Anglo-Saxon heathenism and Asatru?

Question

What exactly is the difference?

other than the names of the Gods that is.

Answer 1

First off Anglo-Saxon Heathenry has nothing to do with the Celtic pagan religions or Celtic recons. Anglo-Saxon Heathenry is a Germanic religion very closely related to Asatru. The primary differences are in the God names and in the rites. Many Anglo-Saxon Heathens do not accept all of the Eddic myths and rely more on Saxo's History of the Danes for material. Gods are often intepreted differently. Anglo-Saxon Heathens generally view Woden as a god of healing, something you rarely see attributed to him amongst Asatruar. Forseta is not viewed as the son of Balder as Forseti is. Frige is seen as very much as being the lady of the hall, unlike Frigga who is generally viewed as a house frau. Balder is generally not recognized as a God, but a demi-god. I could go on with the differences on views of particular Gods but it could get quite lengthy. Otherwise they are very much the same. Both practice blot and symbel although often differently. Both accept there are nine worlds. And both believe in basicly the same set of Gods, although a few Anglo-Saxon Goddesses do not appear amongst in the Norse beliefs such as Hredh and Eostre.

Answer 2

I will let my Celtic Recon friends answer the Anglo Saxon part of this questions
Now the difference between Heathenism and Asatru may or may not exist depending on you you talk to. For reasons of keeping it simple we'll just say they are the same thing. Many of us prefer Heathen. Asatru/Heathen do consider themselves slighy separate from other pagan traditions in some senses and not in others. We are NOT Neo-pagan. We are not witches. We are not Wiccan.
We are hard polytheist. We believe our god/ess are unique and separate. They are not "aspects" of any other goddess or god. They are not the "same". The Gods are our Elder kin, our literal ancestors. They are the ones we come from, there for they are family. :)
We do things how they were done, not how they "could have been". We are a reconstructionalist religion. We follow the lore handed down to us by our ancestors.
There is more, and I'm not sure any of what I even wrote makes sense because I haven't slept in two days...but I think I got the basics.

edit: Awww thanks! That's sweet! LOL Thank my fabulous mentors, two of which I have met here on that. They have taught me well. But I still have a LOT to learn.

Oh huh. I didn't even KNOW about anglo-saxon heathens. Learn something new every day!

Answer 3

Anglo Saxons can either be represented by the Celtic faiths of the British Isles, or the Germanic Faiths of well Germanic Countries lol. If you are looking for the Celtic Side, we are similar to the Asatru in that we worship the Ancestors, and glorify the Heroes. I go by many names Heathen, Pagan, Paganaghd (Scots Pagan), but I live as a CELT.

Also, if anyone knows the Asatru, it's Daughter. Her word is good.