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Latest revision as of 20:59, 22 May 2026
| Heathenry | |
|---|---|
| Family | Modern Pagan / Germanic |
| Origin region | Modern revival communities in Europe, North America, and elsewhere |
| Founding period | Modern revival from the 19th and 20th centuries CE |
| Estimated adherents | Unknown; organized groups and solitary practitioners exist internationally. |
Heathenry is heathenry is a modern Pagan religious family inspired by the pre-Christian traditions of Germanic-speaking peoples, including Norse, Anglo-Saxon, Continental Germanic, and related sources.
Overview
[edit | edit source]Heathenry is a broad term for modern Germanic Pagan traditions. It may include Asatru, Odinism, Anglo-Saxon Heathenry, Theodism, and other approaches. Practitioners draw on archaeology, folklore, medieval texts, runic inscriptions, and local culture. The movement includes inclusive, folkish, reconstructionist, devotional, and eclectic forms, and there are significant disagreements over ethnicity, politics, and religious identity.
Key beliefs
[edit | edit source]- Honor for Germanic gods, ancestors, and land spirits
- Reciprocity, oath, gift-giving, hospitality, and community obligation
- Sacred narratives preserved in Eddic, saga, and folkloric sources
- Diverse theology including polytheism, animism, ancestor veneration, and symbolic interpretation
- Many inclusive groups reject racial exclusion and extremist appropriation
Practices
[edit | edit source]- Blot offerings
- Sumbel toasting and oath-making
- Ancestor rites
- Seasonal feasts
- Study of historical and linguistic sources
Places of worship
[edit | edit source]- Home altar
- Outdoor sacred site
- Hof or ritual hall
- Community gathering
Sacred texts
[edit | edit source]- Poetic Edda
- Prose Edda
- Sagas
- Runic inscriptions
- Anglo-Saxon and Germanic folklore sources
Holidays and observances
[edit | edit source]- Yule
- Midsummer
- Winter Nights
- Harvest feasts
- Group-defined holy days
Branches and related traditions
[edit | edit source]- Asatru - A modern Heathen movement focused heavily on Norse sources.
- Norse paganism - The historical source tradition of the Norse world.
- Anglo-Saxon paganism - Historical and reconstructed religious traditions of early English peoples.