Expert: Sister Laurel M. O`Neal - 4/13/2004

Question
Why don't Christians celebrate more of the Jewish holidays, such as Passover?  They celebrate traditions that we, as Christians, also believe.  I know that during the first few centuries of Christianity, Christians most likely continued to go to temple and celebrate these holidays.  Is it merely because they were trying to be more inclusive to the gentiles?  Or we had new ways of celebrating these holidays?  (Christ being the blood of the lamb at Passover, or Lent being a time of attonement instead of Yom Kippur)

Answer
Dear Cathleen,
   My apologies. My ISP has added spam fighting measures and apparently some ALLEXPERTS questions got categorized that way. Thus I didn't see your question until just a few moments ago.
   In the early Church many of the original Christians were still Jewish. Christianity was actually considered a sect within Judaism. Thus, what actually happened was Gentile Christians had to be "dispensed" from many of the requirements of Judiasm. This was true especially of halakic matters, food, circumcision, etc. WIth regard to the central Jewish festivals you are right about some of the reason. Afterall the Triduum marked our definitive passover. During this time Jesus was the passover lamb and sufered, died, and rose again. He implicated God into the realm of human sin and godless death, and further changed us as well. In so doing he accomplished the reconciliation of humankind with God. This thus became our central festival, the definitive action of God in human history which not only sums up Jewish history and hope, but also ALL human history and hope. Passover had once summarized this history and activity of God. Now that had been surpassed and incorporated into Jesus' own story, and especially in the story and theology of the cross.

The final break from Judaism came about late in the first century, and was a mutual separating from one another as well as the climax of a history of increasing conflict. Added to this, Paul's ministry to the Gentiles raised a number of critical questions and his theology of Law and Gospel, among other things sharpened the crisis, and opened the faith to non-Christians. All of this contributed to the split between Christians and Jews, and all of it assisted the reconceptualization of liturgical life in the church. Understanding Jesus as the summation and culmination of Jewish history and theology however, was the really critical factor in choosing how and what to celebrate.

Hope this is some help to you. If it raises more questions or requires clarification please get back to me. In the meantime, my very best for a joyous Easter Sunday.

Sincerely,
Sister Laurel