Heathen Tribalism: The Way Forward
Tribalism: The Way Forward It has become a trend in Heathenry to call one’s fellowship their “Tribe”. This is done in a sincere attempt to create strong bonds of fraternity within a tight knit religious community and is quite commendable in its aims. Yet, in order to move forward in authentically reconstructing the worldview and […]
Vetrnætr – Winter Nights
The first three nights of winter, called Winter Nights or Vetrnætr, are dedicated to Freyr and those connected with him. This is the festival of Vetr that Óðinn tells us to celebrate in Ynglingasaga ch. 8. We have a description of the Vetrnætr feast in several sources, including Gisla Saga ch. 10: Það var þá margra manna siður að […]
Types of Þings
Now we turn to how these clans sustained their representative governments through the hierarchy of the clan system. We begin with the House, or Hús, which corresponds to the immediate family. In ancient times, the Húsþing was a small council or assembly held by a king, jarl, or family-head (hǫfðingi) with his household or […]
Reconstructing Our Law
In order to fully reconstruct the law of our religion, we must first determine how that law has worked throughout the millennia, and then explain how we can utilize it today. The primary function of law is to limit human behavior in a way that develops social and spiritual cohesion and thus allows us to […]
Lawmen
The Lawmen (Lǫgmaðr) of ancient Heathenry were not merely those who upheld the law of the people; they were also the final bulwark against the rise of tyrannical kings. It is noteworthy that as European monarchs consolidated power under Christendom, the position of the Lawman was gradually dissolved. Having regional districts led by influential […]
The Þing
No legal system can effectively function without some authority to administer and interpret the laws therein. Any “law” created by people with no plan to reinforce it with a judiciary is useless, and the system is no better than anarchy. Laws must come with consequences, which must be applied justly and fairly by a court […]
Law Man
The Lawmen (Lǫgmaðr) of ancient Heathenry were not merely those who upheld the law of the people; they were also the final bulwark against the rise of tyrannical kings. It is noteworthy that as European monarchs consolidated power under Christendom, the position of the Lawman was gradually dissolved. Having regional districts led by influential individuals […]
Nine Níðar
Every religion in the world has certain restrictions that generally serve in curbing wanton desires or malevolent tendencies. These taboos represent time-tested principles based upon human experience expressed through the folk-will. As stated, our eschatology— our beliefs in the afterlife— is retributive, with the powers of ǫrlǫg reaching beyond the borders of life and death. […]
Corporal Punishment
The notion of taking someone’s life for the commission of a crime is one of the oldest legal concepts in the world. Indeed, law-codes have existed in the past that placed this form of justice as the primary means of maintaining order, which we see today as more a mark of tyrants than a proper […]
Historic Law: the Oath Ring
A ring weighing two ounces or more should lie on the stalli in every chief Hof, and this ring should every Goði have upon his arm at every law-Þing at which he should be at the head of affairs, having first reddened it in the blood of a neat (cow) which he had sacrificed himself […]