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Wednesday, January 19, 2011

Asatru

Asatru Image
Asatru is an Old Norse compound derived from Ass, which refers to the AEsir, (one of the two families of gods in Norse mythology, the other being the Vanir), and tru, literally "troth" or "faith". Thus, Asatru is the "AEsir's faith." The term is the Old Norse/Icelandic translation of Asetro, a neologism coined in the context of 19th century romantic nationalism, used by Edvard Grieg in his 1870 opera Olaf Trygvason. Asatruar, sometimes used as a plural in English, is properly the genitive of Asatru.

Modern Scandinavian forms of the term, Norwegian Asatru, Swedish Asatro, Danish Asetro, were introduced in Neopaganism in Scandinavia in the 1990s.

In Germany, the terms Asatru and Odinism were borrowed from the Anglosphere in the 1990s, with a chapter of Odinic Rite formed in 1995 and the Eldaring as a partner organization of The Troth formed in 2000. Eldaring takes Asatru as a synonym of Germanic neopaganism in general, following usage by The Troth. Other organizations avoid Asatru in favour of Germanisches Heidentum ("Germanic Heathenry"). Eldaring is the only pagan organization at the national level in Germany self-described as Asatru.

The term Vanatru is coined after Asatru, implying a focus on the Vanir (a second tribe of gods in Germanic paganism) rather than the AEsir.

You also may enjoy this free books:

Reeves Hall - Asatru In Brief
Pagan Pride Project - What Is Asatru

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