honor any imaginary goddess.

Let’s distinguish between sinful and potentially unwise customs

The term we use for the festival day is an adiaphoron, that is, something that is neither commanded nor forbidden in Scripture. We must be careful not to call something sinful which God has not. Similarly, there is no command in the Bible to celebrate Easter on any special day or to worship on Sunday or any other day of the week. In their God-given freedom, Christians choose to worship and to give festivals special names.