Old Norse Religion - Revision history

Yvesdelyle: /* The Principal Gods */

2013-01-30T09:38:30Z

The Principal Gods

← Older revision		Revision as of 19:38, 30 January 2013
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	As with most religions in pre-Christian [[Europe]], the Norse worshipped a pantheon of deities. Each god or goddess held a specific sphere of influence in the world. The Norse deities were divided into two races, the ''Æsir'' and the ''Vanir''. As with the [[Roman]] deities, the principal Norse gods each had a [[calendar\|day of the week]] named for them. Curiously enough, no god was associated with Saturday. According to one of the resources I consulted, the Norse originally had a six-day week, which may account for this omission.		As with most religions in pre-Christian [[Europe]], the Norse worshipped a pantheon of deities. Each god or goddess held a specific sphere of influence in the world. The Norse deities were divided into two races, the ''Æsir'' and the ''Vanir''. As with the [[Roman]] deities, the principal Norse gods each had a [[calendar\|day of the week]] named for them. Curiously enough, no god was associated with Saturday. According to one of the resources I consulted, the Norse originally had a six-day week, which may account for this omission.
	* '''Oðin/Wotan''' (chief of the gods, his principal day was Wednesday; according to legend, he sacrificed an eye to learn the secret of the [[Rune]]s. He is also identified with the Roman god, Mercury)		* '''Oðin/Wotan''' (chief of the gods, his principal day was Wednesday; according to legend, he sacrificed an eye to learn the secret of the [[Rune]]s. He is also identified with the Roman god, Mercury)
	* '''~~Þor~~/~~�?onnar~~''' (the "Thunderer", he was the most popular of the gods; his symbol — the [[hammer]] — acquired widespread use among the [[Viking]]s; his day is Thursday and he is identified with the Roman god Jove or Jupiter)		* '''Þórr/Þunor''' (the "Thunderer", he was the most popular of the gods; his symbol — the [[hammer]] — acquired widespread use among the [[Viking]]s; his day is Thursday and he is identified with the Roman god Jove or Jupiter)
	* '''Freyr & Freyja''' (twin brother and sister, they were the deities of love, sex, and fertility; they belonged to the lesser race of Vanir and their joint day is Friday; Freya is also identified with Venus)		* '''Freyr & Freyja''' (twin brother and sister, they were the deities of love, sex, and fertility; they belonged to the lesser race of Vanir and their joint day is Friday; Freya is also identified with Venus)
	* '''Tyr/Tiw''' (god of [[law]] and [[warfare]], his cult was not widespread among the Vikings; due to [[oath]]-breaking, he was obliged to sacrifice one of his hands to the [[wolf]], ''Fenris''; he is associated with the day Tuesday, and he is identified with Mars)		* '''Tyr/Tiw''' (god of [[law]] and [[warfare]], his cult was not widespread among the Vikings; due to [[oath]]-breaking, he was obliged to sacrifice one of his hands to the [[wolf]], ''Fenris''; he is associated with the day Tuesday, and he is identified with Mars)

Cian at 06:10, 11 April 2011

2011-04-11T06:10:48Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 16:10, 11 April 2011
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	The ~~relgious~~ beliefs of the [[Viking]]s and other [[pagan]] Scandinavians are generally referred to as the '''Old Norse Religion'''. There is no evidence that the Norse themselves ever had a specific name for their religious beliefs and practices. Belief in the old gods was an integral part of their lives. To separate the need to worship the gods and avoid their wrath from other daily activities would have been alien to their way of thinking. Only with the coming of [[Christian]]ity did it become necessary to distinguish between the "new faith" and the "old ways". This article will focus primarily on the historical aspects of the Norse religion.		The [[religious]] beliefs of the [[Viking]]s and other [[pagan]] Scandinavians are generally referred to as the '''Old Norse Religion'''. There is no evidence that the [[Norse]] themselves ever had a specific name for their religious beliefs and practices. Belief in the old gods was an integral part of their lives. To separate the need to worship the gods and avoid their wrath from other daily activities would have been alien to their way of thinking. Only with the coming of [[Christian]]ity did it become necessary to distinguish between the "new faith" and the "old ways". This article will focus primarily on the historical aspects of the Norse religion.

	==The Principal Gods ==		==The Principal Gods ==
	As with most religions in pre-Christian Europe, the Norse worshipped a pantheon of deities. Each god or goddess held a specific sphere of influence in the world. The Norse deities were divided into two races, the ''Æsir'' and the ''Vanir''. As with the Roman deities, the principal Norse gods each had a day of the week named for them. Curiously enough, no god was associated with Saturday. According to one of the resources I consulted, the Norse originally had a six-day week, which may account for this omission.		As with most religions in pre-Christian [[Europe]], the Norse worshipped a pantheon of deities. Each god or goddess held a specific sphere of influence in the world. The Norse deities were divided into two races, the ''Æsir'' and the ''Vanir''. As with the [[Roman]] deities, the principal Norse gods each had a [[calendar\|day of the week]] named for them. Curiously enough, no god was associated with Saturday. According to one of the resources I consulted, the Norse originally had a six-day week, which may account for this omission.
	* '''Oðin/Wotan''' (chief of the gods, his principal day was Wednesday; according to legend, he sacrificed an eye to learn the secret of the ~~Runes~~. He is also identified with the Roman god, Mercury)		* '''Oðin/Wotan''' (chief of the gods, his principal day was Wednesday; according to legend, he sacrificed an eye to learn the secret of the [[Rune]]s. He is also identified with the Roman god, Mercury)
	* '''Þor/�?onnar''' (the "Thunderer", he was the most popular of the gods; his ~~symbol—the~~ ~~hammer—acquired~~ widespread use among the ~~Vikings~~; his day is Thursday and he is identified with the Roman god Jove or Jupiter)		* '''Þor/�?onnar''' (the "Thunderer", he was the most popular of the gods; his symbol — the [[hammer]] — acquired widespread use among the [[Viking]]s; his day is Thursday and he is identified with the Roman god Jove or Jupiter)
	* '''Freyr & Freyja''' (twin brother and sister, they were the deities of love, sex, and fertility; they belonged to the lesser race of Vanir and their joint day is Friday; Freya is also identified with Venus)		* '''Freyr & Freyja''' (twin brother and sister, they were the deities of love, sex, and fertility; they belonged to the lesser race of Vanir and their joint day is Friday; Freya is also identified with Venus)
	* '''Tyr/Tiw''' (god of law and warfare, his cult was not widespread among the Vikings; due to oath-breaking, he was obliged to sacrifice one of his hands to the wolf, ''Fenris''; he is associated with the day Tuesday, and he is identified with Mars)		* '''Tyr/Tiw''' (god of [[law]] and [[warfare]], his cult was not widespread among the Vikings; due to [[oath]]-breaking, he was obliged to sacrifice one of his hands to the [[wolf]], ''Fenris''; he is associated with the day Tuesday, and he is identified with Mars)

	==Other Gods==		==Other Gods==
	Besides the principal gods listed above, there were numerous other deities. Most important were ''Baldur'' and ''Loki''. Baldur was the first of the gods to die, in fulfillment of an ancient prophecy, ''Voluspa'', which foretold the death of all the Norse gods and the coming of a new golden age. A similar prophecy in Vergil's ''Song of the Sybil'' was widely interpreted by medieval clergy as the coming of the Christian religion. Baldur's death was brought about by Loki's treachery. Loki was the chief adversary of the Norse gods. Other important deities include the ''Norns'' or "fates"—able to see past, present, and future—and the ''Valkyries''. These were the seductive and terrifying daughters of Odin that chose who would live and who would die, on the field of battle, and conducted them to their final reward in ''Valhalla'', the abode of the heroic dead.		Besides the principal gods listed above, there were numerous other deities. Most important were ''Baldur'' and ''Loki''. Baldur was the first of the gods to die, in fulfillment of an ancient prophecy, ''Voluspa'', which foretold the death of all the Norse gods and the coming of a new golden age. A similar prophecy in [[Vergil]]'s ''Song of the Sybil'' was widely interpreted by [[medieval]] [[clergy]] as the coming of the Christian religion. Baldur's death was brought about by Loki's treachery. Loki was the chief adversary of the Norse gods. Other important deities include the ''Norns'' or "fates"—able to see past, present, and future—and the ''Valkyries''. These were the seductive and terrifying daughters of Odin that chose who would live and who would die, on the [[field]] of [[battle]], and conducted them to their final reward in ''Valhalla'', the abode of the heroic dead.

	==An Ethnic Faith==		==An Ethnic Faith==

Conrad Leviston: typos, Caps etc.

2006-12-22T12:15:41Z

typos, Caps etc.

← Older revision		Revision as of 22:15, 22 December 2006
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	The relgious beliefs of the [[Viking]]s and other [[pagan]] ~~Scandavavians~~ are generally referred to as the '''Old Norse Religion'''. There is no evidence that the Norse themselves ever had a specific name for their religious beliefs and practices. Belief in the old gods was an integral part of their lives. To separate the need to worship the gods and avoid their wrath from other daily activities would have been alien to their way of thinking. Only with the coming of ~~Christianity~~ did it become necessary to distinguish between the "new faith" and the "old ways". This article will focus primarily on the historical aspects of the Norse religion.		The relgious beliefs of the [[Viking]]s and other [[pagan]] Scandinavians are generally referred to as the '''Old Norse Religion'''. There is no evidence that the Norse themselves ever had a specific name for their religious beliefs and practices. Belief in the old gods was an integral part of their lives. To separate the need to worship the gods and avoid their wrath from other daily activities would have been alien to their way of thinking. Only with the coming of [[Christian]]ity did it become necessary to distinguish between the "new faith" and the "old ways". This article will focus primarily on the historical aspects of the Norse religion.

	== ~~the~~ ~~principal gods~~ ==		==The Principal Gods ==
	As with most religions in pre-Christian Europe, the Norse worshipped a pantheon of deities. Each god or goddess held a specific sphere of influence in the world. The Norse deities were divided into two races, the ''~~Æsir~~'' and the ''Vanir''. As with the Roman deities, the principal Norse gods each had a day of the week named for them. Curiously enough, no god was associated with Saturday. According to one of the resources I consulted, the Norse originally had a six-day week, which may account for this omission.		As with most religions in pre-Christian Europe, the Norse worshipped a pantheon of deities. Each god or goddess held a specific sphere of influence in the world. The Norse deities were divided into two races, the ''Æsir'' and the ''Vanir''. As with the Roman deities, the principal Norse gods each had a day of the week named for them. Curiously enough, no god was associated with Saturday. According to one of the resources I consulted, the Norse originally had a six-day week, which may account for this omission.
	* '''Oðin/Wotan''' (chief of the gods, his principal day was Wednesday; according to legend, he sacrificed an eye to learn the secret of the Runes. He is also identified with the Roman god, Mercury)		* '''Oðin/Wotan''' (chief of the gods, his principal day was Wednesday; according to legend, he sacrificed an eye to learn the secret of the Runes. He is also identified with the Roman god, Mercury)
	* '''Þor/�?onnar''' (the "Thunderer", he was the most popular of the gods; his symbol—the hammer—acquired widespread use among the Vikings; his day is Thursday and he is identified with the Roman god Jove or Jupiter)		* '''Þor/�?onnar''' (the "Thunderer", he was the most popular of the gods; his symbol—the hammer—acquired widespread use among the Vikings; his day is Thursday and he is identified with the Roman god Jove or Jupiter)
Line 8:		Line 8:
	* '''Tyr/Tiw''' (god of law and warfare, his cult was not widespread among the Vikings; due to oath-breaking, he was obliged to sacrifice one of his hands to the wolf, ''Fenris''; he is associated with the day Tuesday, and he is identified with Mars)		* '''Tyr/Tiw''' (god of law and warfare, his cult was not widespread among the Vikings; due to oath-breaking, he was obliged to sacrifice one of his hands to the wolf, ''Fenris''; he is associated with the day Tuesday, and he is identified with Mars)

	== ~~other gods~~ ==		==Other Gods==
	Besides the principal gods listed above, there were numerous other deities. Most important were ''Baldur'' and ''Loki''. Baldur was the first of the gods to die, in fulfillment of an ancient prophecy, ''Voluspa'', which foretold the death of all the Norse gods and the coming of a new golden age. A ~~similiar~~ prophecy in Vergil's ''Song of the Sybil'' was widely interpreted by medieval clergy as the coming of the Christian religion. Baldur's death was brought about by Loki's treachery. Loki was the chief adversary of the Norse gods. Other important deities include the ''Norns'' or "fates"—able to see past, present, and future—and the ''Valkyries''. These were the seductive and terrifying daughters of Odin that chose who would live and who would die, on the field of battle, and conducted them to their final reward in ''Valhalla'', the abode of the heroic dead.		Besides the principal gods listed above, there were numerous other deities. Most important were ''Baldur'' and ''Loki''. Baldur was the first of the gods to die, in fulfillment of an ancient prophecy, ''Voluspa'', which foretold the death of all the Norse gods and the coming of a new golden age. A similar prophecy in Vergil's ''Song of the Sybil'' was widely interpreted by medieval clergy as the coming of the Christian religion. Baldur's death was brought about by Loki's treachery. Loki was the chief adversary of the Norse gods. Other important deities include the ''Norns'' or "fates"—able to see past, present, and future—and the ''Valkyries''. These were the seductive and terrifying daughters of Odin that chose who would live and who would die, on the field of battle, and conducted them to their final reward in ''Valhalla'', the abode of the heroic dead.

	== an ethnic faith ==
			==An Ethnic Faith==
	Unlike universal religions such as [[Christian]]ity and [[Islam]], the Old Norse religion did not actively seek converts. One became a worshipper of the gods by virtue of one's birth or by marrying into a Norse family. Outsiders had their own gods to watch over them, and any stranger seeking to convert would most likely have been considered a social outcast. As the Vikings settled in news lands, they began to adopt the religious traditions of their neighbors, especially Christianity. Many of the Norse however clung to both traditions, publicly professing Christianity, while worshipping the old gods in private.		Unlike universal religions such as [[Christian]]ity and [[Islam]], the Old Norse religion did not actively seek converts. One became a worshipper of the gods by virtue of one's birth or by marrying into a Norse family. Outsiders had their own gods to watch over them, and any stranger seeking to convert would most likely have been considered a social outcast. As the Vikings settled in news lands, they began to adopt the religious traditions of their neighbors, especially Christianity. Many of the Norse however clung to both traditions, publicly professing Christianity, while worshipping the old gods in private.

	== ~~references~~ ==		==References==
	Lee M. Hollander (trans), ''The Poetic Edda'', Univeristy of Texas Press, 1962, 1999<br>		Lee M. Hollander (trans), ''The Poetic Edda'', Univeristy of Texas Press, 1962, 1999<br>
	Gerald Simons, ''Barbarian Europe'', Time-Life Books, 1968		Gerald Simons, ''Barbarian Europe'', Time-Life Books, 1968

	[[Category:Religion]]		[[Category:Religion]]

Ld Hærek at 07:55, 22 December 2006

2006-12-22T07:55:31Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 17:55, 22 December 2006
Line 1:		Line 1:
	The relgious beliefs of the [[Viking]]s and other [[pagan]] Scandavavians are generally referred to as the '''Old Norse Religion'''. There is no evidence that the Norse themselves ever had a specific name for their religious beliefs and practices. Belief in the old gods was an integral part of their lives. To separate the need to worship the gods and avoid their wrath from other daily activities would have been alien to their way of thinking. Only with the coming of Christianity did it become necessary to distinguish between the ''new faith'' and the ''old ways''. This article will focus primarily on the historical aspects of the Norse religion.		The relgious beliefs of the [[Viking]]s and other [[pagan]] Scandavavians are generally referred to as the '''Old Norse Religion'''. There is no evidence that the Norse themselves ever had a specific name for their religious beliefs and practices. Belief in the old gods was an integral part of their lives. To separate the need to worship the gods and avoid their wrath from other daily activities would have been alien to their way of thinking. Only with the coming of Christianity did it become necessary to distinguish between the "new faith" and the "old ways". This article will focus primarily on the historical aspects of the Norse religion.

	== the principal gods ==		== the principal gods ==

Ld Hærek at 07:52, 22 December 2006

2006-12-22T07:52:13Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 17:52, 22 December 2006
Line 1:		Line 1:
	The relgious beliefs of the [[Viking]]s and other [[pagan]] Scandavavians are generally referred to as the '''Old Norse Religion'''. There is no evidence that the Norse themselves ever had a specific name for their religious beliefs and practices. Belief in the old gods was an integral part of their lives. To separate the need to worship the gods and avoid their wrath from other daily activities would have been alien to their way of thinking. Only with the coming of Christianity did it become necessary to distinguish between the ''new faith'' and the ''old ways''. This article will focus primarily on the historical aspects of the Norse religion.		The relgious beliefs of the [[Viking]]s and other [[pagan]] Scandavavians are generally referred to as the '''Old Norse Religion'''. There is no evidence that the Norse themselves ever had a specific name for their religious beliefs and practices. Belief in the old gods was an integral part of their lives. To separate the need to worship the gods and avoid their wrath from other daily activities would have been alien to their way of thinking. Only with the coming of Christianity did it become necessary to distinguish between the ''new faith'' and the ''old ways''. This article will focus primarily on the historical aspects of the Norse religion.

	== the gods ==		== the principal gods ==
	As with most religions in pre-Christian Europe, the Norse worshipped a pantheon of deities. Each god or goddess held a specific sphere of influence in the world. The Norse deities were divided into two races, the ''Æsir'' and the ''Vanir''.		As with most religions in pre-Christian Europe, the Norse worshipped a pantheon of deities. Each god or goddess held a specific sphere of influence in the world. The Norse deities were divided into two races, the ''Æsir'' and the ''Vanir''. As with the Roman deities, the principal Norse gods each had a day of the week named for them. Curiously enough, no god was associated with Saturday. According to one of the resources I consulted, the Norse originally had a six-day week, which may account for this omission.
	* Oðin/Wotan (chief of the gods, his principal day was Wednesday; according to legend, he sacrificed an eye to learn the secret of the Runes. He is also identified with the Roman god, Mercury)		* '''Oðin/Wotan''' (chief of the gods, his principal day was Wednesday; according to legend, he sacrificed an eye to learn the secret of the Runes. He is also identified with the Roman god, Mercury)
	* Þor/�?onnar (the "Thunderer", he was the most popular of the gods; his symbol—the hammer—acquired widespread use among the Vikings; his day is Thursday and he is identified with the Roman god Jove or Jupiter)		* '''Þor/�?onnar''' (the "Thunderer", he was the most popular of the gods; his symbol—the hammer—acquired widespread use among the Vikings; his day is Thursday and he is identified with the Roman god Jove or Jupiter)
	* Freyr & Freyja (twin brother and sister, they were the deities of love, sex, and fertility; they belonged to the lesser race of Vanir and their joint day is Friday; Freya is also identified with Venus)		* '''Freyr & Freyja''' (twin brother and sister, they were the deities of love, sex, and fertility; they belonged to the lesser race of Vanir and their joint day is Friday; Freya is also identified with Venus)
	* Tyr/Tiw (god of law and warfare, his cult was not widespread among the Vikings; due to oath-breaking, he was obliged to sacrifice one of his hands to the wolf, Fenris; he is associated with the day Tuesday, and he is identified with Mars)		* '''Tyr/Tiw''' (god of law and warfare, his cult was not widespread among the Vikings; due to oath-breaking, he was obliged to sacrifice one of his hands to the wolf, ''Fenris''; he is associated with the day Tuesday, and he is identified with Mars)

			== other gods ==
			Besides the principal gods listed above, there were numerous other deities. Most important were ''Baldur'' and ''Loki''. Baldur was the first of the gods to die, in fulfillment of an ancient prophecy, ''Voluspa'', which foretold the death of all the Norse gods and the coming of a new golden age. A similiar prophecy in Vergil's ''Song of the Sybil'' was widely interpreted by medieval clergy as the coming of the Christian religion. Baldur's death was brought about by Loki's treachery. Loki was the chief adversary of the Norse gods. Other important deities include the ''Norns'' or "fates"—able to see past, present, and future—and the ''Valkyries''. These were the seductive and terrifying daughters of Odin that chose who would live and who would die, on the field of battle, and conducted them to their final reward in ''Valhalla'', the abode of the heroic dead.
	== an ethnic faith ==		== an ethnic faith ==
	Unlike universal religions such as [[Christian]]ity and [[Islam]], the Old Norse religion did not actively seek converts. One became a worshipper of the gods by virtue of one's birth or by marrying into a Norse family. Outsiders had their own gods to watch over them, and any stranger seeking to convert would most likely have been considered a social outcast. As the Vikings settled in news lands, they began to adopt the religious traditions of their neighbors, especially Christianity. Many of the Norse however clung to both traditions, publicly professing Christianity, while worshipping the old gods in private.		Unlike universal religions such as [[Christian]]ity and [[Islam]], the Old Norse religion did not actively seek converts. One became a worshipper of the gods by virtue of one's birth or by marrying into a Norse family. Outsiders had their own gods to watch over them, and any stranger seeking to convert would most likely have been considered a social outcast. As the Vikings settled in news lands, they began to adopt the religious traditions of their neighbors, especially Christianity. Many of the Norse however clung to both traditions, publicly professing Christianity, while worshipping the old gods in private.

Ld Hærek at 21:36, 21 December 2006

2006-12-21T21:36:45Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 07:36, 22 December 2006
Line 6:		Line 6:
	* Þor/�?onnar (the "Thunderer", he was the most popular of the gods; his symbol—the hammer—acquired widespread use among the Vikings; his day is Thursday and he is identified with the Roman god Jove or Jupiter)		* Þor/�?onnar (the "Thunderer", he was the most popular of the gods; his symbol—the hammer—acquired widespread use among the Vikings; his day is Thursday and he is identified with the Roman god Jove or Jupiter)
	* Freyr & Freyja (twin brother and sister, they were the deities of love, sex, and fertility; they belonged to the lesser race of Vanir and their joint day is Friday; Freya is also identified with Venus)		* Freyr & Freyja (twin brother and sister, they were the deities of love, sex, and fertility; they belonged to the lesser race of Vanir and their joint day is Friday; Freya is also identified with Venus)
	* Tyr/Tiw (god of law and warfare, his cult was not widespread among the Vikings; due to oath-breaking, he was obliged to sacrifice one of his hands to the wolf, Fenris)		* Tyr/Tiw (god of law and warfare, his cult was not widespread among the Vikings; due to oath-breaking, he was obliged to sacrifice one of his hands to the wolf, Fenris; he is associated with the day Tuesday, and he is identified with Mars)
	== an ethnic faith ==		== an ethnic faith ==
	Unlike universal religions such as [[Christian]]ity and [[Islam]], the Old Norse religion did not actively seek converts. One became a worshipper of the gods by virtue of one's birth or by marrying into a Norse family. Outsiders had their own gods to watch over them, and any stranger seeking to convert would most likely have been considered a social outcast. As the Vikings settled in news lands, they began to adopt the religious traditions of their neighbors, especially Christianity. Many of the Norse however clung to both traditions, publicly professing Christianity, while worshipping the old gods in private.		Unlike universal religions such as [[Christian]]ity and [[Islam]], the Old Norse religion did not actively seek converts. One became a worshipper of the gods by virtue of one's birth or by marrying into a Norse family. Outsiders had their own gods to watch over them, and any stranger seeking to convert would most likely have been considered a social outcast. As the Vikings settled in news lands, they began to adopt the religious traditions of their neighbors, especially Christianity. Many of the Norse however clung to both traditions, publicly professing Christianity, while worshipping the old gods in private.

Ld Hærek at 21:30, 21 December 2006

2006-12-21T21:30:53Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 07:30, 22 December 2006
Line 1:		Line 1:
	The relgious beliefs of the [[Viking]]s and other [[pagan]] Scandavavians are generally referred to as the '''Old Norse Religion''' ~~or faith~~. There is no evidence that the Norse themselves ever had a specific name for their religious beliefs and practices. Belief in the old gods was an integral part of their lives. To separate the need to worship the gods and avoid their wrath from other daily activities would have been alien to their way of thinking. Only with the coming of Christianity did it become necessary to distinguish between the ''new faith'' and the ''old ways''. This article will focus primarily on the historical aspects of the Norse religion.		The relgious beliefs of the [[Viking]]s and other [[pagan]] Scandavavians are generally referred to as the '''Old Norse Religion'''. There is no evidence that the Norse themselves ever had a specific name for their religious beliefs and practices. Belief in the old gods was an integral part of their lives. To separate the need to worship the gods and avoid their wrath from other daily activities would have been alien to their way of thinking. Only with the coming of Christianity did it become necessary to distinguish between the ''new faith'' and the ''old ways''. This article will focus primarily on the historical aspects of the Norse religion.

	== the gods ==		== the gods ==

Ld Hærek at 21:24, 21 December 2006

2006-12-21T21:24:45Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 07:24, 22 December 2006
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	Lee M. Hollander (trans), ''The Poetic Edda'', Univeristy of Texas Press, 1962, 1999<br>		Lee M. Hollander (trans), ''The Poetic Edda'', Univeristy of Texas Press, 1962, 1999<br>
	Gerald Simons, ''Barbarian Europe'', Time-Life Books, 1968		Gerald Simons, ''Barbarian Europe'', Time-Life Books, 1968
			[[Category:Religion]]

Ld Hærek at 21:23, 21 December 2006

2006-12-21T21:23:01Z

New page

The relgious beliefs of the [[Viking]]s and other [[pagan]] Scandavavians are generally referred to as the '''Old Norse Religion''' or faith. There is no evidence that the Norse themselves ever had a specific name for their religious beliefs and practices. Belief in the old gods was an integral part of their lives. To separate the need to worship the gods and avoid their wrath from other daily activities would have been alien to their way of thinking. Only with the coming of Christianity did it become necessary to distinguish between the ''new faith'' and the ''old ways''. This article will focus primarily on the historical aspects of the Norse religion.

== the gods ==
As with most religions in pre-Christian Europe, the Norse worshipped a pantheon of deities. Each god or goddess held a specific sphere of influence in the world. The Norse deities were divided into two races, the ''Æsir'' and the ''Vanir''.
* Oðin/Wotan (chief of the gods, his principal day was Wednesday; according to legend, he sacrificed an eye to learn the secret of the Runes. He is also identified with the Roman god, Mercury)
* Þor/�?onnar (the "Thunderer", he was the most popular of the gods; his symbol—the hammer—acquired widespread use among the Vikings; his day is Thursday and he is identified with the Roman god Jove or Jupiter)
* Freyr & Freyja (twin brother and sister, they were the deities of love, sex, and fertility; they belonged to the lesser race of Vanir and their joint day is Friday; Freya is also identified with Venus)
* Tyr/Tiw (god of law and warfare, his cult was not widespread among the Vikings; due to oath-breaking, he was obliged to sacrifice one of his hands to the wolf, Fenris)
== an ethnic faith ==
Unlike universal religions such as [[Christian]]ity and [[Islam]], the Old Norse religion did not actively seek converts. One became a worshipper of the gods by virtue of one's birth or by marrying into a Norse family. Outsiders had their own gods to watch over them, and any stranger seeking to convert would most likely have been considered a social outcast. As the Vikings settled in news lands, they began to adopt the religious traditions of their neighbors, especially Christianity. Many of the Norse however clung to both traditions, publicly professing Christianity, while worshipping the old gods in private.

== references ==
Lee M. Hollander (trans), ''The Poetic Edda'', Univeristy of Texas Press, 1962, 1999<br>
Gerald Simons, ''Barbarian Europe'', Time-Life Books, 1968