The religious practices and convictions of Icelanders have been undergoing rapid changes in the past years. The most recent data from Registers Iceland shows that Icelanders continue to turn their backs on the National Church of Iceland. At the turn of the century 89% of Icelanders were members of the National Church. This figure has dropped down to 65.6%.
Read more: Icelanders abandon National State Church, as old pagan Ásatrú continues to grow
At the same time the old Nose paganism Ásatrú is doing well. According to the latest figures from Registers Iceland 4,375 people belonged to the two separate pagan congregations, the small Reykjavíkurgoðorð (26 people) and the much larger Ásatrúarfélagið (4,349). Currently 1.2% of the population belongs to the pagan congregations. This makes the old pagan religion of the Vikings not only the fastest growing religion in Iceland, but also the largest non-Christian religion.
Óðinn and Þór make a comeback after a millennium
In the year 1000 Christianity was adopted as the national religion of Iceland by Alþingi, the Viking-age commonwealth parliament of Iceland. At the time Christianity was making inroads, winning converts. Since Christianity had a very different moral and legal code from paganism, the leading chieftains of Iceland feared that society would be torn apart by permitting two different religions to co-exist. The matter was referred to Þorgeir Þorkelsson, who was both one of the members of parliament (Goði), representing the Ljósvetningagoðorð constituency/district in NE Iceland, and the Lawspeaker (lögsögumaður), the highest political office in Iceland.
The office of Lawspeaker is a unique Nordic political institution, which has its roots in the oral Germanic tradition of reciting the law at parliament. The legal code of the Viking Age Commonwealth of Iceland was recited over three years, one third of the legal code recited each year. The Lögsögumaður was also the president of the parliamentary assembly and the chief justice of Alþingi; the assembly functioning both as a legislative body and a court.
Read more: 9 essential things to know about Þingvellir National Park
It was therefore logical that Þorgeir be handed the difficult decision to decide whether Icelanders would bow to Christ or the old gods. After spending a day and a night in his tent meditating and contemplating the matter he declared that Iceland would become a Christian nation. While it was still permissible to observe the old religion in private, the old pagan ways quickly receded in the face of Christianity.
Now, 1000 years later the old Norse paganism Ásatrú is making a comeback. Of course the modern day practice of Ásatrú differs from its practice a millennium ago. More importantly, though, its practice differs from its 19th century nationalistic and militaristic portrayals. The High Priest of Ásatrúarfélagið, Allsherjargoði, explained the religion and its practice to Iceland Insider in an interview a couple of years back.
Read more: Heathens against hate: Exclusive interview with the high priest of the Icelandic Pagan Association
According to Hilmar Örn Hilmarsson, the High Priest of Ásatrúarfélagið, the primary reason for the growing popularity of Óðinn and the old gods is the emphasis in Ásatrú on harmony and humility, especially in face of the things we cannot, and should not attempt to subvert and change, most importantly time. It is also a religion that holds wisdom in high regard, but not just the wisdom contained in ancient texts, but also the wisdom people acquire through their lived experience.
Ásatrú is a religion that guides people through the different stages of life and stresses harmony and acceptance of the things which cannot be changed, the courage to grow and change those things in one's life which can and should be changed, while celebrating the wisdom needed to navigate life's turbulent waters.
The recent growth of Ásatrú in Iceland should serve as a reminder that religions and religious practices, and our understanding of these practices, are deeply intertwined with larger social and cultural developments. A religion many 19th century Europeans viewed as a militaristic celebration of brutal and toxic masculinity and submission to authority and force is drawing converts today precisely because its present day practice is the exact opposite of these traits.
The religious practices and convictions of Icelanders have been undergoing rapid changes in the past years. The most recent data from Registers Iceland shows that Icelanders continue to turn their backs on the National Church of Iceland. At the turn of the century 89% of Icelanders were members of the National Church. This figure has dropped down to 65.6%.
Read more: Icelanders abandon National State Church, as old pagan Ásatrú continues to grow
At the same time the old Nose paganism Ásatrú is doing well. According to the latest figures from Registers Iceland 4,375 people belonged to the two separate pagan congregations, the small Reykjavíkurgoðorð (26 people) and the much larger Ásatrúarfélagið (4,349). Currently 1.2% of the population belongs to the pagan congregations. This makes the old pagan religion of the Vikings not only the fastest growing religion in Iceland, but also the largest non-Christian religion.
Óðinn and Þór make a comeback after a millennium
In the year 1000 Christianity was adopted as the national religion of Iceland by Alþingi, the Viking-age commonwealth parliament of Iceland. At the time Christianity was making inroads, winning converts. Since Christianity had a very different moral and legal code from paganism, the leading chieftains of Iceland feared that society would be torn apart by permitting two different religions to co-exist. The matter was referred to Þorgeir Þorkelsson, who was both one of the members of parliament (Goði), representing the Ljósvetningagoðorð constituency/district in NE Iceland, and the Lawspeaker (lögsögumaður), the highest political office in Iceland.
The office of Lawspeaker is a unique Nordic political institution, which has its roots in the oral Germanic tradition of reciting the law at parliament. The legal code of the Viking Age Commonwealth of Iceland was recited over three years, one third of the legal code recited each year. The Lögsögumaður was also the president of the parliamentary assembly and the chief justice of Alþingi; the assembly functioning both as a legislative body and a court.
Read more: 9 essential things to know about Þingvellir National Park
It was therefore logical that Þorgeir be handed the difficult decision to decide whether Icelanders would bow to Christ or the old gods. After spending a day and a night in his tent meditating and contemplating the matter he declared that Iceland would become a Christian nation. While it was still permissible to observe the old religion in private, the old pagan ways quickly receded in the face of Christianity.
Now, 1000 years later the old Norse paganism Ásatrú is making a comeback. Of course the modern day practice of Ásatrú differs from its practice a millennium ago. More importantly, though, its practice differs from its 19th century nationalistic and militaristic portrayals. The High Priest of Ásatrúarfélagið, Allsherjargoði, explained the religion and its practice to Iceland Insider in an interview a couple of years back.
Read more: Heathens against hate: Exclusive interview with the high priest of the Icelandic Pagan Association
According to Hilmar Örn Hilmarsson, the High Priest of Ásatrúarfélagið, the primary reason for the growing popularity of Óðinn and the old gods is the emphasis in Ásatrú on harmony and humility, especially in face of the things we cannot, and should not attempt to subvert and change, most importantly time. It is also a religion that holds wisdom in high regard, but not just the wisdom contained in ancient texts, but also the wisdom people acquire through their lived experience.
Ásatrú is a religion that guides people through the different stages of life and stresses harmony and acceptance of the things which cannot be changed, the courage to grow and change those things in one's life which can and should be changed, while celebrating the wisdom needed to navigate life's turbulent waters.
The recent growth of Ásatrú in Iceland should serve as a reminder that religions and religious practices, and our understanding of these practices, are deeply intertwined with larger social and cultural developments. A religion many 19th century Europeans viewed as a militaristic celebration of brutal and toxic masculinity and submission to authority and force is drawing converts today precisely because its present day practice is the exact opposite of these traits.
