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The Eastern Orthodox Easter
Are there more than one Easter?

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!

For a great article on the different dates of Easter, how these differences came about, and recent attempts to resolve them.

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.

For more information about the major families of Christianity. What they are, who they are, where they are. With statistics, charts and maps to give you a clear picture of the wider Christian community. The Families of Christianity

For more on Eastern Orthodox Christianity

For more on Easter

Easter Prayers

Charles Henderson

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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.  

For more information about Charles Henderson.