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satr , also known as Odinism, describes a number of attempts to reconstruct the indigenous religions of Northern Europe. Organizations which identify themselves as satr usually base their theologies on Norse mythology and the Icelandic sagas as well as other available historical evidence.
The religion that satr attempts to resurrect was an integral part of the culture of the region that is today known as Scandinavia, Germany and parts of Britain. It served as the justification of the legal and political system of the Norse nations. Reverence for gods, heroes and ancestors was incorporated in daily customs, diplomacy, parliaments, life rites, holidays and other events. Custom seems to have dictated that guests should respect the gods et cetera of their hosts, subjects those of their lords and ladies and children those of their parents. The conversion efforts of the Roman Catholic Church succeeded in exploiting this practice by supporting royal claimants who had converted to Christianity.
In one of the most famous conflicts between what became known as "Heithingja mann" and "Kristinn mann", the attempt of the deposed Christian monarch Olaf II of Norway to retake the throne resulted in a bloody civil war in Norway. The battle of Stiklestad is considered one of the turning points, after which the reverence for sir and Vanir became marginalized and slowly faded, while worship of Christ, in both Christian or heathen ritual, was imposed or voluntarily adopted. Heathen rituals, beliefs and practices, however, proved extremely persistent. In Sweden, the last documentations of oral traditions about gods and secret sacrifices are from the early 20th century. By then reconstruction efforts were undertaken, but independently of popular traditions, and solely on written medieval sources. The term " satr " is of late 19th century origin and is pronounced "OW-sah-troo" in modern Icelandic but "AH-sah-troo" is a common pronunciation closer to Old Norse. The term "heathen" stems from the converson period; pre-Christian practitioners are not known to have had a name for their religion.
Historical forms Germanic mythology has deep roots in western culture, but its source materials are historically compromised and often fragmented or contradictory. Considerable study is required to get an adequate feel for the mythology as a whole. Important sources include the Eddas and Sagas, written in Iceland during its golden age of literature, 1150 - 1400. A collection of poems known from their common heading in the Codex Regius as H l is especially important, as it is often attributed to Odin, the leader of the sir. However, while the name H l can be read as "speech of the High One", it may also be translated as "speech of the High Place". It is doubtful if the narrating voice in the poems is intended to be portrayed as that of Odin. Other guidance can be found in the folklore, history, and antiquities of the Germanic and Nordic peoples, as well as those of their ethno-religious cousins the Slavs, the Finns, the Baltic peoples, the Celts, the Greeks, and the early Hindus and Persians.
The living remnants of the nordic pre-Christian religion may be regarded as an indigenous ancestral faith, as Shinto is for the Japanese. Many modern practitioners attempt to reconstruct or limit their beliefs to those common to the pre-conversion (roughly the year 1000) inhabitants of present-day Scandinavia, England, Germany and the Low Countries. It is closely related with Finnish paganism and Baltic paganism.
The historical religion appears to be a branch of an earlier Indo-European religion, analogous to the way in which the Proto-Indo-European language evolved into such offshoots as Sanskrit and the Germanic and Slavic languages. Religious siblings include the Greco-Roman religion in southern Europe, the Slavic religion in Eastern Europe and early Hinduism in the east. Numerous scholars such as Georges Dum zil, H. R. Ellis Davidson, and Hans Gunther have commented on the philosophical similarities of these religious systems.
Faith was not as central to the Norse Heathenry found in medieval sources as it was to Christianity. An individual was identified as heathen based on his or her participation in cultic rites rather than by any allegiance professed. There was no clear division between sacred and profane, or body and spirit. The culture in which this form of heathenry flourished was clan-based, with an established honour economy. The individual's identity and worth was tied to membership of an tt - the extended family. Fulfilling the duty to the tt was their measure of what was morally right and worthy of praise. Interactions with other tter usually took the form of alliance, war or vendetta. These cultural traits were projected onto nature and the Norse culture itself, so that interactions with gods, spirits and ancestors took the form of diplomacy, attempts at befriending or warding off the harmful or beneficial powers which were thought to cause equivalent behaviour or natural events.
Several practices are known to have been important to them. One of the most well known was Bl t, seasonal celebrations where gifts were offered to appropriate gods, and attempts were made to predict the coming season. Similar events were sometimes arranged in times of crisis, for much the same reasons.
Modern forms In modern times, satr is a reconstructed religion. It is not Neopagan in the usual sense, and many believers reject the Neopagan label. Neither is it an accurate reflection of the ancient or modern native beliefs and practices of the Norse cultures. Practice is based on historical record to the extent possible. The rites of different groups and individuals vary, but tend to be similar. satr survives by tradition, with a strong literary foundation.
The first modern attempt at a revival of a Germanic religion took place in the 19th Century during the late Romantic Period amidst a general resurgence of interest in traditional Germanic culture. Organized satr groups existed in Germany in the early 20th century. Several early members of the Nazi Party were part of the Thule Society, a study group for German antiquity, although interest in satr seems to have been something of a fringe element that was not widespread among the party (see Nazi Mysticism). Adolf Hitler is quoted as opposing any open revival of belief in the Norse pantheon, and there is no evidence of official activity in the Third Reich fitting the description of satr , despite the Nazis' use of runic symbols in various contexts. Nonetheless, many people in Germany today associate satr with the Nazi movement and neo-Nazi groups, whereas in Iceland it has left wing associations.
A second revival began in the late 1960s and early 1970s. satr was recognized as an official state religion by the Icelandic government in 1973, largely due to the efforts of Sveinbj rn Beinteinsson. At about the same time, Else Christiansen began publishing "The Odinist" newsletter in Canada. In the United States, Steve McNallen, a former U.S. Army officer, began publishing a newsletter titled "The Runestone". He also formed an organization called the Asatru Free Assembly, later renamed the Asatru Folk Assembly, which held annual "Althing" meetings. An offshoot of McNallen's group was the Asatru Alliance, headed by Valgard Murray, publisher of "Vor Tru". The Odinic Rite, the worlds longest running international Odinist organisation, was established in England but has chapters worldwide. Today, followers of satr may be found all over the world, but principally in Scandinavia, Western Europe, North America and Australia/New Zealand. Estimates of the size of the satr population vary widely.
satr organizations generally favor democratic and republican forms of church government, as inspired by the parliamentary Things of the Viking era and subsequent parliamentary systems of Britain and the Scandinavian countries. They promote individual rights and freedom of speech reminiscent of Norsemen of the saga era. There is no central authority, and these groups are mostly small and often fractious.
In the United States, the most prevalent form of satr organization is a small group called a Kindred, sometimes also known as a Hearth, Garth or Stead. Larger satr organizations, such as The Odinic Rite, the satr Alliance [1] (http://www.asatru.org), the satr Folk Assembly [2] (http://www.runestone.org/flash/introduction/index.html) and The Troth (http://www.thetroth.org/), serve as organizers of yearly gatherings ("Things" or "Moots"), and as clearinghouses for religious information.
In addition to local groups, an unknowable number of solitary practitioners exist. These are often people who have encountered Norse or Germanic mythology as literature and see it as a foundation for religion, but are unaware that others exist who share their beliefs. The Internet has been helpful in making them aware of modern satr as a larger phenomenon, although solitary practice continues to be the norm for many, even after they have discovered an satr organization.
Tenets Many modern practitioners view satr mythology, not as literal truth, but as metaphorical truth of great weight. There is no orthodox theology or dogma, although there are significant schools of thought. The natural environment is deified in several respects in its pantheon, and is revered in practice, but, unlike some nature-oriented religions, satr is not opposed to technology.
Truthfulness, self-reliance, and hospitality are especially important moral values, underpinning a more general notion of honor. Creative, productive, and intellectual pursuits are regarded highly, as are martial skills and military service.
Comparison with many other religions is difficult, and should start by expecting to find truly fundamental differences in outlook. For example, the mythology presents the gods as neither omniscient, omnipotent, immortal, nor infallible. Nevertheless, they are wise, powerful, long-lived, and good to know as friends. Furthermore, they are a product of existence, not the other way around. Humanity is seen as an honorable life form, and subject to the same constraints of decision, action, and consequence as the gods. The relationship between gods and men is something like familial and not subordinative.
satr morality is also significantly different from that of many other religions. For example, there is no list of wholesale injunctions against various behaviors, but tradeoffs between freedom and responsibility are central themes in the mythic, legendary, and historical literature of the religion, which adherents are expected to read and consider very seriously. Some behaviors condemned by other religions are considered virtues when legitimately founded and properly managed. Pride is a good example of this. There is a theory of an afterlife, based mostly on a kind of rough justice. Discussions of "redemption", "salvation", or "perfection" are notably absent, as are the conceptual precursors that might require them.
Although it derives from a warrior culture, satr is not a male-dominated religion. Men and women are seen as equals in most regards, and simply different in others. Women have a pre-eminent role in seidh, an important rite.
satr has Norse/Germanic mythology at its core, but there are regional variations in its emphasis, often due to the subjective interpretations of influentual local practitioners. For example, in Iceland, many consider it politically left-leaning, and some in Germany and America view it as having a racial aspect. Race-oriented satr ranges from a "folkish" outlook that respects other races and cultures, to a more extreme outlook that does not. "Universalist" satr takes no account of race. satr organizations tend to make a point of where they stand on this issue.
People come to satr of their own accord. Proselytizing is frowned upon.
Rites A Bl t (pronounced "bloat") is an satr rite that honors the gods, usually focusing on one of the gods in the pantheon. A bl t may be highly formalized, but the underlying intent is something like inviting and having an honored guest or family member in for dinner. Food and drink may be offered. Most of this will be consumed by the participants, and some of the drink will be poured out onto the earth. The usual drink is mead (a wine made from honey) or ale.
Sumbel (also spelled "symbel") is a rite in which a drink is passed around an assembled circle. At each passing of the drink, participants make a different kind of statement, usually following the pattern of Toast-Boast-Oath. The Toast honors some mentor, revered relative, or favorite god of the participant. The Boast is an opportunity for the participant to honor self, in terms of some good work accomplished. The Oath is a promise to carry out some good work in the future. Participants are not required to make any statements and may simply pass the drink along. Oaths made during Sumbel are considered binding upon the persons making them. Another common pattern is to toast to a God or Virtue, then a Hero or Ancestor, and the final round being either open, or dedicated to boasts or oaths.
Seidh (pronounced "sayth", where the th is voiced) is a shamanistic rite. It is fairly difficult to carry out, and not all satr ar participate in seidh. In the past, Seid was considered somewhat shameful; something that only women did and only in time of dire need. Today many former Wiccans are drawn to satr and find Seid to be important to them.
Etymology " satr " is an Icelandic/Old Norse term consisting of two parts. The first is sa (Genitive of sir) referring to the gods and goddesses of the mythology. The old languages had no indigenous word meaning "faith" or "belief", instead employing the term tr or tro, whose original meaning approximates "truth" or "loyal to". This has led to some inconsistencies in translation and even theological differences.
The genitive of ' satr ' is ' satr ar'. Thus it means 'of satr '. "These five people are satr ar" means "these five people are of satr ", i.e. they have that faith. In English ' satr ar' is sometimes used as a noun meaning "a practitioner of satr ".
satr is also referred to as Norse or Germanic Heathenry. The Old Norse term for 'heathenry' is "hei ni". Yet another Old Norse designation is "forn r", which means "Ancient Custom", though some people distinguish this as something different from satr . In modern Scandinavian, these words have become "he(i)dning" and "forn sed".
"Odinism" is an alternative name for satr .
"Bl t" derives from the Indo-European word for blood, as does the modern English word "blessing".
Related topics
Internal Links
External links - The Asatru Alliance (http://www.asatru.org/)
- satr lagid (http://www.asatru.is/) (The Icelandic satr Fellowship; some English-language pages)
- satrufellesskapet Bifrost (http://www.bifrost.no/) (The Asatrufellowship Bifrost, Norway; introduction in English)
- the Forn Sed Community (http://www.forn-sed.no/)
- The Asatru Folk Assembly (http://www.runestone.org/)
- Northvegr Foundation (http://northvegr.org/) (Promotes Heithni rather than satr – "Groups using the name Asatru in America or Odinism are often based on social-political or neo-pagan/secular ideals and have little to do with a genuine Northern world-view and ethic." – but covers broadly the same territory)
- The Odinic Rite (http://www.odinic-rite.org/)
- Odin LIVES! Radio (http://www.odinlives.org/)
- Allgermanische Heidnische Front (http://www.heathenfront.org/)
- Vinlandic Heathen Front (http://www.heathenfront.org/vlhf/a)
- Sveriges Asatrosamfund (http://www.asatrosamfundet.se/) (The Swedish AsatruSociety; introduction in English)
- The Troth (http://www.thetroth.org/) (possibly the most comprehensive text by modern Asatruar on the Internet)
- Woden's Harrow (http://home.earthlink.net/~wodensharrow/) ("Asatru - Norse Mythology - Art - Literature - Runes" by s)
- A critical report on racist Odinist groups (http://www.splcenter.org/intel/intelreport/article.jsp?aid=236) from Mattias Gardell, in an interview with the Southern Poverty Law Center
- Google category: satr (http://directory.google.com/Top/Society/Religion_and_Spirituality/Pagan/Asatru/)
- www.odinist.com web forum (http://www.odinist.com/)
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