{"id":1873,"date":"2016-05-09T05:00:25","date_gmt":"2016-05-09T11:00:25","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/admin.patheos.com\/blogs\/naturespath\/?p=1873"},"modified":"2016-05-09T05:00:25","modified_gmt":"2016-05-09T11:00:25","slug":"are-you-there-odin-its-me-brian","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/naturessacredjourney\/2016\/05\/are-you-there-odin-its-me-brian\/","title":{"rendered":"Are You There Odin? It\u2019s Me, Brian."},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

Hail Odin! \u00a0And Thor. \u00a0And Freya. \u00a0And Tyr. \u00a0And Balder. \u00a0And Heimdall. \u00a0And Frigga. \u00a0And Idunna. \u00a0But not Loki. \u00a0There are more that I am missing, but we are of course talking about the pantheon in Asatru (Heathenry, Odinism, Norse Paganism). \u00a0I was, up until recently,\u00a0unfamiliar with this path in paganism and it has become a topic of interest in the past seven months.<\/p>\n

\"Mjolnir,<\/a>
Mjolnir, the Hammer of Thor.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Upon moving to Lexington, Kentucky to serve the Unitarian Universalist Church as their minister, I began to learn more about the sizable Covenant of Unitarian Universalist Pagans (CUUPS) group that was affiliated with the church. \u00a0This is nothing new to me. \u00a0I know CUUPS. \u00a0I\u2019ve been a part of CUUPS.<\/p>\n

The church I\u00a0grew up in had a lovely mix of humanism and paganism that informed and inspired all areas of church life. \u00a0My own mother has a connection to paganism on some level. \u00a0But what was new to me was just how many followers of Asatru and Heathenism were present in the group. \u00a0In the Bluegrass.<\/p>\n

I like to imagine that wherever people gather, the stars align and the spirit moves them to shared traditions and beliefs. \u00a0We see this with ancient paganism and the sharing of similar gods and goddesses across cultures. \u00a0So, too, it appears to be true today as well. \u00a0Odin (and friends) have found a home in Kentucky.<\/p>\n

And what an opportunity it\u2019s been! \u00a0I\u2019ve met a sincere and devoted group of people that find great meaning and depth in this tradition. \u00a0The gods and goddesses speak directly to them, the traditions inspire moments of peace, and the honoring of ancestors reminds them they are not solitary creatures but part of a great lineage. \u00a0In talking with one member, it becomes clear that this is not a religion that is just an excuse to be a white supremacist (those people exist. \u00a0they\u2019re not cool. they are also in the minority.) or to like heavy metal\/symphonic metal\/etc (how could you not like it to begin with?) or just because they\u2019re fans of the Avengers, but a belief system that calls for its followers to experience that transcending mystery and wonder that Unitarian Universalists affirm and uphold. \u00a0Odin, it would appear, is a perfect addition to the diversity of Unitarian Universalism.<\/p>\n

I often feel like, as Unitarian Universalists, that we\u2019re \u201cgood\u201d when it comes to Christianity, Hinduism, Judaism, Buddhism<\/a>, Atheism, and other larger, more public traditions. \u00a0But with Paganism and its many variations, there is a discomfort. \u00a0Perhaps it is because Paganism often interests people that are not \u201cmainstream\u201d (and we are still a tradition that likes the mainstream), or maybe it\u2019s because as Unitarians, more than one god or goddess causes an inherited awkwardness. \u00a0But what I\u2019ve found as one who was raised in a pagan-friendly home in a pagan-affirming church, is that there is just as much flexibility in engaging these traditions, such as Asatru, as we\u2019ve found in Christianity or Buddhism.<\/p>\n

\"Norse<\/a>
Norse Myths \u2013 Binding of Fenrir \u2013 Public Domain<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The god Tyr, who is best known for liking Tuesdays, getting his hand bitten off by a wolf, and wearing fabulous hats, is one example of such flexibility. \u00a0He is the god of Law and Heroic Glory. \u00a0In Asatru, there is a sense of loyalty to the community and good will toward the people you encounter. \u00a0It requires followers to be law-abiding citizens, to respect people, to welcome them, and to hold to one\u2019s oaths in community. \u00a0The Law, it would seem, is something to be embodied, valued, and cherished. \u00a0I know many people believe these gods and goddesses, such as Tyr, are real beings in some way. \u00a0But I also know that some people relate to them as archetypes, symbols, and stories of greater truths. \u00a0There is a poetry to the story of Tyr, the god of Law, when he agreed to put his hand in Fenrir\u2019s mouth, so the other gods could bind the great wolf. \u00a0This sacrifice (of his hand) teaches us about the sacrifices in our own lives for the greater good.<\/p>\n

As a minister, I love stories that point us to greater truths for living our lives. \u00a0I feel like the many varied paths of paganism have a treasury of wisdom that we can use. \u00a0As Unitarian Universalists, we affirm science and reason, but we cannot forget the poetry and wonders of art. \u00a0For me, I\u2019ve discovered some new stories to guide me and inspire me. \u00a0I will always remember the expressions of people celebrating a\u00a0Bl\u00f3t (a common ritual in Asatru) and seeing the deep impact it was having. \u00a0If beliefs are life-affirming and enriching, they are to be celebrated. \u00a0I\u2019m grateful to serve a community that has taught me about Asatru. \u00a0I\u2019m grateful for the continued gifts of paganism to Unitarian Universalism.<\/p>\n

For all these things and more in this wild world of beliefs, Blessed Be.<\/p>\n

(Rev. Brian Chenowith is minister at First UU Church in Lexington, KY. His writings will appear on Nature\u2019s Path on the 2nd Monday of each month.)<\/em><\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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