Types of Heathenry

[Torquil]

I'm most familiar with Icelandic Asatru, but I don't know too much about Anglo-Saxon or continental German heathenry. I know they all spell the names of the Gods and Goddesses differently, but beyond this are there any major differences in practice between them?

[Thomas]

As far as I know, no. To some extent you could say there are very small differences, for example, there are no Anglo-Saxon sources that mention Loki (correct me if this is wrong) so therefore Loki might not have been worshipped by the Anglo-Saxons. However, that may not be the case. The Anglo-Saxons might have worshipped Loki. We can't know that they did or didn't because no sources exist that tell us this. The sources that might have given us clues will have been destroyed when Europe was Christianised.

[Sigurd]

:rolleyes: Hmmm...if you talk about real Asatruar worshipping Loki you would probablly be referring to those worshipping the early Loki, i.e. before he - well - started to cause the events that eventually led to Ragnarök...

[Hengest]

I think Thomas may have meant that they had knowledge of him or a similar figure, rather than actually worshipping him.

[Liffrea]

Certainly Scandinavia had more time to "evolve" its practices than England or Germany. But I think the differences are slight. Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence. I personaly would find it strange if such a major figure as Loki was not recognised in some form by the Anglo-Saxons.

[Torquil]

I've also heard that the Germans honored Tyr more than anyone else, or that he played a greater part in their culture.

I'd also be interested in knowing if and how Balder is worshipped by modern Asatruar. I find stories about him particularly moving.

[Schwarzesonne]

If we’re talking historically I think that the Icelandic form of Heathenry, like their socio-political system, was very different from the beliefs/practices of the rest of Heathendom. Just the facts that [1] the Icelanders ran things via a representative democracy (via the goðar) whilst everyone else was still living under sacral kings; and [2] the fact that Iceland had not even been populated until AFTER christianism had been introduced into Northern Europe comprised enough of a difference that it’s safe to assume their orthopraxy was different. Iceland was really quite an anomaly as far as Northern European Heathenry went.

OTOH, if we’re talking about how people practice today I think that the differences are much less. Sure there are still differences—otherwise I wouldn’t bother focusing on Irminenschaft (a German form) over some other approaches. But the pan-germanism of Heathenry in general has led to some de facto standards that few today would mess with.

[Loki's Advocate]

To some extent you could say there are very small differences, for example, there are no Anglo-Saxon sources that mention Loki (correct me if this is wrong) so therefore Loki might not have been worshipped by the Anglo-Saxons. However, that may not be the case. The Anglo-Saxons might have worshipped Loki.

It's not certain that he was explicitly worshipped, at all. However, in his role as the instigator of change, he almost certainly would have played a role.

As for whether he played a role in the worship of the Angles or Saxons or anyone, a deity with attributes very similar to his may very well have done. As a god whose raison d'etre seems to be change and turmoil, he would presumably take a number of forms and names to different peoples and tribes.

Does it matter all that much? I mean... there's absolutely no evidence to suggest a cult of Saga, specifically, in that time-frame. But that isn't going to stop me venerating her.

[Sigurd]

Take a look at this thread for more information about the differences between Icelandic and Anglo Saxon. ;)

http://www.odinist.com/othala/showthread.php?p=12261#post12261