In most years a large number of Christians celebrate Easter on a Sunday other than the one Protestants and Catholics recognize. 2014 was unusual in that the Eastern Orthodox churches celebrated Easter on April 20, just like most Protestants and Catholics. But in some years, Orthodox Christians celebrate Christ's resurrection on a Sunday later in April or even in May. In 2016, the date of Easter for most Christians will be March 27, while for Eastern Orthodox Christians will be May 1st.
What accounts for this difference, and which denominations have it right?
The Eastern
Orthodox method of calculating the date of Easter is based upon the older Julian
calendar, whereas Protestants and Catholics adopted the "modernized"
Gregorian calendar beginning in 1582. Simple math will tell you that the Orthodox
churches have the weight of tradition on their side!
There have been numerous
attempts to resolve these differences over the years. One such proposal would
be to celebrate Easter on a fixed date each year. April 15th has been proposed.
But that runs against the strongly felt tradition of celebrating Easter on a Sunday,
thus making it a "moveable feast," as it has been for nearly two thousand
years. There are other, more complicated, proposals for reconciling the dates
of Easter being considered by the World Council of Churches, but thus far no agreement
has been reached.
Moreover the urgency of the situation is mitigated
somewhat by a happy coincidence. As indicated above, in 2014 the dates were the same. This happens again in 2017.
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The Rev. Charles P. Henderson is a Presbyterian minister and
Executive Director of CrossCurrents.
He is the author of God and Science (John Knox Press, 1986).
A revised and expanded version of the book is appearing here. God and Science (Hypertext Edition,
2005).
He is also editor of a new book, featuring articles by world class scientists and theologians, and illustrating the leading views on the relationship between science and religion: Faith, Science and the Future (CrossCurrents Press, 2007).
Charles also tracks the boundry between the virtual and the real at his blog: Next World Design, focusing on the mediation of art, science and spirituality in the metaverse.