Asatru is a revival and reconstruction of the pre-Christian faith of the Germanic peoples. Here is a brief listing with information on a few Asatru and heathen organizations based in the USA. Some also have international membership.
Beliefs of Heathens
Heathenry is an umbrella term that encompasses the religion and spiritual practices of people who follow a native northern European faith. It is polytheistic in that there are many gods of the Germanic pantheon honored, and this can range from soft polytheism - a belief that all gods are part of one creative force to hard polytheism - a belief that the deities are separate entities unto themselves with variations existing in between the two.
Asatru specifically honors the Norse pantheon while Heathenry can encompass other gods from Anglo-Saxon belief. There is no one dogma within Heathenry, but there are beliefs held in common by many groups such as celebrating holy days around the same time, a reverence for ancestors, and living by a strong code of ethics.
The Asatru Alliance
An organization devoted to providing resources for independent kindreds and the Asatru community as a whole. They sponsor annual heathen gatherings and publish Vor Tru Magazine which means "Our Faith" and is described on their website as "the vanguard journal of the Old Norse and Germanic religion of Asatru."
Their website contains a listing of kindreds and educational material on Asatru beliefs and practice. There is a convenient calendar describing the most common heathen holidays. They are also affiliated with World Tree Publications which sells items of interest to heathens in support of the Asatru Alliance.
Asatru Folk Assembly
The Asatru Folk Assembly, also called the AFA, was founded in 1994 by Stephen McNallen. It’s based in the United States, but international membership is available. Their purpose is to promote the religion of Asatru and its ideals as the group sees them as stated on their Asatru FAQ page.
It has a somewhat controversial reputation in its support of folkish ideas which promote Asatru as a native European religion. However, the organization has helped contribute to further understanding of the folkish concept and taken it out of the realm of knee-jerk reactions and assumptions of white supremacy. They also sponsor heathen events and have a clergy training program.
Englatheod - A Theodish Organization
A group devoted to the revival of the religion of Anglo-Saxons. This group defines itself as Theodish — also called tribal — in practice. They honor the Anglo-Saxon deities along with some from the Norse pantheon. They provide extensive information on the beliefs and history of the group and Theodism on their website along with links to other sites of interest to Anglo-Saxon heathens.
The Troth
The Troth is one of the largest heathen organizations in the United States. It also has international membership. From their mission statement, the group’s goal is to "to place itself as an umbrella organization where all Asatruar may meet, worship, and learn from one another."
They sponsor the annual Trothmoot heathen gathering. They have a lore program and clergy training program available to members and publish the heathen magazine Idunna. The group has published Our Troth: Vols. 1 and 2 which are extensive studies into modern Heathenry.
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