Introduction
Norse paganism is a religious group with the Scandinavia people’s beliefs and practices before Christianization. Its origin date back to the Iron Age German people, and its progress continued upto when Christianity came to Scandinavia (Groeneveld et al.). The Scandinavian Norse people left their place in the Viking age and settled throughout Northwest Europe. Norse paganism was more of a community at the beginning rather than an individual. They brought religion to Britain; therefore, it expanded in the Viking age. The term Viking described those who acquired wealth through the raiding of foreign lands (Baug et al. 44). No defined leader controlled them, and the Scandinavians were the primary influence in the growth of their religion. There was no opposition at the beginning as individuals saw that the gods of Norse were a source of life. The Norse religion polytheistic religion was adopted in the Iron Age and is still practiced by some residents of Icelandic.
Norse Paganism
Many kings had to convert at the start of Christianization because of their economic and military interests. Christianity arrived in Scandavania when it was the widely accepted religion in Europe, and most of the Scandinavians were converted to Christianity (Groeneveld et al.). People living in the Icelandic region still recognize and appreciate the Norse religion; even the government recognized it as a religion in 1973 (Marin). There were divisions among the Norse as some only accepted the Christian God as one among many. In contrast, the Missionaries found it hard to convince others to adopt Christianity.
The old Norse religion encompassed worshipping many gods and idols; thus, it was polytheistic. The primary sources of Norse paganism are the Poetic Edda; in their creation story, they believed that only ice and a giant named Ymir existed before the world was created (Groeneveld et al.). Ymir lived by the grace of Audhumla, a great cow who fed Ymir with milk. In contrast, Audhumia fed on ice to sustain herself; the licking of the ice led to the freeing of god Bur, who produced a son called Borr. Bestla, the frost giant’s daughter, got married to Borr, and the two gave birth to the gods Vili, Vé, and Odin. After uniting and killing Ymir, these gods used his body to create the world. Odin breathed the gift of life into the first human beings, Ask and Emb.
The concept of man is related to the Christians, the human being created by Him, and they believe in redemption after sinning through repentance and asking for forgiveness. A broken world entails the feeling of alienation from God that man faces after sinning. Adam and Eve, who were the first human beings that God created, ate the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden and thus suffered the consequences of their actions. The creation and story of gods were orally transmitted over generations and written later by Snorri Sturluson. The Norse, such as the Vikings, were involved in violent activities to seek glory and wealth (Ellis 1). The religion did not adhere to the belief that moral obligations impacted an individual’s afterlife. For the Vikings, the world was controlled by the gods and spirits, while the Christians believed that the universe was ruled by God, who presided over the broken world of sins.
Some news media sites portray some people still practicing Norse paganism. An ABC News article suggested that an Icelandic priestess still engaged in the Viking-era religion (Marin). The lady claims to be a follower and Asatru priestess, thus showing she celebrates and acknowledges Norse mythology. Individuals in the region claim that the goddesses and gods are their friends and family. They appreciate other people coming to watch them engage in their religious practices and ceremonies. In another news article by BBC News, there is a description of how the Icelandic people adopted the culture and Asatru faith (Haines). In 1972, a group of people led by Sveinbjörn Beinteinsson planned to reignite the old pagan faith (Haines). Religion in its culture promotes respect for nature and living in harmony with others. It rarely gets involved in political matters except when it campaigned for a policy to allow same-sex marriage and the campaign against constructing some hydroelectric dams. The members claim hospitality is their top aim as they readily welcome anyone ready to join them.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the Norse religion is polytheistic as it entails the worship of many gods and goddesses. It was started by the German people of the Iron Age, and the coming of Christianity swallowed it as many people adopted Christianity. Their creation story was mythologically passed from one generation to the next until Snorri Sturluson wrote it. Some people worldwide still practice the religion, especially those from Iceland, who try their motivate more people to join them. They claim that they support a society with harmony, and they offer a warm welcome to anyone wishing to join them. The followers seem to gain the happiness they desire in life since most Icelandians who follow the religions have no complaints about the faith; they heap great praises on the gods and goddesses.
Works Cited
Baug, Irene, et al. “The Beginning of the Viking Age in the West.” Journal of Maritime Archaeology, vol. 14, no. 1, 2018, pp. 43–80, Web.
Ellis, Caitlin. “Remembering the Vikings: Violence, Institutional Memory and the Instruments of History.” History Compass, vol. 19, no. 1, 2020, Web.
Groeneveld, Emma, and Emil Doepler. “Norse Mythology.” Ancient History Encyclopedia (2021). Web.
Haines, Gavin. “How Iceland Recreated a Viking-Age Religion.” Www.bbc.com, 2019, Web.
Marin, Siobhan. “This Icelandic Priestess Practises a Viking-Era Religion, and It’s on the Rise.” ABC News, 2021, Web.