Odinist Temple

A few brave souls from the moot (namely Harriet, Shell, Lottie and I) agreed to venture out in to the wilds of Newark recently and visited the Odinist temple. The temple has been set up and organised by the Odinist fellowship they own the building outright and have funded improvements and renovations to what was originally a small chapel and has in between times been owned by the local council.

Incidentally the Odinist fellowship has been the first pagan organisation to achieve charitable status within the UK, a status that can bring practical and financial benefits as well as requiring good financial governance in an organisation.

On a particularly cold day, we met outside the building on Bede House Lane; the building is absolutely tiny although it does have tardis like qualities. Ralph Harrison who was our contact at the fellowship was very hospitable and showed us in and around the temple. There are a number of artworks on the walls of the one roomed temple, each depicting a different god or goddess from the Norse Pantheon and all of them commissioned by the fellowship for the temple. As part of their renovations they needed to replace a single external stone high up in one of the walls, see if you can spot the stone in question; it seems to bear the symbol of a Thors hammer of Mjolnir!

Ralph described the fellowships approach as being both inclusive and also seeking to avoid mere 'reconstructionism'; that is they do not set out to try and repeat what may have made up Odinist religious practice in days gone by, more that they take a rather pragmatic approach to worship and have written their own book of rights (which is available to buy through the temple). The fellowship has guidelines about everyone being able to access the altar as one part of their approach to avoiding or limiting any sense of hierarchy.

The fellowship meet to celebrate or observe key calendar dates, many of which align with the 'Celtic calendar' most modern pagans follow. The fellowship also celebrate and bless marriages and can perform baby naming ceremonies although they are currently unable to host legally binding marriage ceremonies.

The Odinists also focus on celebrating ancestors as well as worshipping the Norse gods. Ralph was very clear that they do not worship or make offerings to Loki, who whilst they believe Loki to be a god they are mindful of his trickster nature and I think they consider his veneration best avoided.