What is Asatru?

Question

How far back do the traditions go?

I promised a friend I would learn more about it.

Answer 1

The canned answer is that Asatru is the indigenous ethnic religion of the Northern European people.

To go beyond that, Asatru means "Faith in the Gods", or faith in the Aesir, specifically. In practice, we have faith in both the Aesir, and Vanir, and we honor the disir (ancestors who have gone on) and the vaettir (nature spirits for lack of a better term... wights...).

Individual Asatruar (practitioners of Asatru) will honor the God who calls them above all others (at least that has been the case in my experience). In my case, that's Thor. Many honor Odin above all, and many honor Heimdallr, Tyr, Freyr, Freyja, or any of a number of others above all. We normally honor all the Gods, make no mistake, but there's usually one or two who really call to us more than the others.

As a general rule, we greatly value the Havamal (one of the portions of the Poetic Edda... philosophy for life). A great many Asatruar place a lot of stock in the Nine Noble Virtues and the Six Fold Goal as written by Steven Edred Flowers.
The Aesirian Code of Nine is starting to spread as well, and I place it above the Nine Noble Virtues and the Six Fold Goal. That's my personal view, though, so it doesn't hold true for all Asatruar, or even most, I'd say.

I'm usually available via IM or e-mail if you have specific questions.

EDIT:
Forgot to answer the other part of the question.
"How far back do the traditions go?"
Tricky question...
Some scholars place the beginnings of the traditions of Asatru with the beginnings of this branch of humanity. Roughly 40,000 years ago.
It's verifiable for at least 5,000 years in my own research. The modern Asatru traditions could be said to have begun with Guido von Liszt (though I really don't put much stock in that), or it could also be argued that it began as late as the 1960s and early 1970s with Stephen McNallen and his "Viking Brotherhood". There is an argument for either case.
You could also argue that it never died out and the spark continued from the ancient times through lineages such as Sveinbjörn Beinteinsson's, and the spark has now grown into a campfire upon which we keep piling more wood, as it grows.
"How far back do the traditions go?"
...
Depends on who you ask, and which traditions you reference.

Answer 2

That's a really big question with a lot of information lol
Asatru (Heathen, Theodist, Odinist) is a pagan tradition of the Germanic/Scandinavian tribes and cultures. The philophies can vary from Heathen to Heathen but the basis is the same.
We honor the pantheon of the Norse/Germanic such as Odin, Frigga, Freyja, Freyr, Tyr, Thor, etc. They are our family, our Elder Kin. There is a good amount of ancestor worship in the tradition. We honor those who have gone before us. We are really big on home and hearth and family. With out family who and what are you? And family doesn't have to be genetic. Family can be and is greater then blood. It's about community and kin. Asatru is a way of life, an ambracing of our ancestors, a way of thinking and seeing the world. It shouldn't be and can't really be approached "lightly". You don't "dabble" in Asatru. If you do, you don't last long.
The traditions go back since forever. And we learn and find new things every day. We are the religion of homework. :) As Hestia called it, "Recon Reading Disorder". Probably why we like to debate so much.
This is a REALLY condensed version here. And I am by no way an expert. We have several Asatru here that are though. Feel free to contact any of us. If we don't know, we can find someone who does.

Answer 3

=)

As Heathen Daughter, "little sister", pointed out, there's a LOT to it. lol But the word itself, Asatru, means faithful to the gods. And the traditions go back, well, "forever". It's considered Germanic but includes several cultures... The Celtic culture mingles with it in areas such as Scotland and England. I was surprised to find just how much there is... and I'm still finding more.

You're awesome lol

Answer 4

The reconstruction known as Asatru goes back to the 1800s. Germanic, not necessarily Norse, but including Norse.

Seriously, guys, how do you *NOT* know this... it's one of Asatru's big brags.

Answer 5

Asatru is Norse reconstructionism. Basically, it's the ancient Norse paganism (involving Thor, Odin, etc.) practiced today.

Answer 6

Here's a brief, but good history on Asatru..

http://www.religioustolerance.org/asatru.htm

I'll star it also so my Asatru contacts can give you more detail.

Answer 7

"They honour their ancestors as Deitys"

No we do not, we simply honor them.

"they're descended from the Gods."

the gods are our Elder Kin yes, and if one wants to get "technical" it is Heimdall, in the guise of Rig, that is the progenitor of the classes of man.

see Rígsþula

Answer 8

I have a few Astaru contacts, I'll star this in hopes that they come and answer for you.