Everything about Satr totally explained
(
Icelandic for "
Æsir faith",, in
Old Norse [aːsatruː]; Norwegian
Åsatru, Swedish
Asatro, Danish
Asetro) is a
Neopagan movement inspired by
Germanic polytheism, in particular the
Norse paganism as described in the
Eddas and as practiced prior to the
Christianization of Scandinavia.
There are two main strains of
Ásatrú, originating near-simultaneously in Iceland (1972) and the USA (
Asatru Free Assembly, 1974). While the
Scandinavian branch emphasizes
pantheist spirituality rooted in medieval and contemporary
Scandinavian folklore, the
American branch postulates a "
native religion of the peoples of
Northern Europe" reaching back into the
paleolithic.
In Germany, the term
Asatru is used in the wider sense of
Germanic neopaganism.
Terminology
is an
Icelandic (and equivalently
Old Norse) term consisting of two parts. The first is
-, genitive of, denoting one of the group of Norse pagan gods called . The second part,, means "faith, word of honour; religious faith, belief" (archaic English "loyalty, honesty, good faith"). Thus, means "belief / faith in the Æsir / gods".
The term is the Old Norse/Icelandic translation of, a
neologism coined in the context of 19th century
romantic nationalism, used by
Edvard Grieg in his 1870 opera
Olaf Trygvason. The use of the term
Ásatrú for Germanic paganism preceding 19th century revivalist movements is therefore an
anachronism.
(plural ), the term used to identify those who practice Ásatrú is a compound with (Old Norse ) "man". In English usage, the genitive "of Æsir faith" is often used on its own to denote adherents (both singular and plural).
As
Ásatrú implies a focus on polytheistic belief in the Æsir usage of the term in Scandinavia has declined somewhat. In Scandinavia,
forn sed /
forn siðr "old custom",
Nordisk sed "Nordic custom" or
hedensk sed /
heiðinn siður "pagan custom" are preferred. In both the
Anglosphere and
German-speaking Europe, it's widely used interchangeably with other terms for
Germanic Neopaganism.
History
Ásatrú originated as a second (or third) revival of Germanic paganism in the 1960s and early 1970s. The
Íslenska Ásatrúarfélagið was founded on summer solstice, 1972, and was recognized as an official religion by the Icelandic government in 1973, largely due to the efforts of
Sveinbjörn Beinteinsson. Around this time,
Stephen McNallen, a former
U.S. Army Airborne Ranger, began publishing a newsletter titled
The Runestone independently of the
Íslenska Ásatrúarfélagið in the
United States. He also formed an organization called the
Ásatrú Free Assembly, which was later renamed the
Ásatrú Folk Assembly which is still extant.
Else Christensen's Odinism, which is sometimes identified with the term
Ásatrú, originated around the same period. An offshoot of McNallen's group is the
Ásatrú Alliance, headed by Valgard Murray, publisher of the "Vor Tru" newsletter. The
Ásatrú Alliance held its 25th annual "
Althing" gathering in 2005.
The Icelandic government has recognized the
Íslenska Ásatrúarfélagið as an official religion shortly after its inception. Other Scandinavian governments have begun to recognize Germanic Neopagan organizations as religious communities with official status from the 1990s (Sweden:
Sveriges asatrosamfund 1994; Norway:
Åsatrufellesskapet Bifrost 1996;
Foreningen Forn Sed 1999; Denmark:
Forn Siðr, formed in 1997, recognized in 2003). In June 2007 Spanish government has recognized Asatru,
Comunidad Odinista de España-Asatru.
Groups and practitioners also exist in
Austria,
Germany,
Switzerland,
Britain, the
Netherlands,
Belgium,
France,
Italy,
Portugal,
Russia,
Australia and
New Zealand,
North America, Central America (
Mexico), and South America (
Argentina,
Brazil,
Chile).
Ásatrú is a religion officially recognized by the governments of
Iceland (since 1973),
Norway (since 1994),
Denmark (since 2003),
Sweden (since 2007) and
Spain (since 2007). The
United States government doesn't officially endorse or recognize any religious group, but numerous Ásatrú groups have been granted
nonprofit religious status going back to the 1970s.
Beliefs and practice
Ásatrú groups and the individual
Ásatrúarmenn have no standard means of practice.
The
Íslenska Ásatrúarfélagið (as of 2007) defines
Ásatrú as belief "in the
Icelandic/Nordic folklore, the spirits and entities the folklore represents, in addition to gods and other beings from the Nordic
pantheism."
The US
Asatru Folk Assembly defines it as "an expression of the native, pre-Christian
spirituality of Europe."
Blót
Many Ásatrú groups celebrate with Blóts. Historically, the Blót was an event that focused on a communal sacrifice at various times of the year for a number of purposes. Families and extended family organizations would gather to participate in the communal event.
Modern blots are celebrated several times during the year. Ásatrú communities (kindreds, hearths, mots) have different approaches to the frequency of blots and their means of celebrating them.
Symbel
Symbel, or sumbel, is a ritual drinking feast. A
drinking horn is passed around over a course of a number of rounds. The purpose of a Symbel is usually agreed in advance. The three main things which a symbel deals with is: toast, brag or boast. The act of speaking over the horn symbolize taking publicly spoken words into the body.
Goðar
A
Goði or
Gothi (plural
goðar) is the historical
Old Norse term for a
priest and
chieftain in Norse paganism.
Gyðja signifies a priestess. Goði literally means
"speaker for the gods", and is used to denote the priesthood or those who officiate over rituals in Ásatrú. Several groups, most notably
the Troth have organized clergy programs. However, there's no universal standard for the Goðar amongst organizations, and the title is usually only significant to the particular group with whom they work.
Kindred
A
Kindred is a local worship group in Ásatrú. Other terms used are garth,
stead,
sippe,
skeppslag and others. Kindreds are usually grassroots groups which may or may not be affiliated with a national organization like the
Ásatrú Folk Assembly, the
Ásatrú Alliance, or the
Troth. Kindreds are composed of
hearths or families as well as individuals, and the members of a Kindred may be related by blood or marriage, or may be unrelated. The kindred often functions as a combination of extended family and religious group. Membership is managed by the assent of the group.
Kindreds usually have a recognized Goði to lead religious rites, while some other kindreds function more like modern corporations. Although these Goði need only be recognized by the kindred itself and may not have any standing with any other Kindred.
Politics and controversies
Ásatrú organizations have memberships which span the entire political and spiritual spectrum. Many adherents are solitary practitioners who practice their religion alone with their family or a small local community, and are not involved with organized
Ásatrú. Despite the wide divergence of beliefs and politics, the sole common denominator amongst adherents of
Ásatrú is the goal of reconstructing and practicing the historical pre-Christian religion of the
Eddas.
Folkish Asatru, Universalism and racism
Some groups identifying as Ásatrú have been associated with
neo-Nazi and "
white power" movements.
This was notably an issue in the 1980s, when the
Asatru Free Assembly disintegrated as a result of tensions between the racist and the non-racist factions.
Today, the three largest US American
Ásatrú organizations have specifically denounced any association with racist groups. A dividing issue is whether a person is "Folkish", meaning that an emphasis on ancestry and ancestor worship is a part of their belief system.
Discrimination charges
Inmates of the "Intensive Management Unit" at
Washington State Penitentiary who are adherents of Ásatrú in 2001 were deprived of their
Thor's Hammer medallions.
In 2007, a federal judge confirmed that Ásatrú adherents in US prisons have the right to possess a Thor’s Hammer pendant. An inmate sued the Virginia Department of Corrections after he was denied it while members of other religions were allowed their medallions.
The United States Department of Veterans Affairs doesn't list any Ásatrú symbols as available
emblems of belief for placement on government headstones and markers. According to federal guidelines, only approved religious symbols — of which there are 38 — can be placed on government headstones or memorial plaques.
Ásatrú Folk Assembly have demanded such a symbol.
In the Georgacarakos v. Watts case Peter N. Georgacarakos filed a pro se civil-rights complaint in the United States District Court for the District of Colorado against 19 prison officials for "interference with the free exercise of his Ásatrú religion" and "discrimination on the basis of his being Ásatrú".
Further Information
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