Heathenry

What Is Heathenry

Heathenry is a term used to describe the religious practices of two main groups of people, one historical and one modern.

The original Heathens were the pre-Christian North European peoples who lived a thousand and more years ago in the lands around what is now called the North Sea. These included the peoples of Anglo-Saxon England, Scandinavia, Germany and Frisia (Friesland).

Modern Heathen groups around the world are reviving these old practices and call their religion by various names including Asatru, Forn Sed, Germanic Pagan Reconstructionism or, simply, Heathenry.

In Iceland, which did not convert to Christianity until the 11th Century, Heathenry has once again become an official (nationally recognised) religion.

Heathens work to build healthy relationships with gods and goddesses, ancestors, spirits of the land, and others in their communities, both through holy rites and through their day to day actions.