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Odinic Rite

February 19, 2023

The Odinic Rite (OR) is a reconstructionist religious organisation named after the god Odin. It conceives itself as a neo-völkisch Heathen movement concerned with Germanic paganism, mythology, folklore, and runes. As a white supremacist organization, the Odinic Rite limits membership to white individuals, holding the belief in Heathenry as the ancestral religion of the Indo-European race.

Logo of the Odinic Rite

Background

Main article: Heathenry (new religious movement)

The Odinic Rite refers to their form of Heathenry as "Odinism", a term favoured among Heathen white supremacists.[1] In 1841, the term was used by the Scottish writer, historian, and philosopher, Thomas Carlyle in his book, On Heroes, Hero-Worship, & the Heroic in History: "Odinism was Valour; Christianism was humility, a nobler kind of Valour."[2] It was also used by Orestes Brownson in his 1848 Letter to Protestants.[3]

 
Odinic Rite bent-hooks swastika

The term was re-introduced in the late 1930s by Alexander Rud Mills, an Australian fascist.[4] Having formulated "his own unique blend" of Ariosophy,[5] Mills drew heavily on writings of pioneering Austrian Ariosophist and Wotanist Guido von List.[6] Much of Mills' ideology focused around what he conceived as the "British race", a group who he believed also inhabited not only Britain but other parts of the world colonised by the British Empire.[6] That concept was particularly problematic given the ethnically and linguistically diverse nature of the British population during the early 20th century.[6]

Mills believed that while Christianity was alien to the "British race", Odinism was 'native' and thus could be better understood by them.[7] He expressed the view that "our own racial ideas and traditions (not those of others) are our best guide to health and national strength".[6] He was critical of Christianity, believing it to be "unnatural" because – in his view – it encouraged the breaking down of racial barriers.[6]

In Mills' theology, the Norse gods were symbols of the divine rather than actual anthropomorphic entities, and he believed that each racial group had its own symbolic system for interpreting and understanding divinity.[6] For Mills, Odin represented an archetypal father figure, with other deities from Norse mythology, such as Thor and Frigg, having minor roles.[8]

History

In 1973 John Gibbs-Bailey (known as "Hoskuld") and John Yeowell (known as "Stubba", 1918–2010) founded the Committee for the Restoration of the Odinic Rite or Odinist Committee in England.[9] Yeowell had been a member of the British Union of Fascists in his youth and bodyguard to leader Oswald Mosley.[10] In 1980 the organisation changed its name to The Odinic Rite after it was believed that it had gained enough significant interest in the restoration of the Odinic faith.[citation needed]

In 1989 Yeowell resigned as Director of the Odinic Rite's governing body, the Court of Gothar. The Court then unanimously elected Jeffrey Holley (known as "Heimgest") as its Director and he was officially installed in this position on 23 April 1989 at the White Horse Stone in Kent. He was professed by Freya Aswynn.[11] Prior to his involvement with the Odinic Rite Heimgest had belonged to a small group known as the Heimdal League,[12] a closed group which disbanded in the mid-1980s.

Beliefs

The Odinic Rite defines Odinism as the natural religion of the peoples of Northern Europe.[13] It has been characterised as a white supremacist organisation and describes itself as a folkish group, which it states centres on a stance that includes "racial preservation and promotion", and to "have as many healthy children as is practical".[14][15] It asserts that "nationality is biological, not geographical",[15] further stating that "It is hardly possible to overestimate the damage that the destruction of racial and national identity has caused, to both people and the environment."[15]

They only allow white members and discourage mixed-race relationships, stating that while this was not a stance taken by heathens prior to Christianisation, this is a necessary precaution in the modern age to maintain "racial integrity" and to prevent "crossed allegiances".[15] The group further draws analogies between invasive species and immigrants, stating that the latter threaten the survival of the white population.[15] It defines right and wrong as follows:

That which fulfils Nature, benefits the race as a servant of Nature, and benefits Odinism as a vehicle for the evolution of the race, is good; that which does not is bad. That which truly seeks and secures this good is right; that which does not is wrong.[15]

The Odinic Rite encourages its members to live their lives according to the "Nine Noble Virtues" and the "Nine Charges". The list of noble virtues (Courage, Truth, Honour, Fidelity, Discipline, Hospitality, Self-Reliance, Industriousness, and Perseverance) is attributed to either John Yeowell (a.k.a. Stubba) and John Gibbs-Bailey (a.k.a. Hoskuld), members of Odinic Rite; or alternatively to Stephen Flowers (writing as 'Edred Thorsson'), at the time member of the Asatru Free Assembly.[16]

While the group nominally identifies as a religious organisation that is not political, the worldviews held by the group have been identified as belonging to the extreme-right based on their racial nationalism. It is noted, however, that this terminology wouldn't necessarily be used by members of the group.[17]

National branches

The Odinic Rite expanded in the 1990s with national branches in Germany, France, and North America.[18] The German chapter, Odinic Rite Deutschland (ORD), was formed in 1994.[19] In its early history the ORD was heavily influenced by Bernd Hicker who was its chairman for seven years.[20] It collaborated with the group Yggdrasil-Kreis in the 1990s; this group professed a "European religion of nature" and sought to combine Germanic and Celtic paganism.[21]

Due to concerns about connections between the British OR and far-right politics, expressed already in 1995 in the ORD's member's magazine, as well as differing views of practice and organising, the ORD was established as an independent organisation in 2004.[22] It changed its name to Verein für germanisches Heidentum (VfgH; lit. 'Association for Germanic paganism') in 2006.[20]

In popular culture

In 1997 the Director of Gothar, Heimgest, chanted rune names on the Sol Invictus album The Blade.[23]

See also

References

  1. ^ Johnson (2018).
  2. ^ Wells (1991), p. 19.
  3. ^ Berry (2017), p. 106.
  4. ^ Berry (2017), p. 111.
  5. ^ Asbjørn Jøn (1999), p. 77.
  6. ^ a b c d e f Asbjørn Jøn (1999), p. 78.
  7. ^ Asbjørn Jøn (1999), pp. 77–78.
  8. ^ Asbjørn Jøn (1999), p. 80.
  9. ^ Rudgley (2006), p. 240.
  10. ^ von Schnurbein (2016), p. 57.
  11. ^ Sannhet (1993).
  12. ^ Rudgley (2006), p. 239.
  13. ^ Barrett (2011), part 3.
  14. ^ Sanchez (2009).
  15. ^ a b c d e f Asbrandir AOR (n.d.).
  16. ^ Snook (2015), pp. 70–72.
  17. ^ White 2017, p. 242.
  18. ^ Rudgley (2018), ch. 21.
  19. ^ von Schnurbein (2016), p. 75.
  20. ^ a b Krebel (2014), p. 140.
  21. ^ von Schnurbein (2016), p. 78.
  22. ^ Krebel (2014), p. 140; von Schnurbein (2016), p. 75.
  23. ^ Rik (1997).

Works cited

  • Asbjørn Jøn, A. (1999). "'Skeggøld, Skálmöld; Vindöld, Vergöld': Alexander Rud Mills and the Ásatrú Faith in the New Age". Australian Religion Studies Review. 12 (1): 77–83.
  • Asbrandir AOR (n.d.). "What it means to be Folkish". Odinic-Rite.org. The Odinic Rite. from the original on 2022-12-06. Retrieved 2022-12-16.
  • Barrett, David V. (2011). A Brief Guide to Secret Religions: A Complete Guide to Hermetic, Pagan and Esoteric Beliefs. Running Press. ISBN 978-0762441037.
  • Berry, Damon T. (2017). Blood and Faith: Christianity in American White Nationalism. Syracuse University Press. ISBN 978-0815635321.
  • Johnson, Daryl (February 10, 2018). "Holy Hate: The Far Right's Radicalization of Religion". Intelligence Report. No. 2018 Spring Issue. Southern Poverty Law Center. Retrieved 2022-12-15.
  • Krebel, Sebastian (2014). Weil Gott die wunderbare Vielfalt liebt. Modernes Heidentum in Deutschland. Ethnographische Erkundungen [Because God loves the wonderful diversity. Modern paganism in Germany. Ethnographic explorations] (PDF) (PhD) (in German). University of Erfurt. Retrieved 16 December 2022.
  • Rik (7 May 1997). . Fluxeuropa.com. Archived from the original on 2007-03-16. 
  • Rudgley, Richard (2006). Pagan Resurrection. Century. ISBN 0-7126-8096-9.
  • Rudgley, Richard (2018). The Return of Odin: The Modern Renaissance of Pagan Imagination. Inner Traditions/Bear. ISBN 978-1620557273.
  • Sanchez, Casey (August 21, 2009). "Supreme Court Requires Prisons Give Special Consideration to Racist Pagans". Intelligence Report. No. 2009 Fall Issue. Retrieved 2022-12-15 – via Southern Poverty Law Center.
  • Sannhet, Thor (January 1, 1993). "Exclusive interview with Freya Aswynn, author of Leaves of Yggdrasil". Vor Tru Magazine. No. Winter 1993. Retrieved 2022-12-16 – via Aswynn.com.
  • Snook, Jennifer (2015). American Heathens: The Politics of Identity in a Pagan Religious Movement. Temple University Press.
  • von Schnurbein, S. (2016). "Creating a Religion: The Emergence and Development of Late Twentieth-Century Asatru". Norse Revival: Transformations of Germanic Neopaganism. Brill. pp. 54–87. JSTOR 10.1163/j.ctt1w76v8x.10.
  • Wells, John (1991). Rude Words: A Discursive History of the London Library. London: Macmillan. ISBN 978-0333475195.
  • White, Ethan Doyle (2017). "Northern Gods for Northern Folk: Racial Identity and Right-wing Ideology among Britain's Folkish Heathens". Journal of Religion in Europe. 10 (3): 241–273. doi:10.1163/18748929-01003001. ISSN 1874-8929.

Further reading

  • Weber, Shannon (February 1, 2018). "White Supremacy's Old Gods: The Far Right and Neopaganism". Political Research Associates. Retrieved 2022-12-15.

External links

  • Official website

February 19, 2023
odinic, rite, reconstructionist, religious, organisation, named, after, odin, conceives, itself, völkisch, heathen, movement, concerned, with, germanic, paganism, mythology, folklore, runes, white, supremacist, organization, limits, membership, white, individu. The Odinic Rite OR is a reconstructionist religious organisation named after the god Odin It conceives itself as a neo volkisch Heathen movement concerned with Germanic paganism mythology folklore and runes As a white supremacist organization the Odinic Rite limits membership to white individuals holding the belief in Heathenry as the ancestral religion of the Indo European race Logo of the Odinic Rite Contents 1 Background 2 History 3 Beliefs 4 National branches 5 In popular culture 6 See also 7 References 7 1 Works cited 8 Further reading 9 External linksBackground EditMain article Heathenry new religious movement The Odinic Rite refers to their form of Heathenry as Odinism a term favoured among Heathen white supremacists 1 In 1841 the term was used by the Scottish writer historian and philosopher Thomas Carlyle in his book On Heroes Hero Worship amp the Heroic in History Odinism was Valour Christianism was humility a nobler kind of Valour 2 It was also used by Orestes Brownson in his 1848 Letter to Protestants 3 Odinic Rite bent hooks swastika The term was re introduced in the late 1930s by Alexander Rud Mills an Australian fascist 4 Having formulated his own unique blend of Ariosophy 5 Mills drew heavily on writings of pioneering Austrian Ariosophist and Wotanist Guido von List 6 Much of Mills ideology focused around what he conceived as the British race a group who he believed also inhabited not only Britain but other parts of the world colonised by the British Empire 6 That concept was particularly problematic given the ethnically and linguistically diverse nature of the British population during the early 20th century 6 Mills believed that while Christianity was alien to the British race Odinism was native and thus could be better understood by them 7 He expressed the view that our own racial ideas and traditions not those of others are our best guide to health and national strength 6 He was critical of Christianity believing it to be unnatural because in his view it encouraged the breaking down of racial barriers 6 In Mills theology the Norse gods were symbols of the divine rather than actual anthropomorphic entities and he believed that each racial group had its own symbolic system for interpreting and understanding divinity 6 For Mills Odin represented an archetypal father figure with other deities from Norse mythology such as Thor and Frigg having minor roles 8 History EditIn 1973 John Gibbs Bailey known as Hoskuld and John Yeowell known as Stubba 1918 2010 founded the Committee for the Restoration of the Odinic Rite or Odinist Committee in England 9 Yeowell had been a member of the British Union of Fascists in his youth and bodyguard to leader Oswald Mosley 10 In 1980 the organisation changed its name to The Odinic Rite after it was believed that it had gained enough significant interest in the restoration of the Odinic faith citation needed In 1989 Yeowell resigned as Director of the Odinic Rite s governing body the Court of Gothar The Court then unanimously elected Jeffrey Holley known as Heimgest as its Director and he was officially installed in this position on 23 April 1989 at the White Horse Stone in Kent He was professed by Freya Aswynn 11 Prior to his involvement with the Odinic Rite Heimgest had belonged to a small group known as the Heimdal League 12 a closed group which disbanded in the mid 1980s Beliefs EditThe Odinic Rite defines Odinism as the natural religion of the peoples of Northern Europe 13 It has been characterised as a white supremacist organisation and describes itself as a folkish group which it states centres on a stance that includes racial preservation and promotion and to have as many healthy children as is practical 14 15 It asserts that nationality is biological not geographical 15 further stating that It is hardly possible to overestimate the damage that the destruction of racial and national identity has caused to both people and the environment 15 They only allow white members and discourage mixed race relationships stating that while this was not a stance taken by heathens prior to Christianisation this is a necessary precaution in the modern age to maintain racial integrity and to prevent crossed allegiances 15 The group further draws analogies between invasive species and immigrants stating that the latter threaten the survival of the white population 15 It defines right and wrong as follows That which fulfils Nature benefits the race as a servant of Nature and benefits Odinism as a vehicle for the evolution of the race is good that which does not is bad That which truly seeks and secures this good is right that which does not is wrong 15 The Odinic Rite encourages its members to live their lives according to the Nine Noble Virtues and the Nine Charges The list of noble virtues Courage Truth Honour Fidelity Discipline Hospitality Self Reliance Industriousness and Perseverance is attributed to either John Yeowell a k a Stubba and John Gibbs Bailey a k a Hoskuld members of Odinic Rite or alternatively to Stephen Flowers writing as Edred Thorsson at the time member of the Asatru Free Assembly 16 While the group nominally identifies as a religious organisation that is not political the worldviews held by the group have been identified as belonging to the extreme right based on their racial nationalism It is noted however that this terminology wouldn t necessarily be used by members of the group 17 National branches EditThe Odinic Rite expanded in the 1990s with national branches in Germany France and North America 18 The German chapter Odinic Rite Deutschland ORD was formed in 1994 19 In its early history the ORD was heavily influenced by Bernd Hicker who was its chairman for seven years 20 It collaborated with the group Yggdrasil Kreis in the 1990s this group professed a European religion of nature and sought to combine Germanic and Celtic paganism 21 Due to concerns about connections between the British OR and far right politics expressed already in 1995 in the ORD s member s magazine as well as differing views of practice and organising the ORD was established as an independent organisation in 2004 22 It changed its name to Verein fur germanisches Heidentum VfgH lit Association for Germanic paganism in 2006 20 In popular culture EditIn 1997 the Director of Gothar Heimgest chanted rune names on the Sol Invictus album The Blade 23 See also EditHeathenry in the United Kingdom Heathenry in the United States List of magical organizations Modern paganism in the United KingdomReferences Edit Johnson 2018 Wells 1991 p 19 Berry 2017 p 106 Berry 2017 p 111 Asbjorn Jon 1999 p 77 a b c d e f Asbjorn Jon 1999 p 78 Asbjorn Jon 1999 pp 77 78 Asbjorn Jon 1999 p 80 Rudgley 2006 p 240 von Schnurbein 2016 p 57 Sannhet 1993 Rudgley 2006 p 239 Barrett 2011 part 3 Sanchez 2009 a b c d e f Asbrandir AOR n d Snook 2015 pp 70 72 White 2017 p 242 Rudgley 2018 ch 21 von Schnurbein 2016 p 75 a b Krebel 2014 p 140 von Schnurbein 2016 p 78 Krebel 2014 p 140 von Schnurbein 2016 p 75 Rik 1997 Works cited Edit Asbjorn Jon A 1999 Skeggold Skalmold Vindold Vergold Alexander Rud Mills and the Asatru Faith in the New Age Australian Religion Studies Review 12 1 77 83 Asbrandir AOR n d What it means to be Folkish Odinic Rite org The Odinic Rite Archived from the original on 2022 12 06 Retrieved 2022 12 16 Barrett David V 2011 A Brief Guide to Secret Religions A Complete Guide to Hermetic Pagan and Esoteric Beliefs Running Press ISBN 978 0762441037 Berry Damon T 2017 Blood and Faith Christianity in American White Nationalism Syracuse University Press ISBN 978 0815635321 Johnson Daryl February 10 2018 Holy Hate The Far Right s Radicalization of Religion Intelligence Report No 2018 Spring Issue Southern Poverty Law Center Retrieved 2022 12 15 Krebel Sebastian 2014 Weil Gott die wunderbare Vielfalt liebt Modernes Heidentum in Deutschland Ethnographische Erkundungen Because God loves the wonderful diversity Modern paganism in Germany Ethnographic explorations PDF PhD in German University of Erfurt Retrieved 16 December 2022 Rik 7 May 1997 Sol Invictus The Blade Fluxeuropa com Archived from the original on 2007 03 16 Rudgley Richard 2006 Pagan Resurrection Century ISBN 0 7126 8096 9 Rudgley Richard 2018 The Return of Odin The Modern Renaissance of Pagan Imagination Inner Traditions Bear ISBN 978 1620557273 Sanchez Casey August 21 2009 Supreme Court Requires Prisons Give Special Consideration to Racist Pagans Intelligence Report No 2009 Fall Issue Retrieved 2022 12 15 via Southern Poverty Law Center Sannhet Thor January 1 1993 Exclusive interview with Freya Aswynn author of Leaves of Yggdrasil Vor Tru Magazine No Winter 1993 Retrieved 2022 12 16 via Aswynn com Snook Jennifer 2015 American Heathens The Politics of Identity in a Pagan Religious Movement Temple University Press von Schnurbein S 2016 Creating a Religion The Emergence and Development of Late Twentieth Century Asatru Norse Revival Transformations of Germanic Neopaganism Brill pp 54 87 JSTOR 10 1163 j ctt1w76v8x 10 Wells John 1991 Rude Words A Discursive History of the London Library London Macmillan ISBN 978 0333475195 White Ethan Doyle 2017 Northern Gods for Northern Folk Racial Identity and Right wing Ideology among Britain s Folkish Heathens Journal of Religion in Europe 10 3 241 273 doi 10 1163 18748929 01003001 ISSN 1874 8929 Further reading EditWeber Shannon February 1 2018 White Supremacy s Old Gods The Far Right and Neopaganism Political Research Associates Retrieved 2022 12 15 External links EditOfficial website Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Odinic Rite amp oldid 1136434686, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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