The Asatru movement began in the 1970's, as a revival of Germanic paganism. Begun in Iceland on the Summer Solstice of 1972, the Íslenska Ásatrúarfélagið was founded recognized as an official religion the following year. Shortly afterwards, the Asatru Free Assembly was formed in the United States, although they later became the Asatru Folk Assembly. An offshoot group, the Asatru Alliance, founded by Valgard Murray, holds an annual gathering called "Althing", and has done so for over twenty-five years.
To the Asatru, the gods are living beings who take an active role in the world and its inhabitants. There are three types of deities within the Asatru system:
The Aesir: gods of the tribe or clan, representing leadership.
The Vanir: not part of the clan directly, but associated with it, representing earth and nature.
The Jotnar: giants always at war with the Aesir, symbolic of destruction and chaos...READ MORE...