Odinist Fellowship
Encyclopedia
The Odinist Fellowship was the name of an early Odinist
organization, founded by Else Christensen
and her husband Alex Christensen in Canada
in 1969. There is also a British group called the Odinist Fellowship, which has recognition as a registered charity in the UK.
, USA. came in the 1980's.
For many years, The Odinist Fellowship published a periodical called The Odinist out of Canada and Crystal River, Florida
. Additionally, her travels included friendly contact with other groups, such as the large Arizona Kindred (where she met up with the Kindred's "Norsemen of Midgard" motorcycle club) and the Steve McNallen's "Asatru Folk Assembly." Since Else died in 2005, her Odinist Fellowship dissolved, with much of the membership transferring to the Odinic Rite
. The last known chapter of the US Odinist Fellowship is based in Florida, and is called the Kindred Folk.
A notable achievement of the British Odinist Fellowship was to gain legal recognition for the Odinist religion in the case of "Holden v Royal Mail PLC(2006)", when a ruling was made to declare that Odinism is to be recognized as a religion for the purposes of anti-discrimination legislation.
According to its website, the Odinist Fellowship is planning to "institute a network of [Odinist] temples in every [British] county, and in every major town and city up and down the land".
Germanic Neopaganism
Germanic neopaganism is the contemporary revival of historical Germanic paganism. Precursor movements appeared in the early 20th century in Germany and Austria. A second wave of revival began in the early 1970s...
organization, founded by Else Christensen
Else Christensen
Else Christensen , also known as the “Folk Mother”, was a pioneering Danish figure in the emergence of Asatru and Odinism in the post-World War II era....
and her husband Alex Christensen in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
in 1969. There is also a British group called the Odinist Fellowship, which has recognition as a registered charity in the UK.
USA
Initially called the Odinist Study Group, Christensen's group was renamed the Odinist Fellowship in approximately 1971, around the time of Alex's death. Else's relocation to FloridaFlorida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, USA. came in the 1980's.
For many years, The Odinist Fellowship published a periodical called The Odinist out of Canada and Crystal River, Florida
Crystal River, Florida
Crystal River is a city in Citrus County, Florida, United States. The population was 3,485 at the 2000 census. . According to the U.S Census estimates of 2005, the city had a population of 3,539. The city was incorporated in 1903 and is the self professed "Home of the Manatee"....
. Additionally, her travels included friendly contact with other groups, such as the large Arizona Kindred (where she met up with the Kindred's "Norsemen of Midgard" motorcycle club) and the Steve McNallen's "Asatru Folk Assembly." Since Else died in 2005, her Odinist Fellowship dissolved, with much of the membership transferring to the Odinic Rite
Odinic Rite
The Odinic Rite is a religious organization, practicing a form of Northern Indo European religion termed Odinism after the chief god of Norse mythology, Odin...
. The last known chapter of the US Odinist Fellowship is based in Florida, and is called the Kindred Folk.
UK
The British-based Odinist Fellowship was established by Ralph Harrison in 1988 and is unaffiliated with the US organization founded by Christensen. The British Odinist Fellowship is registered under English law as a religious charity.A notable achievement of the British Odinist Fellowship was to gain legal recognition for the Odinist religion in the case of "Holden v Royal Mail PLC(2006)", when a ruling was made to declare that Odinism is to be recognized as a religion for the purposes of anti-discrimination legislation.
According to its website, the Odinist Fellowship is planning to "institute a network of [Odinist] temples in every [British] county, and in every major town and city up and down the land".
See also
- Else ChristensenElse ChristensenElse Christensen , also known as the “Folk Mother”, was a pioneering Danish figure in the emergence of Asatru and Odinism in the post-World War II era....
- Odinic RiteOdinic RiteThe Odinic Rite is a religious organization, practicing a form of Northern Indo European religion termed Odinism after the chief god of Norse mythology, Odin...
- An Interview With Else Christensen by Thor Sannhet [William B. Fox]. Please refer to tinyurl.com/ckqoa8 at the AmericaFirstBooks.com Religious Crisis Web Page. (The former Wikipedia link to this article from Vor Tru issue #49, 1993, reprinted in issue #71, 2005 no longer works).
External links
- Kindred Folk - US Odinist Fellowship
- UK Odinist Fellowship
- Thor's Hearth - UK Odinist Fellowship
- Odinism in West Yorkshire BBC article about UK Odinist Fellowship