Difference between Heathenry and Asatru?

[Theweirdtophat]

I can't find any good sources explaining the difference between the two? Is there? If so, what is it?

 

[Nietzsche]

Asatru is more or less focused on the Norse variant of Germanic pagan traditions, while Heathenry can involve the continental or Anglo-Saxon, Lombard, ect branches.

 

[vaguelyhumanoid]

Yep. Ásatrú is Norse (especially Icelandic) reconstructionism & revivalism. Heathenry is any sort of Germanic paganism.

 

[The Emperor of Mankind]

Isn't Asatru Norse Paganism with an Icelandic bent to it?

 

[Nietzsche]

Isn't Asatru Norse Paganism with an Icelandic bent to it?

"Icelandic bent"? No. "Norse" is just, well, "Norse" or Scandinavian-paganism. The Germanic traditions as practiced in Scandinavia. Norse Paganism is part of a larger group, the Germanic pagan traditions. The key differences involve a change in the Gods. Specifically, in Saxon and other continental German variants Tyr/Tiwaz remained the King of the Gods, while he was supplanted by Odin/Woden in the Anglo-Saxon & Norse traditions. The Norse are further differentiated by the presence of Loki, who has no equivalent in the other Germanic faiths.

 

[Theweirdtophat]

So would it be like comparing Druidism and Druidry. Druidism is really more focused on the religious side of Celtic faith and are more reconstructionist and polytheistic, while Druidry is more open to other philosophies and can be animistic, polytheistic, monotheistic ect. Would Asatru be like Druidism and Heathenry be like Druidry?

 

[Riverwolf]

So would it be like comparing Druidism and Druidry. Druidism is really more focused on the religious side of Celtic faith and are more reconstructionist and polytheistic, while Druidry is more open to other philosophies and can be animistic, polytheistic, monotheistic ect. Would Asatru be like Druidism and Heathenry be like Druidry?

Not really. Heathenry is the umbrella term; all Asatrú is Heathenry, but not all Heathenry is Asatrú.

It's similar to how Christianity has hundreds of separate denominations that are still all Christianity, except that with Heathenry the differences are more based on geography. Asatrú is the Heathenry of the Norse, that is, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Iceland, and the Faroe Islands. I follow a more Anglo-Saxon revivalist form of Heathenry (which doesn't have a sexy name for itself at the moment ), that is, Heathenry based on the culture of England (mostly pre-Norman but with some post-Norman stuff and even a few things from my birth culture of Northern California), and so I am not Asatrú.