Pilgrimage and celebration

• 'Easter is the most important celebration'
• 1 Corinthians 15:17: '"If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins"'
• All of Christianity hinges on the resurrection, which is celebrated at Easter
• Easter is essential for salvation
• Without the crucifixion, there is no atonement
• Without the resurrection, there is no eternal life
• Easter is important because of what is being celebrated and what this means for Christians today (salvation and eternal life)
• Easter gives Christians 'evidence' about Jesus - it is essential for demonstrating his identity as Son of God
• Easter celebrates Jesus' victory over sin and death (more significant than his birth?)
• Easter has not become as commercialised as Christmas - focus remains on Jesus / God
• "Christmas reveals the immense love of God for humanity" (Pope Francis)
• Easter is about your own salvation whereas Christmas is about giving to others
• Christmas is more important because the incarnation is more significant - if Jesus had not been born, God would not have entered the world
• Without Christmas, Easter would not have happened (and so everything achieved at Easter depends on Christmas) - it is most important
• The Nativity (which is celebrated at Christmas) is central to Christian faith - the Word becomes flesh!
• Christmas brings more people together and involves more people - it is more important to people today
• Christmas is more about giving to others, coming together and thinking of the less fortunate, which is putting faith into action (rather than thinking about your own salvation) - what Christianity is all about