Switching Sides

[Peter]

Most Christians believe that all Christians celebrate Easter, and that on the date coming up in a few weeks.

Western Christians (Roman Catholics/Protestants) will celebrate the Resurrection of Christ (Easter) on March 23.

Eastern Christians (Orthodox) will celebrate the Resurrection of Christ (Pascha. Greek for Passover) on April 27.

Western Christians use a formula that was an inovation of Rome in the 16th century (c. 1582).

Eastern Christians use a formula that was adopted in the 4th century (c. 323).

Prior to 1752, most Protestants resisted the Roman inovation and followed the Eastern formula. Today they embrace Rome's change.

Why?

 

[Secundulus]

Most Christians believe that all Christians celebrate Easter, and that on the date coming up in a few weeks.

Western Christians (Roman Catholics/Protestants) will celebrate the Resurrection of Christ (Easter) on March 23.

Eastern Christians (Orthodox) will celebrate the Resurrection of Christ (Pascha. Greek for Passover) on April 27.

Western Christians use a formula that was an inovation of Rome in the 16th century (c. 1582).

Eastern Christians use a formula that was adopted in the 4th century (c. 323).

Prior to 1752, most Protestants resisted the Roman inovation and followed the Eastern formula. Today they embrace Rome's change.

Why?

Is it the day or the event that we celebrate?

If we are celebrating the resurrection, then what difference does it make to God on which day we celebrate it?

 

[Peter]

Nice dodge, but it doesnt answer the question. Why did the Protestants suddenly say the Pope's formula was the right one?

And to answer your question....everything within the "One, holy, catholic and apostolic church."

 

[a_ntv]

Western Christians use a formula that was an inovation of Rome in the 16th century (c. 1582).

Eastern Christians use a formula that was adopted in the 4th century (c. 323).

That is not true.

In the 4th century was decided NOT to follow the Jewish Easter

It was decided that Pascha is the Sunday after first full moon after the Equinox of Spring (the day when the Sun covers all the world).

The Equinox is something from astronomy: there is NO doubt about it ---> the first full moon after the equinox (easy to be find)----> next Sunday is Pascha.

(for 2008: Vernal Equinox is 20 March (link)---> full moon is 21 March (link)---->Pascha is 23 March (link))

This was the decision of the IV century.

The Western Christians PERFECTLY follows this rule

The Eastern Christians do NO more follow this rule.

Why? because in the IV or V century was prepared a book for the calculation of Pascha (called Paschalia, that is NOT printed in the Nicean Council): this book wanted to follow the above rule, but it has errors:
- in some year this book has errors of calculation (about 2 or 3 days), and
- this book starts on the Julian calendar, that runs too fast: so the vernal equinox calculated with the Julian calendar is NOT the astronomy one, but it is about 15 days after it.

The sum of the two above mistakes has the result that the Estern Church, who still follow such un-correct book, do NOT follow the IV century rule, and in the future they are going to celerate Pascha in the astronomical June...

So, this year 2008, if we all could choose some place on earth, say Jerusalem, to observe the celestial events according to the mandate of Nicea: Then, as stated by Nicea, observe the spring equinox, observe the full moon, go to church the very next Sunday and celebrate Pascha. It's as simple, as straightforward as that. If we do this first, without any prior reference to a calendar to argue about, and then check the date (using the US civil calendar in order to be neutral), we will find it to be March 23, Pascha according to the Gregorian reckoning and not April 27, Pascha according to the Julian reckoning, the "traditional Paschalia."

So the calculation of Pascha in the West is right, and is according the spirit and the letter of the IV century decision,
The calculation of Pascha in the East is wrong, not following the spirit of the IV century, and making wrong calculation.

 

[Bessie]

The date of the equinox was calculated differently at the time that the council set it. The "modern" calendar and the science that comes with it means that the understanding of when the equinox falls has changed.

Also, this is a big difference between Eastern and Western thinking. The West is very legalistic. It's all about adhering to the letter of the law and not necessarily looking at the big picture. The East focuses on the big picture,and the full cycle. That's why the understanding that it has to be after Passover is in place.

Easter is one of the few dates that we can know the time of year for because we know it happened after the Jewish Passover. We have to guess for the rest of them, and some of them were of course chosen strategically.

Bessie

 

[a_ntv]

The date of the equinox was calculated differently at the time that the council set it. The "modern" calendar and the science that comes with it means that the understanding of when the equinox falls has changed.

The equinox is an astronomical date that was extremely well since the 3000 b.c.
It is a non sens to say that the 'understanding' of the equinox was changed in modern time.
The only issue was how to predict it with years of advance: now we are able, in the IV century the method of prediction had errors of calculation

Also, this is a big difference between Eastern and Western thinking. The West is very legalistic. It's all about adhering to the letter of the law and not necessarily looking at the big picture. The East focuses on the big picture,and the full cycle. That's why the understanding that it has to be after Passover is in place.

On the contrary, the East is still extremely bound to the letter of the Paschaion book, the (approximate) method of calculation used in the Byzantine Empire in the V century, while the West looks at the whole picture, and is able to change the ancient calculation methods in order to follow the spirit of Nicaea: Pascha is the first Sunday after the full moon after the equinox

 

[Uphill Battle]

Nice dodge, but it doesnt answer the question. Why did the Protestants suddenly say the Pope's formula was the right one?

And to answer your question....everything within the "One, holy, catholic and apostolic church."

Mostly because I don't care.

I'm one of those "treats one day like any other" kind of guys.

There is no spiritual signifigance to either day in itself, and neither is likely accurate.

that answer your question?