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The Easter Bunny and painted eggs may not appear in the Bible, but the symbols are intimately connected to the story of Christ's resurrection, according to two local experts.
Rabbits and eggs often are interpreted as fertility symbols or as avatars of vitality to usher in the spring season, said Rebekka King, an assistant professor of religious studies who focuses on Christianity at Middle Tennessee State University. Even the word Easter is linked to the idea of fertility.
"If we wanted to trace it back etymologically, we can trace it to the Near East all the way back to the Sumerians and ...