Stone Dragon Press
  speculative fiction — science fiction — horror — fantasy
Stone Dragon PressTable of ContentsBibliographyBackForward
Table of ContentsHeathenry / Asatru

Heathenry / Ásatrú - 9 / 10 / 2006
Ásatrú / Ásatrúar
    - belief in the gods (Æsir)
    O.N. Ow-sah-true / Ows-ah-true
        - true to the Æsir
        sometimes pronounced AY-sah-true
    first known usage 1830s
    O. Brownson
    derived from Danish word: Asetro
Vor tru / Vor seðr
    - our faith / our way
    Note: if you're seeing <eth> and <THORN> you're probably using a Mac
        most versions of the Mac OS do not properly display these characters
        ð or <eth> is pronounced like the "th" in that or the
        Þ or <THORN> is pronounced like the "th" in thing, thin, or with
Forn seðr / Forn sed
    - ancient way / old custom
Vanatru / Vanatruar
    - belief in the gods (Vanir)
Independent Kindreds
    the majority of Ásatrúar
Heathenry / heathens
Odinists
    primary allegiance to Odin
history
    reconstruction based on researchable historic antecedents
        vikings
        sagas
        eddas
        archeological evidence
        developed in parallel with modern neo-paganism
    Asatruaarfelagid
        1972
        Sveinbjörn Beinteinsson
        Iceland
    Odinic Rite
        1973
        England
        source of the nine noble virtues
    OF / Odinist Fellowship
        early 1970s
        Else Christensen
        America
    Viking Brotherhood
        approx. 1972
        Stephen McNallen
        America aka Vinland
            AFA / Asatru Folk Assembly
                approx. 1994
                Stephen McNallen 
        AFA / Asatru Free Assembly
            1973 - 1987
            the Ring of Troth / the Troth
                1987 -
                Edred Thorsson & James Chisholm 
                approx. 25% of the kindreds
            Asatru Alliance
                1987 -
                Michael Murry
                approx. 5% of the kindreds
        Theod
            1976
            Anglo-Saxon concept of heathenry
            Garman Lord
            ties to the Ring of Troth
confusion of Ásatrú with Neo-Nazis
    most Ásatrú do not support the racist ideas of the Neo-Nazis
three branches of American Asatru
    according to Mathias Gardell
        note: Gardell was specifically studying racism so his estimates are skewed 
   the racialist branch
       Wotansvolk
       Odinist Fellowship
       Ayrans only
   the anti-racist branch
       the Raven Kindreds
       the Ring of Troth
       open to anyone
   the ethnical branch
       Asatru Folk Assembly
       Asatru Alliance
       meta genetics
           ethnic specific archetypal forms
folkish to universalist
kindred
    - a local association of individuals and families
    aka
        felagid
        lagur
            - fellowships
        godhordhs
        garths
        hearths
beliefs
    polytheistic
        the god/desses as distinct entities
        the Æsir
        the Vanir
        the Jötnar
        the Vættr
    strongly held and expressed morals and ethics
        from middle and working classes
        Ásatrú nine noble virtues
            Courage
            Truth
            Honor
            Loyalty
            Hospitality
            Discipline
            Industriousness
            Self-Reliance
            Perseverance
        Vanatru ethical code
            Courage
            Living with Honour
            Kinship
            Generosity and Hospitality
            Self-Control
            Industriousness
            Respect and care for this world
            Moderation
            Kindness and Compassion
    clear defintion of identity
    life as conflict
        warrior ethic
        Ragnarok
    conservative
        strong ties to history
            reification with the past
                - to regard or treat an abstract as if it were real or material
        strong ties to place (and spirits/gods of place)
        family values
        cultural and communal values
    libertarian
    communication style
        direct declarative statements
        assertion / support
        simplification / aristotelian values
        rarely seeks consensus or compromise
        judgemental
Ásatrú rituals tend towards simplicity
    votive rather than magical
Blót / O.N. Bloat
    - ritual sacrifice to the gods / offering / votive
    blessing
    blood / sacrifice
    bowl / O.N. blótbolli / hlautbowl
    hammer (of Thor)
    oath ring
        affirmation / profession
    stalli
        - alter
Sumbel / O.N. Sumble
    - ritual toasting / drinking celebration
Hof / Vé
    - temple / holy place
Alþing / Þhing
    - a legislative and executive assembly of free men
    a yearly gathering or assembly
    at which the law is read, disputes adjudicated, announcements made
Gothar
    - the collective priesthood of the Ásatrú community
    literally: those who speak the godly tongue
    O.N. Goði / Gothi
        - godly / god serving
        Ásatrú priest
    Gythia
        Ásatrú priestess
magic
    the Rune Guild
        1980
        Edred Thorsson
    Hrafnar
        seidhr
        Diana Paxson
    galdr / galðr
        - magical chants and songs
    seid / seiðr
        - altered states of consciousness
        - communication with spirits and gods
    runes
   spá-working / spácraft
         divination and auguries
    many asatruar don't actively practice magic
language studies
    Germanic
        North Germanic
            Old Norse
            Old Icelandic
        West Germanic
            Old High Germanic
            Old Low Germanic
            Old English
                Anglo-Saxon
        East Germanic
            Gothic
Havamal - Olive Bray, translator & D.L. Ashliman, editor
    the Words of Odin the High One
    the Elder or Poetic Edda / Saemund's Edda
Asatru Organizations
    Asatru Alliance
    Gers Ey Godard
    Haedengyldas - Anglo/Saxon heathenism
    Irminsul Aettir
    Northwoods Asatru Kindred
    Odinic Rite
    The Ring of Troth
    Wodensdag Press
Minnesota Heathens: Heathenry / Ásatrú flyer - Anthony Arndt  
    download flyer—The Northern Way
 
Angelseaxisce Eardriht glossary - http://www.ealdriht.org/glossary.html
Asatru Folk Assembly web site - http://www.runestone.org/html/home.html
Asatru Alliance - http://alliance.eagleut.com/
Irminsul Aettir web site - http://www.irminsul.org/
Irminsul Aettir glossary - http://www.irminsul.org/arc/011ht.html
The Pentagram and the Hammer - Devyn Gillette and Lewis Stead
Raven Online web site - http://www.webcom.com/~lstead/
Ontario Consultants on Religous Tolerance web site
    - http://www.religioustolerance.org/asatru.htm
The Ring of Troth web site - http://www.thetroth.org/
Vanic Ve web site - http://homepages.nildram.co.uk/~fealcen/vanicve.htm

BackTop of PageForward
copyright 2002, Stone Dragon Press