Norse Pantheon

While Norse mythology is not nearly as pervasive in modern culture as ancient Greek mythology is (and has been for a long time), references to ancient Scandinavian deities, mythological creates, and legends can still be found in abundance. The following two examples are probably the best manifestations of ancient Norse mythology in the modern world:

JRR Tolkien's highly influential fantasy trilogy The Lord of The Rings was heavily influenced by Norse culture. The manifestations of elves and dwarves that are found in these books - and Tolkien's other works - are lifted directly from Northern European mythology. Tolkien's interpretations of these fantasy races established a template for them that has been used in pop culture ever since - from books like the Artemis Fowl series to video games like World of Warcraft.

The Ring Cycle, a series of epic operas written by German composer Richard Wagner in the mid-19th century. It outlines a number of dramatic events that take place after a dwarf forges a ring that grants the wearer the power to rule the world. While the story or characters of the Ring Cycle may not be familiar to every American layperson, the four operas it is comprised of are some of the most popular in the world. Its music has also achieved great renown; the song "Ride of the Valkyries" is easily-recognizable to many and frequently finds its way into movies like Apocalypse Now and, more recently, Valkyrie.

Like with the Greek pantheon, it is worthwhile to learn about ancient Norse deities because of their importance in early European history and their continuing relevance in modern culture. This is true even though they are no longer commonly worshiped or invoked (except maybe by this guy).

We invite you to take a moment to educate and enlighten yourself by reading through the material on Norse mythology (listed below) that the Universal Life Church has prepared for the purposes of its online-ordained ministers' religious education.

This portion of ULC.org's "Training and Education" section covers the following deities:

Freya - the leader of the Valkyries and goddess of love, beauty, the home, and gold

Freyr - the brave and handsome god of fertility

Loki - the trickster god

Odin - the leader of the Norse gods and the ruler of Asgard

Thor - god of thunder and lightning

Please e-mail us at help@themonastery.org if you would like to see other figures from the Norse pantheon appear on this list!