History of the ÁSA

The ÁSA was initially proposed at a meeting of North American Ásatrúar and specialists in Norse history and mythology in 2017. The intended purpose of the organization was not to create a formal “religious organization” but to create an institution serving the larger community of autonomous “pagans” and “heathens” pursuing a spiritual/philosophical path inspired by ancient practices of the pre-Christian Norse. At the time of these early meetings, the ÁSA remained informal until a surge of self-appointed Ásatrú and “Norse pagan” personalities began to flood the internet with poorly researched and otherwise unhistorical information about the pre-Christian religions of the North (PCRN), while selling a variety of unethically sourced merchandise. It appeared to many that these online personalities had no sincere interest in the ancient Aesir faith, nor did they indicate any concern for people and their mother Earth. This exploitation of the Norse tradition, be it cynical or simply misinformed, prompted a discussion within the community of practitioners and researchers of PCRN about the unprecedented need for a professional effort to provide the growing community of Norse-inspired heathens a portal where they could gain access to important but often hard-to-find educational resources. However, disagreements over whether or not the organization should be “religious” in its essence and registration status, or if it should simply function as an educational non-profit delayed the formalization of the ÁSA.

After a brief period of dormancy, old differences were set aside and, with the encouragement of several leading Old Norse scholars and researchers as well as long-time practitioners of Norse heathenry, the ÁSA was reconceptualized. Some debate ensued over the title of the organization. Legitimate concerns were raised about the term Ásatrú being sullied due to its use by organizations focused more on modern politics than on spiritual growth. However, after much discussion, it was agreed that the fate of Ásatrú must be decided by practitioners of Ásatrú, not the court of public opinion. It was subsequently decided that the name of the organization would be the Ásatrú Society of America, an organization focusing on religious and philosophical training for those who exhibit the most sincere and passionate commitment to the preservation, development, and transmission of PCRN knowledge as part of a living tradition.