This weekend, much of the world will celebrate Easter. Whether through Easter egg hunts or attending Easter Mass, it’s a time for families and friends to come together—a gentle reminder that we are more than just individuals and that moments of reflection are valuable.
My earliest memories of Easter involve waking up to an Easter basket filled with goodies beside my bed—a delightful gift from the Easter Bunny. After breakfast, we’d change into our new ‘Easter’ clothes, as my parents called them, and drive to downtown Chicago. We’d stroll along the lakeside, enjoying the usually pleasant spring weather. I have countless childhood photos of us posing by the lions at the Art Institute or with the stunning backdrop of Lake Michigan. As a child, I didn’t fully understand the reason behind this annual tradition, but looking back, I’m grateful my parents enriched us with these warm memories.
Since we weren’t raised religiously, we never went to church—not even for significant holidays. Growing up, I had only a vague understanding of who Christ was, and it never went much deeper than that.
It wasn’t until later in life that I truly grasped the narrative of the Passion and its importance to the Christian faith. While studying Religion Studies (an admittedly unconventional choice, given my upbringing—perhaps a story for another time), I realized just how much catching up I had to do. Over the years, I’ve come to find it remarkable how many people, even practicing Christians, don’t know the full narrative or the rich symbolism connected to Easter and the events surrounding the death and resurrection of Christ. This gap in religious understanding is especially evident in highly secular regions of Western Europe, but it’s not exclusive to them.
So, what does Easter mean to those who aren’t part of the Christian faith? Or, perhaps more accurately, what can Easter represent to those who don’t adhere to Christianity? The answer might surprise you.
Religion, as a topic, can be complex and polarizing. Many blame religion for societal issues. Others misuse it to justify their actions, while some dismiss it as outdated and irrelevant in modern life. But as a sociologist of religion, I take a different stance. To me, religion is deeply personal—it can be whatever someone wants it to be. It is a belief system, often enriched by traditions and symbols that foster a connection between the devotee and the divine. Some sociologists even argue that football fandom can resemble religious devotion, but that’s perhaps a discussion for another day.
Religious organizations, however, are a different matter. They are structured entities built around belief systems, with rules, resources, and responsibilities, much like other organizations. For now, though, I’ll focus on religion as a belief system rather than its institutional forms.
What, then, can we all learn from the narrative of Easter? At its core, Easter is about forgiveness. Yes, it’s also about sacrifice, atonement, redemption, reconciliation, and salvation—but ultimately, forgiveness stands out as the central theme.
In the Easter story, Jesus Christ’s sacrifice and resurrection symbolize God’s forgiveness of humanity, restoring the relationship between the divine and mankind. Through Christ’s death and resurrection, Christians are reminded of the light that came into the world and the promise of life after death for believers.
Stripping away the language of the New Testament, what remains is a profound tale of an innocent man who takes on the burden of others’ sins, ultimately sacrificing himself so that others may find redemption. It’s a powerful reminder that we, as humans, have the capacity to forgive. Despite our flaws and mistakes, true and sincere forgiveness can pave the way for healing and renewal.
Forgiveness, however, doesn’t mean condoning wrongdoings. It’s about clearing the path for moving forward in a healthier, more constructive way. A friend of mine, who often reads autobiographies of women who have experienced assault, once shared her frustration: “In all the books I’ve read, the women always forgive their assaulters.” She couldn’t understand why. I told her, “Forgiveness isn’t about saying ‘what you did was okay.’ It’s about finding a way to move on.”
This insight isn’t my own invention—it’s something I learned from the Passion narrative. Sometimes, innocence is sacrificed for the sake of understanding the transformative power of forgiveness. To be clear, I don’t mean this literally. Please don’t sacrifice innocent humans and animals.
In today’s world, we are often so divided—by politics, money, and misconceptions about others. Anger drowns out understanding, and people frequently react to words without grasping their true meaning. As a society, we’re losing our ability to listen, to empathize, and to connect. We’re forgetting how to be a community—to care for one another, to understand one another, and to forgive one another.
This Easter Sunday, as you watch your children hunt for eggs, share a family brunch, or simply relax on the couch with chocolate eggs and old movies, take a moment for gratitude and forgiveness. Let it be a gift to yourself and those around you. Happy Easter.
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RosieGlobal 
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