HEATHENS

Heathens: translation

At the time of conversion toChristianityin Iceland, the termskristniandhedhnimade a simple distinction between Christendom and Heathenry, the latter meaning “people of the heath,” referring to those who practiced theirpaganreligion outside on the heathland rather than inside a church building.Heathenonly later became a derogatory term, and Heathens today are reclaiming the term to positively describe themselves and their communities. Today’s Heathens are engaged in an ongoing process of creative self and community discovery and re-enchantment, reconstructing ancientNorthernEuropeanpagan practices, such as the shamanistic practice ofseidr, and making them relevant to a (post)modern world.