Germanic Neopaganism

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Germanic Neopaganism, Heathenism or Heathenry is the modern revival of historical Germanic paganism.Precursor movements appeared in the early 20th century in Germany and Austria. A second wave of revival began in the early 1970s, variously under the branches of "Ásatrú", "Odinism", "Forn Sed", and "Theodism".

Attitude and focus of adherents may vary considerably, from strictly historical polytheistic reconstructionism to syncretist (eclectic), pragmatic psychologist, occult or mysticist approaches. Germanic Neopagan organizations cover a wide spectrum of belief and ideals.

Beliefs

Theism

Heathens are polytheists, believing in a number of gods and goddesses.

Germanic Neopaganism (as opposed to Neopaganism in general) is often defined as reconstructionist. Not all adherents subscribe to the reconstructionist philosophy, but follow more new age and individualistic self-empowering concepts, rather than attempting to restore or reconstruct the ancient beliefs of the original Germanic pagans.

Ethics

Ethics in Germanic Neopaganism are guided by an elaborate concept of 'soul' and 'self’,Fact|date=December 2007 personal "ørlög" or Wyrd and even luck. The belief in Wyrd - a concept of fatalism or determinism, similar to some Graeco-Roman concepts of destiny is a commonly held belief amongst most Germanic Neopagans. [http://www.asatru-u.org/beginner/asau-beginner-outline.htm] [http://wodening.ealdriht.org/swain/asatru.html] People's personal destinies are shaped in part by what is past, in part by what they and others are now doing, by the vows they take and contracts they enter into.

The Germanic Neopagan community is primarily bound together by common symbological and social concepts. Personal character and virtue is emphasized: truthfulness, self-reliance, and hospitality are important moral distinctions, underpinning an especially cherished notion of honour. [http://www.runestone.org/flash/declaration.htm]

Germanic Neopaganism notably lacks any discussion of redemption, salvation, or perfection, as well as their conceptual precursors.

The Asatru Folk Assembly and the Odinic Rite encourages recognition of an ethical code, the Nine Noble Virtues, which are culled from various sources, including the "Hávamál" from the Poetic Edda.

Germanic Neopaganism reveres the natural environment in principle;Fact|date=December 2007 Germanic Neopaganism opposes neither technology nor its material rewards. More mystical currents of Heathenry may be critical of industrialization or modern society, but even such criticism will focus on decadence, lack of virtue or balance, rather than being a radical criticism of technology itself. [cite book| last =Coulter| first =Hjuka| authorlink = | coauthors = | year =2003| title = Germanic Heathenry| publisher =Authorhouse | location = | id =ISBN 1-4107-6585-7 ]

Theodish groups operate under specific "thau". "Thau" is defined as the customs and beliefs of a specific tribe,Fact|date=December 2007 and each theodish tribe has their own thau which may or may not be mirrored in other theodish (and indeed some non-theodish) circles.Fact|date=December 2007

Rites and practices

The primary deities of Germanic Neopaganism are those of Anglo-Saxon religion and of Norse Mythology (see list of Norse gods). Germanic Neopaganism also has a component of ancestor worship or veneration, as well as animism. In the simplest form, the gods are viewed as distant ancestors or progenitors who are honoured and revered, while in the adherent's personal practices, direct ancestors (referred to sometimes as "Dis") are often praised and honoured during the rituals of sumbel and blót. Animism or land veneration is most evident in the rituals dedicated to the elves and wights. [http://www.webcom.com/~lstead/RBWights.html]

Blót

Blót is the historical Norse term for sacrifice or ritual slaughter. In Germanic Neopaganism, blóts are often celebrated outdoors in nature, the celebrants sometimes clad in home-made Medieval Scandinavian attire. A blót may be highly formalized, but the underlying intent resembles inviting and having an honored guest or family member in for dinner. Food and drink may be offered. Most of this will be consumed by the participants, and some of the drink will be poured out onto the soil as a libation. Home-brewed mead as the "Germanic" drink "par excellence" is popular. [http://asatru.org/gothar.html] [http://www.thetroth.org/memsvc/stewards/flyers/tarndt/Blot_Basics_10_31_03.pdf]

Offerings during a blót usually involve mead or other alcohol, sometimes food, sometimes song or poetry, specially written for the occasion or for a particular deity, is delivered as an offering. The blót ritual may be based on historical example, scripted for the occasion or may be spontaneous. Certain Germanic Neopagan groups, most notably the Theodish, strictly adhere to historical formulaic ritual, while other groups may use modernized variants. Usual dress for a blót is whatever suits the seasons - many blóts are outdoors, sometimes at sacred sites. Some Germanic Neopagans, most notably the Theodish, wear clothing modeled on those of the Anglo-Saxon or Norse 'Viking' during ritual, while others eschew this practice.

umbel

Sumbel (also spelled "symbel") is a Norse and Anglo-Saxon drinking rite in which an intoxicating drink (usually mead or ale) is passed around an assembled table. At each passing of the drink, participants make a short speech, usually following the pattern of "Toast-Boast-Oath", see "Bragarfull". The Toast honors some mentor, revered relative, or favorite god of the participant. The Boast is an opportunity for the participant to honour himself in terms of some good work accomplished. The Oath is a promise to carry out some good work in the future. Participants are not required to say anything and may simply pass the drink along. Oaths made during Sumbel are considered binding upon the individuals making them. Another common pattern is to toast to a god or virtue, then a hero or ancestor, and the final round being either open, or else given to either a boast or an oath. [http://www.ealdriht.org/symbel.html]

eid

Seid and Spae are forms of "sorcery" or "witchcraft", the latter having aspects of prophecy and shamanism. Seid and spae are not common rituals, and are not engaged in by many adherents of Germanic Neopaganism. Usually seid or spae rituals are modeled after the ritual detailed in the Saga of Eric the Red: a "seiðkona" dressed in traditional garb will sit on a high-seat or platform and prophesize in a formulaic manner as women sing or chant galdr around her. In the UK, seidr relies less on formal ritual and more informal practices of healing (Blain, 2002b), protection, and for developing links with land and ancestors. It may be related - in past and present - to alterations of consciousness and negotiations with otherworld beings.

The "berserkergangr" may be described as a sort of religious ecstasy, associated with Odin, and thus a masculine variant of the 'effeminate' ecstasy of Seid. [http://www.ealdriht.org/spa.html]

Terminology

Different terms exist for the various types of Germanic Neopaganism. Some terms are specific in reference whereas other are blanket terms for a variety of groups.

In a 1997 article in "Pagan Dawn" [ Arlea Anschütz and Stormerne Hunt, " [http://www.wyrdwords.vispa.com/heathenry/callusheathen.html Call us Heathens!] "] , the authors list as more or less synonymous the terms "Northern Tradition", "Norse Tradition", "Ásatrú", "Odinism", "Germanic Paganism", "Teutonic Religion", "The Elder Troth" (as the name of a specific organization and at the same time an attempt to replace "trú" with an English equivalent) and "Heathenry". "Forn Siðr" and its equivalents has become a popular self-designation in Scandinavian Neopaganism. The terms "Odalism" and "Wotanism" designate currents of white supremacism outside of mainstream Germanic Neopaganism.

Ásatrú

"Ásatrú" is an Old Norse compound derived from "Ása", the plural genitive of Áss, which refers to the Æsir, (one of the two families of gods in Norse mythology, the other being the Vanir), and "trú", literally "troth" or "faith". Thus, Ásatrú is the "Æsir's faith." The term is the Old Norse/Icelandic translation of "Asetro", a neologism coined in the context of 19th century romantic nationalism, used by Edvard Grieg in his 1870 opera "Olaf Trygvason". "Ásatrúar", sometimes used as a plural in English, is properly the genitive of Ásatrú.

Use of "Ásatrú" for Germanic paganism preceding 19th century revivalist movements is an anachronism. Likewise, the use of "Ásatrú" as a synonym for Germanic Neopaganism, while widespread in the USA, can be misleading.

The term "Vanatru" is coined after "Ásatrú", implying a focus on the Vanir (a second tribe of gods in Germanic paganism) rather than the Æsir.

Forn Siðr

Old Norse "Forn Siðr", Anglo-Saxon "Fyrnsidu" and its modern Scandinavian analogues "Forn Sed", all meaning "Old Custom", is used as a term for pre-Christian Germanic culture in general, and for Germanic Neopaganism in particular, mostly by groups in Scandinavia. Old Norse "forn" "old" is cognate to Sanskrit "purana", English "far". Old Norse "siðr" "custom" (not to be confused with "sīðr" "late"), Anglo-Saxon "sidu", "seodu" "custom", cognate to Greek "ethos", in the sense of "traditional law, way of life, proper behaviour". In meaning, the term corresponds exactly to Sanskrit "sanātana dharma", the native term for Hinduism. In contradistinction to "Ásatrú", "inn forni siðr" is actually attested in Old Norse, contrasting with "inn nýi siðr" "the new custom", and similarly "Heiðinn siðr", contrasting with "Kristinn siðr", and "í fornum sið" "in old (heathen) times". [Zoega]

Forn Siðr is also the name of the largest Danish pagan society, which since 2003 is recognized by the Danish government (meaning they have the right to conduct weddings, etc.)

Heathenry

"Heathen" (Old English "hæðen", Old Norse "heiðinn") was coined as a translation of Latin "paganus", in the Christian sense of "non-Abrahamic faith".

In the Sagas, the terms "heiðni" and "kristni" (Heathenry and Christianity) are used as polar terms to describe the older and newer faiths. Historically, the term was influenced by the Gothic term "*haiþi", appearing as "haiþno" in Ulfilas' bible for translating "gunē Hellēnis", "Greek (i.e. gentile) woman" of Mark 7:26, probably with an original meaning "dwelling on the heath", but it was also suggested that it was chosen because of its similarity to Greek "ethne" "gentile" or even that it is not related to "heath" at all, but rather a loan from Armenian "hethanos", itself loaned from Greek "ethnos".

The "Miercinga Rice Theod" and several other groups, narrow the sense of the word to Germanic Neopaganism in particular, and prefer it over "Neopagan" as a self-designation. From the official "Miercinga Rice Theod" website: [http://www.ealdriht.org/modules/heathenry/] ] Anschütz, Arlea. Hunt, Stormerne. "Call us Heathens!" for "Pagan Dawn" journal (1997) Online: [http://www.wyrdwords.vispa.com/heathenry/callusheathen.html] ]

"Heathenry" is used for strictly polytheistic reconstructionist approaches, as opposed to syncretic, occult or mysticist approaches.cite book | first=Swain | last=Wodening | authorlink= | coauthors= | year=2003 | title=Hammer of the Gods: Anglo-Saxon Paganism in Modern Times | edition= | publisher=Global Book Publisher | location= | id=ISBN 1-59457-006-X ] cite book| last =Coulter| first =Hjuka| authorlink = | coauthors = | year =2003| title = Germanic Heathenry| publisher =Authorhouse | location = | id =ISBN 978-1410765857] While some practitioners use the term "Heathenry" as an equivalent to Paganism, others use it much more specifically. It is used by those who are re-creating the old religion and world view from the literary and archaeological sources. They describe themselves as "Heathen" in part to distinguish themselves from other pagans whose rituals come from more modern sources.

"Heathenry" is now the most widespread term for Germanic Paganism in the UK and is promoted by UK groups such as Heathens For Progress. Many prefer "Heathenry" over the older term "Odinism" as the latter strongly implies a personal dedication to the god Odin and is therefore unsuitable for individuals who work with other gods and goddesses.

Odinism

The term Odinism was coined by Orestes Brownson in his 1848 "Letter to Protestants". [The Works of Orestes A. Brownson: Containing the Second Part of the Political Writings, ed. Henry Francis Brownson, T. Nourse (1884), p. 257] The term was re-introduced in the late 1930s by Alexander Rud Mills in Australia with his "First Anglecyn Church of Odin" and his book " [http://www.odinic-rite.org/ruddmills.html The Call of Our ancient Nordic Religion] ". In the 1960s and early 1970s, Else Christensen's "Odinist Study Group" and later the Odinist Fellowship brought the term into usage in North America. In the UK, the Odinic Rite has specifically identified themselves as "Odinists" since the 1970s, and is the longest running group to do so. Odinists do not necessarily focus on the worship of Odin and most honour the full pantheon. [http://www.odinic-rite.org/what%20is%20odinism.htm]

Theodism

Theodism, or "Þéodisc Geléafa" seeks to reconstruct the beliefs and practices of the Anglo-Saxon tribes which settled in England. "þéodisc" is the adjective of "þéod" "people, tribe", cognate to "deutsch". As it evolved, the Theodish community moved past solely Anglo-Saxon forms and other Germanic tribal groups were also being reconstituted; Theodism, in this larger sense, now encompass groups practicing tribal beliefs from Scandinavia and the Continent, following in the model set forth by the Anglo Saxon theods founded in the 1970s. The term Theodism now encompasses Norman, Frisian, Angle, Saxon, Jutish, Gothic, Alemannic, Swedish and Danish tribal cultures. This relaxing of the original term "Theodism" functionally identifies Germanic Neopagans who practice or advocate Neo-Tribalism. [http://www.thetroth.org/memsvc/stewards/flyers/benw/doctorbeowulf.pdf]

History

Romanticist Germanic mysticism

The first modern attempt at revival of ancient Germanic religion took place in the 19th century during the late Romantic Period amidst a general resurgence of interest in traditional Germanic culture, in particular in connection with romantic nationalism in Scandinavia and the related Viking revival in Victorian era Britain. Germanic mysticism is an occultist current loosely inspired by "Germanic" topics, notably runes. It has its beginnings in the early 20th century (Guido von List's "Armanism", Karl Maria Wiligut's "Ariosophy" etc.)

The last traditional pagan sacrifices in Scandinavia, at Trollkyrka, appear to date to about this time.

Organized Germanic pagan or occult groups such as the Germanische Glaubens-Gemeinschaft emerged in Germany in the early 20th century. The connections of this movement to historical Germanic paganism are tenuous at best, with emphasis lying on the esoteric as taught by the likes of Julius Evola, Guido von List and Karl Maria Wiligut.

Impact of World War II

Several early members of the Nazi Party were part of the Thule Society, a study group for German antiquity. While it is postulated that occult elements played an important role in the formative phase of Nazism, and of the SS in particular, after his rise to power, Adolf Hitler discouraged such pursuits. Point 24 of the "National Socialist Party program", stated that the party endorsed "Positive Christianity." "The National SocialistStand on Christianity" By Rev. Thomas D. Schwartz. Article from The Barnes Review, Nov./Dec. 1999, p. 55-57. Available online: [http://www.wintersonnenwende.com/scriptorium/english/archives/articles/NSChristianity.html] ]

Some Germanic mysticists were even victimized by the Nazis: Friedrich Bernhard Marby spent 99 months in KZ Dachau, and Siegfried Adolf Kummer's fate is unknown. [cite book | last =Lange| first =Hans-Jürgen| authorlink =| coauthors =| title =Weisthor: Karl Maria Wiligut - Himmlers Rasputin und seine Erben| publisher =| date= 1998| location =| pages =| url =| doi =| id = ] The founder of the original pre-Nazi "Deutsches Ahnerbe", Herman Wirth was exiled and prohibited from writing or lecturing because his views of traditional Germanic religion were perceived as incompatible with the goals of the state. Another pioneer of the revival, Ludwig Fahrenkrog, founder of the Germanic Glaubens-Gemeinschaft was prohibited from public speaking or holding religious rituals because he refused to end his public lectures and personal correspondences with the obligatory "Heil Hitler". Ernst Wachler who built the Harzer Bergtheater specifically for Germanic plays and operas was sent to KZ Auschwitz where he perished [cite book| last =Moynihan| first =Michael| authorlink =| coauthors =Stephen Flowers| title =The Secret King: Karl Maria Wiligut, Himmler's Lord of the Runes| publisher =Runa-Raven| date= 2001| location =| pages =| url =| doi =| id =ISBN 1-885972-21-0] (which however might have been due to the fact that he was of Jewish origin.Fact|date=January 2008)

Several books published by the Nazi party including "Die Gestaltung der Feste im Jahres- und Lebenslauf in der SS-Familie (The Celebrations in the Life of the SS Family)" by Fritz Weitzel, as well as the "SS Tante Friede" illustrate how the National Socialists thought traditional Germanic Heathenry was primitive superstition which needed reworking to better serve the state. Celebrating the traditional festivals like Jul and Sommersonnenwende were encouraged and recast into veneration of the Nazi state and Führer. [cite book| last =Goodrick-Clarke| first =Nicholas| authorlink =| coauthors =| title =The Occult Roots of Nazism: Secret Aryan Cults and Their Influence on Nazi Ideology| publisher =NYU Press| date= 1993| location = | pages =| url =| doi = | id =ISBN 0-8147-3060-4 ]

The appropriation of "Germanic antiquity" by the Nazis was at first regarded with skepticism and sarcasm by British Scandophiles. W. H. Auden in his "Letters from Iceland" (1936) makes fun of the idea of Iceland as an "Aryan vestige". [ My name occurs in several of the sagas,Is common over Iceland still. Down under Where Das Volk order sausages and lagersI ought to be the prize, the living wonder,The really pure from any Rassenschänder, In fact I am the great big white barbarian, The Nordic type, the too too truly Aryan."Letter to Lord Byron IV." This whole section of the poem was dropped from Auden's later collected editions, but may be found in "The English Auden," ed. by Edward Mendelson (Faber and Faber, 1977), p. 189. ] but with the outbreak of World War II, Nordic romanticism in Britain became too much associated with the enemy's ideology to remain palatable, to the point that J. R. R. Tolkien, an ardent Septentrionalist, in 1941 found himself moved to state that he had a "burning private grudge ... against that ruddy little ignoramus Adolf Hitler" for

"Ruining, perverting, misapplying, and making for ever accursed, that noble northern spirit, a supreme contribution to Europe, which I have ever loved, and tried to present in its true light." ["Letters", p. 55f.]

In Australia, led by the Odinist pioneer Alexander Rud Mills and his eventual wife, Evelyn, were Australian Odinists in the 1930s. The couple held regular ceremonies in the Dandenong Ranges, near Melbourne, until Mills himself was arrested and sent to an Australian concentration camp (Loveday, SA) early in World War II.Fact|date=January 2008

econd revival, 1960s to present

Another revival, this time based on folklore and historical research rather than on mysticist speculation, took place in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Ásatrú was recognized as an official religion by the Icelandic government in 1973, largely due to the efforts of Sveinbjörn Beinteinsson. In USA, around the same period, Else Christensen began publishing "The Odinist" newsletter and Stephen McNallen began publishing a newsletter titled "The Runestone." McNallen formed an organization called the "Asatru Free Assembly", which was later renamed the "Ásatrú Folk Assembly" (AFA) The official Asatru Folk Assembly website can be found here: [http://www.runestone.org/] ] . The AFA fractured in 1987-88, resulting in the creation of the "Ásatrú Alliance" The official Ásatrú Alliance website can be found here: [http://www.asatru.org] ] , headed by Valgard Murray, publisher of the "Vor Tru" newsletter. Around the same time, the "Ring of Troth" (now simply "The Troth") was founded by other former members of the AFA.The official Troth website can be found here: [http://www.thetroth.org/] ] .

In 1972 the spiritual descendants of Mills' Odinist movement in Australia obtained from the Attorney-General of the Commonwealth of Australia a written undertaking that open profession of Odinism in Australia would not be persecuted. The Odinic Rite of Australia subsequently obtained tax deductible status from the Australian Tax Office. The ATO accepts this as the definition of Odinism: "the continuation of ... the organic spiritual beliefs and religion of the indigenous peoples of northern Europe as embodied in the Edda and as they have found expression in the wisdom and in the historical experience of these peoples".

In 1976 Garman Lord formed the "Witan Theod", the first Theodish group. Shortly thereafter, Ealdoraed Lord founded the "Moody Hill Theod" in Watertown, New York. The "Angelseaxisce Ealdriht" formed in 1996 and was founded by Swain and Winifred Hodge. Theodism now encompasses groups practicing tribal beliefs from Scandinavia and the Continent, in addition to following in the model set forth by the early Anglo Saxon peoples.

The Odinic Rite was established in England in 1972, and in the 1990s expanded to include chapters in Germany (1995)The official Odinic Rite German chapter website: [http://odinic-rite.de/] ] , Australia (1995) The official Odinic Rite Australian chapter official website [http://www.geocities.com/osred/odinic_rite_australia.htm] ] and North American (1997) The official Odinic Rite North American chapter website: [http://www.irminsul.org/arc/199705b.html] ] . A Dutsch section was added in (2006) The official Odinic Rite Netherlands chapter website: [http://www.odinist.nl] ] .

In Germany, the "Heidnische Gemeinschaft" (HG) founded by Géza von Neményi in 1985. In 1991 the "Germanische Glaubens-Gemeinschaft" (GGG),led by von Neményi, split off from the HG. In 1997 the "Nornirs Ætt" was founded as part of the "Rabenclan" and in 2000 the Eldaring was founded. The Eldaring is affiliated with the US based Troth.

In Scandinavia, the "Swedish Asatru Society" formed in 1994, and in Norway the Åsatrufellesskapet Bifrost formed in 1996 and Foreningen Forn Sed formed in 1999. They have been recognized by the Norwegian government as a religious society, allowing them to perform "legally binding civil ceremonies" (i. e. marriages). In Denmark Forn Siðr also formed in 1999 (and recognized by the state in 2003In Danish: [http://www.fornsidr.dk/dk/60 Forklaring til Forn Siðr´s ansøgning om godkendelse som trossamfund.] ] and in Sweden "Nätverket Gimle" formed in 2001, as an informal community for individual heathens. "Nätverket Forn Sed" formed in 2004, and has a network consisting of local groups ("blotlag") from all over the Sweden.

In the UK, state recognition of Neopaganism occurred as a coincidence of the legal case "Royal Mail group PLC versus Donald Holden" in 2006. Holden, a member of the Odinist Fellowship, sued his former employer for unfair dismissal. ["The Extraordinary Case Of The Pagan And The Multicultural Prayer Room" at the National Secular Society website: [http://www.secularism.org.uk/theextraordinarycaseofthepaganan.html] ]

Germanic mysticism was mostly eclipsed by the more reconstructionist Neopagan revival in the 1970s, but there are some contemporary proponents, notably Stephen Flowers advocating "Odianism", an occultist school involving "runosophy". Historical schools of Germanic mysticism became closely linked with Nazi occultism, while contemporary currents have close ties to Alain de Benoist's "Nouvelle Droite"' and neo-fascist schools of thought such as "Integral Traditionalism" based on the writings of Julius Evola and others.

Distribution of adherents

Demographics

Today, Germanic Neopaganism is practiced throughout the world. Scandinavia, Germany, Britain, North America, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand all have numerous Germanic Neopagan organizations. Groups and practitioners also exist in Austria, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Belgium, France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Russia, in Central America (Mexico), and in South America (Argentina, Brazil, Chile).Fact|date=June 2008

The exact number of adherents worldwide is unknown, partly because of the lack of a clear definition separating Asatru (or Odinism) from other similar religions. There are perhaps a few thousand practitioners in North America (10.000 to 20.000 according to McNallen [ [http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,205271,00.html FOXNews.com - Viking Mythology Grows As Religion for Inmates - Local News | News Articles | National News | US News ] ] ), about 700 in Iceland, a thousand or so in Australia, and a few hundred in both Scandinavia and Germany, with smaller groups scattered world wide, adding to a total of around 3-6 thousand.Fact|date=June 2008 In Denmark, Forn Siðr is a legally recognized faith society (meaning they have rights to conduct weddings etc.), and have about 600 members.Fact|date=June 2008

As of 2001, the City University of New York estimated that some 140,000 people in the USA self-identify as "Pagan" Per the city University of New York website: [http://www.gc.cuny.edu/faculty/research_briefs/aris/key_findings.htm] ] (excluding Wiccan (134,000), New Age (68,000), Druid (33,000), Spiritualist (116,000) and aboriginal religions (4,000)). The total number of Neopagans worldwide has been estimated at roughly one millionAccording to Adherents.com: [http://www.adherents.com/Religions_By_Adherents.html] ] According to the Covenant of the Goddess "Pagan/Wiccan" 2000 webpoll website: [http://web.archive.org/web/20050306120304/http://www.cog.org/cogpoll_final.html] ] and according to these findings, a third each are located in the UK, the USA, and over the rest of the world.

tructure and subgroupings

Solitary practice, or practice in small circles of friends or family is common. These are often called kindreds or hearths, although often they are not formal. [http://asatru.org/thekinrd.html] Germanic Neopagan organizations have been active since the 1970s, but most of these larger groups are loose federations and do not require committed membership comparable to a church. Consequently, there is no central authority, and associations remain in a state of fluidity as factions form and break up. [http://asatru.org/thekinrd.html] [http://www.heathenthing.org/whatisheathenry.html]

There are several possibilities to analyse Germanic Neopaganism into individual currents or subgroupings.

One common approach is the classification by notions of ethnicity ("folk"). This may range from ethnic nationalist ("völkisch") attitudes with far right tendencies on one hand (the "Nouvelle Droite" of Alain de Benoist notably has ties to such currents of Neopaganism) to moderate "tribalist" notions of ethnicity as based in tradition and culture, and to "universalist" approaches which de-emphasize differences between ethnic traditions (e.g. Seax Wicca).

Another classification is by approach to historicity and historical accuracy. On one hand, there are reconstructionists who aim to understand the pre-Christian Germanic religion based on academic research and implement these reconstructed . Contrasting with this is the "traditionalist" or "folklorist", in Scandinavia known as "Folketro" or "Funtrad" (short for "Fundamentalistisk Traditionalisme") approach which emphasizes living local tradition as central.

Traditionalists will not reconstruct, but base their rituals on intimate knowledge of regional folklore. Proponents of traditionalism include the Norwegian Foreningen Forn Sed and the Swedish Samfälligheten för Nordisk Sed. Both ethnic religions reject the ideas of Romanticist or New Age currents as reflected in Asatru.

At the other end of this scale are syncretist or eclectic approaches which merge innovation or "personal gnosis" into historical or folkloristic tradition.

Note that this scale is largely independent of the approaches to "ethnicity" outlined above. Both ethnocentric and universalist Neopagans may de-emphasize historical tradition in favour of "personal gnosis", albeit for different reasons. "Folkish" currents may rely on postulated racial memory ("metagenetics") as rendering historical tradition superfluous, while universalists may welcome ahistorical input as ultimately of the same universal validity as historical tradition.

Political ideologies

Despite a common Norse or Germanic cosmology and belief system, adherents of Germanic Neopaganism hold a wide spectrum of political beliefs from left to right and green.

Mattias Gardell, reader for religious history at the University of Stockholm, categorizes Germanic Neopaganism into "militant racist", "ethnic" and "nonracist" particularly in North America. In the militant racist position, Asatru is an expression of the "Aryan racial soul". The ethnic position is that of "tribalism", ethnocentric but opposed to the militant racist position. According to Gardell, the militant racist faction has grown significantly in North America during the early 2000s estimating that, as of 2005, it accounts for 40-50% of North American Odinists or Asatruar with the other two factions at close to 30% each.cite book | first =Matthias | last =Gardell | authorlink = | coauthors = | year =2003 | month = | title =Gods of the Blood: The Pagan Revival and White Separatism | chapter = | editor = | others = | edition = | pages =269-283 | publisher =Duke University Press | location = | id =ISBN 0-8223-3071-7 | url = ]

Germanic Neopagan groups are generally organized into democratic and republican forms of church government, as inspired by the parliamentary Things of the Viking era and subsequent parliamentary systems of Britain and the Scandinavian countries. [http://www.normannii.org/thiubok/modern_heathenry.htm] [http://www.thetroth.org/organization/bylaws.html] They promote individual rights and freedom of speech reminiscent of the free jarls of Norse saga. [http://www.runestone.org/flash/faq/index.html] [http://www.heathenthing.org/whatisheathenry.html]

In the USA, early Germanic Neopagan groups such as Else Christensen's Odinist Fellowship held National Socialist philosophies, but later dropped these associations.

Currently, the three largest Germanic Neopagan groups in the USA specifically denounce racism and National Socialism. [The positions of the AA, the AFA and the Troth::From the "Asatru Alliance's" Bylaws: "The Alliance is apolitical; it is not a front for, nor shall it promote any political views of the 'Right' or 'Left'. Our Sacred temples, groves and Moots shall remain free of any political manifestations." [http://asatru.org/bylaws.html] :From the "Asatru Folk Assembly's" Bylaws: "The belief that spirituality and ancestral heritage are related has nothing to do with notions of superiority. Asatru is not an excuse to look down on, much less to hate, members of any other race. On the contrary, we recognize the uniqueness and the value of all the different pieces that make up the human mosaic." [http://runestone.org/flash/home.html] :From the "Troth's" Bylaws: "Discrimination on the basis of race, gender, ethnic origin, or sexual orientation shall not be practiced by the Troth or any affiliated group, whether in membership decisions or in conducting any of its activities." [http://www.thetroth.org/organization/bylaws.html] ] There is an antagonistic relationship between many neo-Nazis and the membership of most "Ásatrú" organizations in the USA, who view "national socialism as an unwanted totalitarian philosophy incompatible with freedom-loving Norse paganism". [ Gardell, p.276. Referring to Stephen McNallen, Valgard Murray and Edred Thorsson; the respective founders of the AFA, the AA and the Troth, which are the three largest Ásatrú groups in the USA.]

Ásatrú and the far right

Kaplan (1996) [Kaplan, Jeffrey. 1996. "The Reconstruction of the Asatru and Odinist Traditions ." In "Magical Religion and Modern Witchcraft", edited by James R. Lewis, State University of New York Press.] documents the growth of Odinism in the United States and its link with the American Neo-Nazi scene. He notes that there is a division between Odinists embracing Nazi ideology and others without racist motivations responding to "childhood memories". The tensions between racist and non-racist Odinists are cast into the "folkish" ("traditional Ásatrú") vs. "universalist" ("New Age Ásatrú") debate. [Helen A. Berger, Evan A. Leach, Leigh S. Shaffer, "Voices from the Pagan Census: A National Survey of Witches and Neo-Pagans in the United States", Studies in Comparative Religion (2003), ISBN 978-1570034886, p. 16.] It was these tensions that led to the demise of the Ásatrú Free Assembly in 1986 and the emergence of two separate movememnts, the Ásatrú Alliance and The Troth in the following year. [Nicholas Goodrick-Clarke, "Black Sun" (2002), p. 262.]

Odalism (a philosophy of Social Darwinism) and Wotanism (a racialist / neo-Nazi position held by e.g. David Lane) are two terms primarily focused on politics rather than religion.Fact|date=December 2007 On his homepage Varg Vikernes, one proponent of Odalism, explains his understanding of 'Paganism' with explicit racist referencing. [www.burzum.org: [http://www.burzum.org/eng/library/paganism01.shtml Paganism: Part I - The Ancient Religion] ]

When the FBI identified threats towards the domestic security of the USA related to the turn of the Millennium in 2000 in the Project Megiddo report, [ [http://www.cesnur.org/testi/FBI_004.htm Full text of the F.B.I.'s 'Project Megiddo' report] ] it stated that: "Without question, this initiative [i.e. Project Megiddo itself] has revealed indicators of potential violent activity on the part of extremists in this country. Militias, adherents of racist belief systems such as Christian Identity and Odinism, and other radical domestic extremists are clearly focusing on the millennium as a time of action." [Emphasis added] Among other, the FBI lists Robert Jay Mathews as an Odinist in this report.

Artistic output and influence

Originally grown out of 19th century Romanticism, the Viking revival had associations with the Gothic novel and Romantic art such as the Pre-Raphaelites or the "art nouveau". Also of note is the influence of Richard Wagner's "Ring Cycle." Artistic taste of adherents are often related to the High Fantasy genre based on Germanic mythology. New Age currents are another influence, although not necessarily related. These elements may blend with traditional Germanic folklore.

Literature
*In literature, there have been several novels published by Heathens, notably "Kveldulf Gundarsson" (under the name Stephen Grundy), drawing on the Volsunga Saga and Nibelungenlied for inspiration.Neofolk
*Neofolk music counts Germanic paganism as one of its largest and most obvious influences. Many of the instruments used are traditional and the music is largely acoustic.Metal
*Various artists within the Black metal, Folk metal and Viking metal genres utilize imagery derived from Germanic paganism, particularly Norse polytheism.

ymbolism

While generally any symbol deriving from Germanic paganism may be used, particularly popular symbols of Germanic Neopaganism are depictions of the Valknut, Mjolnir, the Irminsul, Yggdrasil amongst others. Depictions of Germanic gods are also common. The Runic alphabet is popular, in particular the Odal, Tyr and Algiz runes. The popularity of these runes can be seen on the follow Germanic Neopagan websites such as this list of symbols: [http://home.earthlink.net/~asatru/symbols/menu.html] And from the Troth's website: [http://www.thetroth.org/memsvc/stewards/flyers/benw/flyer7.pdf] ]

The US Anti-Defamation League listed numerous symbols associated with Germanic Neopaganism as "hate symbols", but following an internet-based campaign by Germanic Neopagan groups inserted a disclaimer to the effect that the symbols listed "are often used by nonracists today, especially practitioners of modern pagan religions."A listing of the symbols the Anti-Defamation League has listed as well as the added disclaimers can be found here: [http://www.adl.org/hate_symbols/Pagan_graphics.asp] ] Additionally, the swastika may be used by some groups such as the Odinic Rite, who seek to "rehabilitate""Rehabilitating the Fylfot", First published in ORB No.93 - January 1990. Available online at the Odinic Rite website: [http://www.odinic-rite.org/fylfot.html] ] it, based on some archaeological evidence for the symbol's use in Germanic antiquity. The Armanen runes, created by Guido von List indicate an influence deriving from the work of Von Listian Germanic mysticism rather than reconstructive forms of Germanic Neopaganism.

List of organizations

*United States
**Asatru Folk Assembly
**Asatru Alliance
**The Troth
*UK
** [http://www.heathensforprogress.org/ Heathens For Progress]
**Odinic Rite
*Scandinavia
**Forn Siðr
**Íslenska Ásatrúarfélagið
**Samfälligheten för Nordisk Sed
*Germany
**Eldaring
** [http://www.vfgh.de/ Verein für Germanisches Heidentum]
**Germanische Glaubens-Gemeinschaft
**Heidnische Gemeinschaft

*Latin Europe
** [http://www.comunitaodinista.org/ Comunità Odinista]
** [http://fornsidr.es/ Forn Sidr Ibérica]
** [http://asatru.es/ Comunidad Odinista de España-Asatru]

Notes

References

ee also

*Germanic paganism
*Norse paganism
*Norse mythology
*Neopaganism
*Polytheistic reconstructionism
*Neopaganism in Scandinavia
*Neopaganism in Germany

External links

* [http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/paganism/subdivisions/heathenry_1.shtml BBC] "Article on heathenry written by members of the [http://www.manygods.org.uk/ Association of Polytheist Traditions] "
* [http://northvegr.org/ Northvegr] "the Northvegr Foundation, a non-profit educational foundation that hosts many texts relevant to Germanic paganism"
* [http://www.splcenter.org/intel/intelreport/article.jsp?aid=236 SPLC] "A critical report from Mattias Gardell, in an interview with the Southern Poverty Law Center"
* [http://www.woodharrow.com/ Woodharrow Institute] "Lectures on Germanic and Indo-European culture, language and literature"
* [http://www.scribd.com/groups/view/4516-odinism-and-asatru Library of Odinism/Asatru (pdf. files)]