Easter 2025: Perth’s religious leaders reflect on the importance of Jesus Christ’s resurrection

On the most significant day of the Christian calendar, Perth’s religious leaders reflect on the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The Christian Gospels record Jesus as saying to his followers, on the eve of his own suffering and death, “Peace I bequeath to you, my own peace I give you”. It is a remarkable thing to say for someone who knew full-well the horrors that awaited him. The violence he experienced was as senseless as so much of the violence presently engulfing many parts of the world. This Easter, as we recall the suffering which Jesus endured, we might wonder what happened to this promise of peace. That Jesus could promise peace amid his own suffering alerts us to the kind of peace about which he was speaking. It is a peace which is both a gift and a task. It is not enough to long for peace, as we all do. We must also work for peace: we must, again in the words of Jesus, become peacemakers. For many of us this will, perhaps, mean a change of heart. It is not possible to be a peacemaker if I take offence at every perceived slight against me. It is not possible to be a peacemaker if I demand that my own opinions or projects must always take precedence over those of others. It is not possible to be a peacemaker if I refuse to acknowledge the dignity and value of every human person, including those who belong to a different race, culture or religion. And all of this applies equally to relationships within my family, to the society in which I live, and to the wider world of which we are all a part. In the Jewish tradition, from within which Christianity was born, one of the prophets speaks these words in the name of God: I shall give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I shall remove the heart of stone from your bodies and give you a heart of flesh instead. The teachings of Jesus and his promise of peace, confirmed in Christian belief by his resurrection from the dead, speak to this divine promise. The blessing of peace is not an impossible dream: it is a gift which is offered to all who are prepared to allow their hearts to be changed. For those of religious faith some other words from the Jewish scriptures might become our Easter prayer: A pure heart create for me, O God, but a steadfast spirit within me. Archbishop Tim Costelloe SDB, Catholic Archbishop of Perth Anniversaries matter. We celebrate them. They remind us of the past and encourage us to think about the on-going significance of our memories. Sometimes we celebrate on the date. Often, we choose convenient times. Although celebrated at different times, all Christians remember Jesus, his death on a cross, and his followers’ experience of him risen to life at Easter. All years have anniversaries, personal or communal. 2025 is no different. It is the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz, the death of Anne Frank, and of the atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. These remind us of how humans inflict suffering. These anniversaries remind us of their on-going significance, calling us to say, ‘Never again!’ Humans are capable of inflicting great suffering. People of faith have done so much harm in the name of faith. Nevertheless, professed atheists have also shown they can harm as many. It seems to be about our humanity and a tendency to exercise power over others. In contrast, all faiths oppose inflicting suffering. Easter reminds Christians that, at the centre of our faith is Jesus of Nazareth, who refused to inflict suffering. Rather he endured it, showing another way of responding. Jesus advocated healing and helping and called his followers to do to others what they wanted others to do to them. Christianity is not alone in teaching this. You can find it in the Jewish tradition in which Jesus grew up and in most other traditions. Although the followers of Jesus too often do their own thing, Easter calls us back: to see how Jesus refused to return evil for evil or abuse those making him suffer. He prayed, “Father, forgive them for they don’t know what they are doing.” Jesus wouldn’t allow himself to be driven to be who others wanted him to be. He valued all people – which challenged ‘us and them’ assumptions. Jesus refused to advocate violence or to force people to follow him. Christians and Church people still find him challenging and are still catching up. However, they do keep following. Easter, as an anniversary, calls us to remember the life and death and resurrection of Jesus. It invites us to live as he lived. Everyone can find things to value in Jesus. Christians understand the coming of Jesus to be God’s coming to us: bringing love, acceptance, and forgiveness so through faith in Jesus we might be reconciled to God. This Easter, as we gather with family or friends or enjoy the holidays, whatever our particular beliefs, may we all think again of what it means to be human: to value every person, to do to everyone what we would have them do to us, so that, faith or no faith, this is a fruitful time. And for those who are curious about Christian faith, I encourage you to check out the churches around you. They may be helpful. They’ve kept the Jesus story alive, even as it critiques how they live. Rev Dr Ian Tozer, Moderator of the Uniting Church in Western Australia Memory is a powerful thing. It is the thread that weaves together the story of our lives, shaping our identity, linking us to our past, and influencing our future. Some memories fill us with warmth, bringing joy and comfort, while others remind us of pain, loss, and the hard-earned lessons that have shaped us. A familiar melody, an old photograph, a fragrant scent, a scar on our skin, a family recipe, or even the weather — any of these can unlock the doors of memory, transporting us to moments that feel distant yet are suddenly close once again. The Christian story is filled with memories that are not merely recollections of the past, but encounters with the crucified, risen and ascended Lord. Memories of the great gift of God’s love in which people have and continue to find hope. Hope is essential to us humans. It enables us to believe that things beyond our reach are worth striving for, and that the challenges we currently face are not permanent but will come to a resolution. It is more than just optimism or wishful thinking. It is not a distraction or denial of reality. For Christians hope means living in an uncertain world with an awareness that God is ever present, mysteriously holding all things in love and directing them toward goodness. This Easter we are shockingly aware of the many, many places in the world where hope of peace, of justice, of love shining through seems to be out of reach. The message of the death and resurrection of Jesus is that hope never ends, that in his resurrection we have the assurance that darkness will never have the final word. May this Holy Week and Easter season be a true encounter with hope and the love of God for you. My prayer is that this Easter will shape how we live, love, and hope in the days to come so that, whatever is taking place in a shaking world, ‘Alleluia’ will be a song of hope, love, and faith that many people can sing. Happy Easter. The Most Reverend Kay Goldsworthy AO, Archbishop of Perth Every three years, Australia has a Federal Election. It is how we decide who will lead us. The parties make promises and lay out their political and economic agendas. They seek our support for the type of leadership they have on offer. Each year, we celebrate Easter, a reminder of a different kind of leadership. In exercising his leadership, Jesus faced resistance from the Jewish leaders and intense mockery and humiliation at the hands of the Roman authorities. He demonstrated incredible perseverance in the face of adversity and rejection. Yet he stayed true to the Mission that God his Father had given him for the salvation of human beings. Ultimately, it resulted in Jesus’ death on the Cross for our sins. As we juxtapose these two styles of leadership — our political mechanisms verse the stories of Jesus — we are enlightened by the stark contrasts. Jesus is not offering tax cuts or promising to spend money on us. He has offered himself that we might have life. His leadership transcends the political realm. His type of leadership has the potential to reshape our thoughts, feelings, intentions, and destiny. Jesus’ leadership was and is unparalleled. He is the only one who has power over death and the grave (John 11:25) and the only one who can forgive sins and offer eternal life (John 3:16). The apostle Peter, one of Jesus’ closest followers, said: “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). Every federal election is focused on particular issues — unemployment, cost of living, immigration policy, etc. The people vote, and leaders are appointed. Easter is different. God has seen that we need a saviour. Only one could be that saviour. Jesus has demonstrated through the quality of his life that he is worthy. He has secured our salvation through his surrender to death on our behalf. The raising to life of Jesus on Easter Sunday is the proof of God’s appointment of Jesus to be the True Leader — the Lord of All. We don’t get to vote on this, but we are warmly invited to place our trust in Jesus as the one God has appointed as Saviour and Lord — the one through whom our sins are forgiven and our eternal life secured. May you have a happy and safe Easter. Reverend Victor Owuor, Director of Ministries, Baptist Churches Western Australia