Iceland's Recognition of Asatru as an Official Religion in the 1970s

In 1973, Iceland officially recognized Asatru, a modern revival of pre-Christian Norse religion, as a state-sanctioned faith. The movement was formalized in 1972 by Icelandic figures including Sveinbjorn Beinteinsson, Jormundur Ingo Hansen, Dagur Thorleifsson, and Thorsteinn Gudjonsson, who founded the Asaturarfelagid fellowship. This recognition followed historical revivals of pagan traditions across Europe during the 18th-19th centuries, though Heathenry had been tainted by associations with racial ideologies in Nazi Germany. Asatru gained legal status despite opposition from religious authorities, allowing it to perform marriages and receive tax support. The religion has since grown to represent approximately 1.5% of Iceland's population by 2018, with similar movements emerging in Scandinavia and North America.