Heathens Of A Different Stripe

Heathens of a Different Stripe By: Steve Anthonijsz

Within revived Heathenry exists a very broad range of ideas, practices, beliefs, and customs. There are many people who believe that all these different schools of thought ought to be viewed as simply different branches of the same heathenish tree, with the various traditions being compared to the twigs that are wont to sprout from the larger branches. Having accepted this idea myself, I looked around at my various Heathen contacts (and I am by no means limited in this area) and came to recognize that this heathenish society seemed to really lack the binding that really makes for a “community” by any definition of the word! “Sectarianism” seemed to be a much more appropriate watchword than “cooperation,” and, as this was quite obviously not any kind of new state of affairs, this troubled me. I set out to find a way to redress this issue. Recognizing that I lack the ability to change the thinking or the propriety of countless people, most of whom I don’t even know (and maybe I shouldn’t want this power even if I could!), I knew that I could only add a tiny piece to this puzzle. But to just accept matters as they were seemed a travesty. So I decided to write a book. This book would attempt to describe the various approaches to Heathenry and the rationale behind each one. Perhaps a bit of history might be outlined as well so that the reader could better understand why various folks tend to approach things the way that they do. It seemed to me that if we all better understood one another that we would better be able to appreciate what the different schools of thought might offer. We might learn from one another instead of bickering so much. Of course this book wouldn’t change everything, and it wouldn’t be some sort of ‘easy enlightenment-for-all’ tome or anything like that; but I could ‘make a dent for the cause,’ so to speak. I would begin with the premise that we are all different branches of this mighty heathenish tree, and that we all really ought to be more familiar with all the parts of the tree so that we might better know how to nurture each other and, in the end, better know how to benefit Whole of our community. This would work well, because we are all really just trying to approach the same truths in slightly different ways, aren’t we? After doing some intensive research I realized that there was a problem with my approach. Subsequent to reading books, making even more contacts, interviewing people, etc., etc., I came to realize that all these people who called themselves “Heathen” are not trying to approach the same truths in different ways. In fact, many of us do not even support Heathenry for the same reasons! To make a long story short… There are 6 basic schools of thought in modern Heathendom. Each of these schools of thought may be broken down into countless smaller groups/traditions, but the lesser divisions really have much more to do with style than with substance. The major six, though, differ completely in both substance and in purpose. The six major schools of thought are:

1. The Neo-Germanic Weltanschauung; a.k.a. “pragmatic-” or “social Odinism” (e.g.: Artgemeinschaft, Odinist Fellowship) 2. Asatru/(Religious) Odinism (Odinic Rite, Asatru Allianace) 3. Ariosophy/Armanenschaft (Ordo novi templi, Hohe Armanen Ordens) 4. Scandinavian revolutionary sects (Allgermanische Heidnische Front, Föreningen Forn Sed) 5. Tribal Belief (Folcaha Sahsam Thiod; Gering Théod) 6. Germanised Neo-Paganism (The Troth; American Vinland Association) Before proceeding, please allow me to preface the remarks by saying that not everyone uses the same definitions with regards to terminology. Furthermore, many Heathens simply cannot be pigeon-holed into any one of these particular six categories, having borrowed ideas and traditions from others as well. All the terms used here are being spoken of in broad generalities.

The Neo-Germanic Weltanschauung Those groups representing the Neo-Germanic Weltanschauung are often rather misunderstood by outsiders. This is because their approach does not fit neatly into accepted categories of dissertation. Most of these organizations, for example, present themselves as being religious societies. Yet they do not perform rituals or do most of the other things that most people think of as “religious activities.” Outsiders might view these as socio-political organizations, but their frequent references to Gods, Ancient culture, Runes, &c. belie this misconception. These groups are generally cultural in scope.

Odinism/Asatru Odinism/Asatru, although the most prominent of all these groups, is also the most difficult to define. This is true for two reasons: [1] the Odinist and Asatru movements arose from very distinct origins, but in time have come to be virtually synonymous, leading to a confusion of terminology. And, [2] being the most prominent of all the modern Heathenrys, this means that Odinism/Asatru has been in the position to absorb some of the better features of some of the lesser-known forms (and each other). All this is further bemused by the fact that there exists a number of terms commonly thrown about that some will consider being identical to Odinism and/or Asatru and others will not. Odinists may cite two different “founders”: Alexander Rud Mills and Guido von List. The work of these men was completely independent, but both gave their revived religion the same name[1]. These two sources of impetus (as well as some small, and undocumented but distinct traditions) were pooled together by an English group in the 1970s ce known as “The Committee for the Restoration of the Odinic Rite,” or “Odinist Committee” for short. Virtually all religious Odinism harkens back to this distillation by the Odinist Committee. This should not be confused, however, with those groups promoting a Germanic Weltanschauung that are not specifically

religious yet still call themselves “Odinists”. Asatru is an anglicised form of the Icelandic word Ásatrú. The latter, in turn, is a translation of the Danish word Asetro coined by nineteenth century scholars. This word has become the most popularly used word to describe this religion in the USA and Canada, but “Odinism” remains the favourite in other parts of the world. In America Asatru began as a specifically Icelandic-based faith. In its early years some Asatru magazines were even written half in English and half in Icelandic. However, today’s Asatru has become so pan-Germanic that one might be more accurate to use the term “Odinism” (which has always emphasized pan-Germanism) to describe the faith being practiced despite certain vestigial Icelandic traits. American Asatru is really a very different creature from Icelandic Ásatrú as it exists today, but a comparison of these is beyond the scope of this essay. The specifically Icelandic expression of this faith has come to be known in this country as Heiðni. Similarly, other national expressions of this faith have come to be known: Hedenskap is the Norwegian expression, Irminenschaft is the German, Hedenskab is the Danish, and Anglo-Saxon Heathenry is, of course, the English. The important thing to recognize about all these terms is that all of these are naught but diverse expressions of the same faith.

Ariosophy/Armanenschaft Ariosophy and Armanenschaft came to the fore in Germany and the German sections of Austria (in and around Vienna) during the early 1900s. Armanenschaft and Ariosophy are really quite divergent. Most people today, however, tend to lump these together as both arose about the same time and it was not uncommon for early practitioners to be quite familiar with the writings of the other. Armanenshaft represents the German esoteric tradition that is the basis for not only Guido von List’s brand of Wuotanismus (Odinism), but also for today’s Irminenschaft. It is through the early Armanic Renaissance that we now have runic practices, traditions of heraldry, and many of our Heilighaltung (holy day) practices as are accepted almost universally within modern Heathendom. Although Armanenschaft is not popular today, there has, in recent years, been a resurgence of interest. Armanentum has also been extremely influential in the development of many more well-known forms such as Religious Odinism and the Elder Troth, especially in the latter’s esoteric counterpart of Odianism. Ariosophy, on the other hand, was (anyone still practicing some form of Ariosophy today would be quite rare) more of an attempt at Germanising christianism. It is the contemporary confusion between these two camps that has led to much of the talk of NSDAP leaders being influenced by Armanen philosophies, a confusion that to this day taints the public relations work of many Heathen organizations.

Scandinavian Revolutionary Sects Scandinavian revolutionary sects cover a rather wide gamut, much too diverse to go into in a paper of this scope. From the Odalism of the Allgermanische Heidnische Front to more classical approaches such as that of Föreningen Forn Sed, these groups have been associated with all sorts of extreme elements ranging from racial and environmental political stances to burning down

churches allegedly built on heathenish sacred sites. It is from this milieu that most Viking metal music originates. Finding a supporter of these philosophies outside of Scandinavia proves to be difficult at best. This is not surprising when one considers the intrinsic nationalism promoted by virtually all these organizations. All the Scandinavian countries (with the possible exception of Denmark) tend to see these groups as a potential social threat, not unlike skinhead or biker groups in the USA. Before one decides to discount the significance of Scandinavian revolutionary sects whole cloth, however, one ought to recognize that many people who are members of these groups are also members of other types of heathenish organizations, especially within Odinism/Asatru. As a result their philosophies are passed on in less radical guise throughout Heathendom. One should also realize that for such radical notions to be received and continued that there must be some intelligence behind it all- and there is! If one can weed through the oft-times offensive and leftfield materials one may find outstanding research in fields such as History, Numismatics, Mythology and linguistics offered by this camp.

Tribal Belief Tribal belief is possibly the most difficult of the Heathen schools of thought for the outsider to grasp. Known to its practitioners by various names based on language/culture base of the group in question (e.g.: AS Þéodisc Gélæfa; OS Thiodisc Gelôbo, &c.) all meaning “tribal belief”, this school of thought is both the most mystical and demanding in regards to maintaining an ordered social structure. It has been argued that the social structure of Tribal Belief may be more important in their tradition than the gods themselves. In a 25-page booklet called Gesíþa Handbook: An Introduction to Théodish Belief[2] the first 19 pages are about Tribalist social structure and the gods are barely mentioned! This social structure is based on the European class system of the Dark Ages, and devotees are ranked from “indentured servants” to “king.” Tribal belief, although relatively small in its numbers of adherents, has proven to be extremely significant in the evolution of modern Heathenry. Outstanding scholarship and artistic works have come from this quarter, and assuredly a poetic mystery adds a certain romance to their approach to spirituality. Practitioners are often derided by other Heathens, though, as many others do not respect the Tribalist social structure or their tendency to dress, talk, and act as if still living in the ancient past.

Germanised Neo-Paganism Germanised Neo-Paganism is arguably the route by which the largest numbers of Heathen converts find our philosophy and community. However it is also the most commonly derided approach to Heathen tradition, with followers called names such as “fluff bunnies,” “Wicy-wicys” and by similar invectives. These groups tend to see Heathenry (which they might call “Asatru,” “the Troth,” &c., often using these terms interchangeably) as just one option among many in a larger Neo-Pagan soup. This opposes the opinion of more traditional Heathens who see the Germanic tradition as being unique and not associated with any other ways of life. Many Germanised Neo-Pagans have been known to incorporate foreign ritual methods or philosophies into their rituals borrowed from sources such as

Wicca, Santería, or Druidry. It is also from this spring that “Universalist Asatru” and other radical concepts have developed. Germanised Neo-Pagan groups have performed some of the Heathen world’s most successful public relations work. And, despite their revolving door of memberships have managed to publish a number of books that have emerged as mainstays among Heathens of all stripes. So to get back to our original question: How do we bring together all these conflicting stripes? The simple answer is that we don’t! The six different schools of thought are not simply different means of approaching the same goals. Their goals are not even the same! Does this mean that we should disregard one another whole cloth? Of course not! Each of the different schools of thought has contributed in its own unique way to the greater whole of modern Heathenry. We might all learn some very powerful and useful things from better understanding the various approaches. But before one imparts on an effort to be exposed to the countless ideas out there one ought to be firmly grounded in one’s own path. Be open-minded enough to learn from others, but stubborn enough to maintain one’s own triuwa. Even Wuotan has been known to seek wisdom in some rather odd corners—but he never forgot where is loyalty lies.

[1] List , an Austrian German, called the exoteric Germanic tradition Wuotanismus (Ger “Odinism”). Mills, an Anglophone, used the English term, Odinism. [2] An Introduction to Théodish Belief by Gárman Lord (founder of Tribal Belief) ©1993 Endweorc Press