heathenry

name

1. The old Germanic (Norse, Anglo-Saxon, etc.) religion(s).
2. Any modern reconstruction of one of these religions; Germanic neopaganism.

   “In Britain, Heathenry is the most common name used for an emergent religion based on the old gods, goddesses, and spirits (wights) that were part of everyday life in Northern Europe before the coming of the Christian era. Thus, Heathenry is, in some sense, a reconstructed religion. People often discover Heathenry through finding the mythology of Northern Europe and attempting to learn more about the culture and spirituality of this part of the world.”

   “Comparatively, they are understanding, if not accepting, of Neo-Pagan influence; many Universalists even consider Heathenry to fall under the Neo-Pagan umbrella—a position most Folkish Heathens and Tribalists reject.”

   “Thus Paganism has come to be an umbrella term for a diverse spiritual network, which also includes modern Shamanism and Heathenry.”

   “I've seen several Heathenry 101 booklets and articles that made a lot of comparisons between Heathenry and Christianity. And this brings to mind the question, "Isn't Heathenry rich enough and complete enough that we can describe it without having to compare and contrast it with Christianity?"”

noun

1. (uncountable, usually)The state of being heathen.

   “It was as though she were some tinted and lavishly adorned statue of barbaric heathenry, and he her postulant; and her large eyes appeared to judge an immeasurable path, beyond him.”

   “In the simpler case of northern heathenry the civilization spread with a simplier progress.”

2. (alt-of, uncountable, usually)Alternative letter-case form of Heathenry (“Germanic (neo)paganism”).

   “Asatru is one of the most popular types of heathenry.”