“Asatru is the religion with homework” is a common enough saying in the broader contemporary Asatru community. The expectation is that every Asatruar should be at least conversant in Old Norse, have read the Eddas and as many Icelandic Sagas as possible, and be constantly reading scholarly works on archaeology, philology, history, linguistics, anthropology, and… Continue reading The Religion with Homework
It’s well-known that certain Celtic deities were imported nearly wholesale into the Christian pantheon of Saints, with the most obvious example being the Celtic goddess Brigid, who is now known as St. Brigid. However, there are also similar correspondences with Germanic deities. One such is St. Stephen, known from the New Testament as the first… Continue reading St. Stephen and Freyr
One of the conceits of polytheism in general is that the world is alive with spirits. In addition to the mighty gods and goddesses in Heaven (whether that be Asgard, or Olympus, or Swarga Loka or something else), there are a multitude of more local deities, linked to specific areas (or specific geographic features) who might… Continue reading Gods of Place – Hraðrá
Will DeVito is known to a lot of folks in the Asatru community, especially here in the northeastern US, and is an outspoken proponent of the folkish point of view. Colorful though he can be, he is also responsible, either partially or entirely, for the construction of no fewer than six hofs, or Asatru temples,… Continue reading Interview with Will DeVito, Builder of Hofs
Back in January 2014, I reported on the case of Sessing v. Beard. It seems there has been some activity on the case. On March 30, a judge dismissed the third amended appeal with prejudice. This time the specific charge was that the plaintiff wasn’t given permission to construct an Asatru-only sacred space in the… Continue reading Asatru Prisoner News: Sessing v. Beard (Update)
As just about everyone by this time knows, Indiana and Arkansas recently passed versions of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA) which was originally acted into law on the federal level by then-President Bill Clinton in 1993. A number of states have similar statutes, and until now their enactment hasn’t been too controversial a proposition.… Continue reading Religious Rights vs. Gay Rights