Passover and Easter: The Symbolic Structuring of Sacred Seasons » (New Edition)

Passover and Easter constitute for Jews and Christians respectively the most important festivals of the year. A group of distinguished Jewish and Christian scholars explores the history of the two celebrations, paying particular attention to similarities and connections between them as well as to differences and contrasts. They not only present a convenient summary of current historical thought but also open up new perspectives on the evolution of these annual observances. Passover and Easter: The Symbolic Structuring of Sacred Seasons, focuses on the contexts in which they occur - the periods of preparation for the feasts in the respective calendars and their connection to Shavuot/Pentecost - as well as to their traditional expression in art and music. At the same time, the essays raise some fundamental questions about the future. Have modern human beings so lost the sense of sacred time in their lives, for instance, that these great feasts can never again be what they once were for former generations of believers? And what about recent attempts by some Christians to enter into their heritage by celebrating a Jewish Seder as part of their annual Holy Week and Easter services?