About

The differences are mostly semantic in nature.

Heathenry is a reference to Heathenism, which is an umbrella term for various spiritual movements focused on revitalizing different pre-Christian Northern European practices, such as Slavic Heathenry, Baltic Heathenry, Teutonic (Germanic) Heathenry, Anglo-Saxon Heathenry, and Norse Heathenry.

Norse paganism is another word for Norse Heathenry. It’s also sometimes called Norse polytheism. Some people make distinctions between all three of these terms, but these distinctions are mostly arbitrary.

Ásatrú is the official name for Norse paganism, similar to saying “Christianity” or “Buddhism.”

In the context of this website, animism is the view that all things are part of the same ecosystem, and that all things were, are, and will continued to be shaped by and in relation to one another. You can read a full definition here.

Heathenry, or Heathenism, is a contemporary spiritual movement based on the pre-Christian customs, beliefs, and practices of different ancient cultures of Northern Europe. Various types of Heathenism include Anglo-Saxon Heathenry, Slavic Heathenry, Teutonic Heathenry, Baltic Heathenry, and Norse Heathenry. Each correspond to specific regions and cultures.

The focus of this website is Norse Heathenry, also known as Ásatrú, Norse Paganism, Norse Polytheism, or simply just “Heathenry,” which has its origins in Scandinavia and particularly the Nordic countries. As an animistic and polytheistic religion, Norse Heathenry revolves around various Scandinavian supernatural beings, such as the Aesir, Vanir, Jötnar, and other spirits. Notable figures include Norse gods such as Odin, Thor, Loki, Freya, and others.

To learn how to practice Heathenry, check out the Intro to Norse Heathenry guide.

Some vikings were Christian while others were pagan. While Heathenry is called “the religion of the vikings” for this reason and others, it’s not and has never been “the religion of being a viking.”

“Viking” was a very specific occupation similar to “pirate” or even “mercenary.” Very few Scandinavians were vikings the same way very few people today are part of the navy. Trying to understand Heathenry by looking at the activities of the vikings would be like trying to understand Christianity by looking at the activities of the US military: It’d leave us with a very aggressive and skewed impression of what people actually valued and believed in.

Our stereotype of vikings is also inaccurate to the way vikings actually were. The image of bloodthirsty, axe-wielding “viking warriors” is actually a reflection of the Varangian Guard. This was an elite military force whose members protected and obeyed the Byzantine emperor even unto death. Varangian guardsmen were known for their massive statures, axes, long hair, fearlessness in battle, ruthless combat behavior, intense sense of duty, and unwavering loyalty. But this loyalty was to the Byzantine throne, not to pagan gods. We can’t say for sure how much their activities reflected pagan values, considering many of the guards were also Christian, and considering their warrior culture was likely shaped by the forces they served, rather than by their spirituality.

Many Heathens today incorporate a degree of viking-ness into their practice simply because the interest overlaps with their spirituality and lifestyle. If this brings you joy, I encourage you to embrace it. But if it doesn’t, then there’s no need to add it in.

Yes, this is known as being polyaffiliated and it’s very common in neo-paganism. However, different pantheons of gods come from different cultures with different ideas around veneration. I advise you to keep that in mind as you go about your practice.

No. Closed religions are closed because their parent cultures are also closed or highly restricted, which doesn’t apply to Scandinavian cultures.

If Heathenry was a closed religion, then no one born and raised outside Scandinavian cultures would be able to practice it. But this is not the case, and anyone from any background can engage fully with the religion, including venerating Heathen gods, making offerings to Heathen powers, calling themselves Heathen, and building practices around the cosmology, mythology, practices, and worldviews of their chosen type of Heathenry.

While Heathenry in its entirety is open, there are some specific lineages and magical practices that are closed or restricted. Their closure / restriction could be for a number of reasons, but some of the common reasons are as follows:

• The family matriarch must pass the tradition down to a younger member.
• The practice requires proper initiation, as is the case with certain magical practices and mystery traditions.
• The parent culture is trying to keep its traditions out of the hands of the Neo-Völkisch Movement and won’t share them with Americans on principle.

Any closures or restrictions in Heathenry relate to specific regional styles of cultural practices, and never apply to Heathenry as a whole.