Tenets of Faith

AMH considers the following tenets to be our definition of a foundational approach to Heathenry as a faith tradition. These tenets allow us to exercise our faith together in a cooperative manner with all members of our community. These tenets are not intended to be limiting or all-encompassing, but rather a starting point for common understanding and practice.

1. AMH defines Heathenry as a modern religious practice based upon the pre-Christian conversion (approximately 400-1000 C.E.) beliefs of the northern European people, originating from the Scandinavian region (arch-heathens), and encapsulated within the Poetic Edda and affiliated sources of Nordic history and mythology. Heathenry is polytheistic and animistic. Its faith traditions are reconstructed from known practices of the arch-heathens and revived with source contemporary texts and practices or modern interpretations where practices are unknown.

2. Heathenry contains multiple regional interpretations that derive from the various geographic regions of the arch-heathens such as Old Norse, Anglo-Saxon, Gothic, and Frankish, as well as modern denominations like Ásatrú and Forn Siðr. AMH adheres to a foundational approach to heathenry during communal practice derived from Old Norse Heathenry and rooted in our tenets of faith, that focuses on creating a cooperative and comfortable space for all participating practitioners of our faith. Local Hofs may incorporate practices from other interpretations or denominations at the discretion of the Thegn and under the guidance of the Conclave.

3. AMH defends Heathenry as an inclusive faith tradition that welcomes any person to fellowship and join in practice if they share our faith and so desire. AMH vehemently rejects any approach to Heathenry that would discriminate or ostracize an individual from the faith tradition because of their genetic lineage or cultural heritage. AMH will not align or commune with any organization or individual that holds these discriminatory interpretations of Heathenry.

4. AMH understands the cosmos as consisting of a temporal and a sacred realm in which all things exist. That which exists in the temporal is bound to the physical manifestation of its being but carries a spiritual aspect that may transcend into the sacred, typically through death. All things bear the potential for both a temporal and sacred manifestation of their being, despite our human capacity to perceive or comprehend them. As humans, we exist in a multi-faceted being that includes the physical manifestation of the Hamr [body] as well as the spiritual aspects of our Hugr [thought], Munr [memory], Fylgia [ancestral luck/spirit], and Hamingja [personal luck].

5. AMH recognizes Luck and Fate as integral and perceptible influences on the cosmos and all that exists within. Luck is a manifestation of spiritual energy used to influence Fate and is generated from within the self and through our relationships with each other as well as the sacred and the divine, which includes our deities, our ancestors, and the spirits of the world. Fate is a union of what has happened [Urðr], what is happening [Verðandi], and what will happen [Skuld] in our lives, manifested in Ørlǫg [first law] and Wyrd [destiny], that guides and dictates the course of all events and interactions.

6. AMH relies upon reciprocity as the avenue by which we develop frith with each other, as well as the sacred and divine. Routine engagement in the gifting cycle forms the reciprocal bond that is integral to establishing and maintaining frith and drives the demand for fellowship and sacred rituals within our community.

7. AMH asserts as its deities of worship the pantheon of Norse gods as codified in the Poetic Edda and affiliated sources of Norse mythology. AMH communal rituals worship the Æsir and Vanir as divine beings in the manner that the arch-heathens understood them. We believe that our deities are capable of existing in both a temporal and a spiritual aspect that is beyond our ability to fully comprehend or replicate. Worship in AMH communal rituals of other beings beyond these, or those beings that may conflict with the Æsir or Vanir (e.g., Jotun, Loki), is only conducted under special dispensation from the HáGoði or Hof Thegn and when all participants agree.

8. AMH embraces our ancestors and the spirits of the world as sacred beings. We venerate our ancestors as the primary source of our Ørlǫg and Luck, both good and bad, and seek to bring honor to the heritage they gifted to us. In so doing, we establish and leave a better legacy for our descendants to inherit. We honor the spirits of the world as the Vættir of our hearths and of the wild lands around us. We strive to live in harmony with the Vættir and the temporal places in which they dwell.

9. AMH holds Blót and Sumbl as sacred rituals of Heathenry. Blót is a ritual expression of reciprocity with the sacred and divine for the development of frith. Sumbl is a ritual of communion with others to bind us together in frith, luck, and fate. Engaging in Blót and Sumbl conveys an obligation of frith and union of fate for all participants. Only members of the community in good standing (not under Tribunal review or punitive action) may take part in these rituals during community or Hof events unless the HáGoði or Hof Thegn grants special dispensation for participation to guests.

Personal Religious Sovereignty. AMH believes that every individual has the sovereign right to define and practice their religious beliefs and traditions as they deem appropriate within their private practice. While AMH and its members agree upon a foundational approach to Heathenry for communal practice that is rooted in our tenets of faith, AMH will never seek to invalidate nor infringe upon the sovereignty of an individual’s private religious practice and interpretations. Members accept that some limitation of personal sovereignty is necessary when engaging in communal practices; however, AMH and its officers will never expect or require an individual to violate or alter their personal religious beliefs as a requisite for fellowship or participation. Individuals who refuse to limit their personal sovereignty to ensure a compatible sacred space with other participants may decline to participate at their own discretion or be denied participation by the Hof Thegn or HáGoði.