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4 of 11 found the following review helpful:
 A good book on Theodism Oct 23, 2007
As was said before, this is like a rough draft that no one proof read after typing it. Half way in the book I knew the "e" on his keyboard tends to stick. Many words are missing the letter "e".
However, the only important thing is the book's ideas. I have read Garman Lord's book on Theodism. I think Theodisc Geleafa was an good addition. I use to think Theodism was just a S.C.A. type of role playing game, where Star Trek fans learn Old English instead of Klingon. However, this book shows there is more depth to Theodism than I first thought.
28 of 31 found the following review helpful:
 Self-serving, derivative, and desperately in need of a proofreader Aug 15, 2007
Swain Wodening is a man with a long and colorful history within the contemporary Heathen community. He has authored several books, focusing on the Anglo-Saxon side of the Heathen experience, and has earned a reputation as a fair and reputable scholar. It is precisely because of this that his latest work, "Þéodisc Geléafa" (151 pages, published by Englatheod), is such a disappointment. One would have expected a much more original, professional, and useful tome from this particular author.
To begin with, although some of his prior works have been self-published through the wonderful agency of print-on-demand publishing flourishing on the Internet, this one (also self-published) suffers from a serious lack of proofreading. Barely a page goes by that does not contain an error of spelling, grammar, or punctuation, and in some cases all three. The formatting is uneven, and there are cases where lines, which are clearly supposed to be set off as headings, are not, and a blank page that seems to be caused by a stray carriage return in whatever word processor was used to compose the text. It seems that the author was either rushed to get the book into print or complacent in letting his word processor do the job of proofreading for him. I hope that either his usual proofreader will return for a possible second edition or a new one found. These problems are not only distracting but in some cases render the text difficult to read (as when it is impossible to tell when a quote ends and the surrounding text begins).
Issues of style, formatting, and grammar are merely distractions, however; the substance of the book is what ultimately gives it value. Unfortunately, here, too, the author has done a disservice to his readers.
To begin with, the book suffers from a problem of selective memory. Specifically, it fails to note that a similar book on Théodish Belief had already been published several years before by the man who co-founded it, Garman Lord. That book, "The Way of the Heathen" (ISBN 192934001X) was and is regarded as a seminal step in the development of Théodism and its presentation to a wider audience. Despite this prominent work (which is still in print), "Þéodisc Geléafa" ignores it, and it is not difficult to determine why. Much of the material in the latter work, while not directly taken from the former, is clearly inspired by it. Where the one has chapters on "What it Means To Be Théodish", "Sacral Kingship", "The Hierarchy of a Léode", and "Blóts and Fainings", the other has chapters titled "What is Théodish Belief?", "Sacral Leadership", "Hierarchy", and "Worship". Certainly some of that overlap is due to the subject matter itself; any book that purports to be a general treatise on Théodism must perforce cover certain topics. However, it seems that little in "Þéodisc Geléafa" advances the state of the art very much since "The Way of the Heathen" was published. Indeed, in its attempt to be as ecumenical as possible, "Þéodisc Geléafa" seems a step backwards in terms of both practical and theoretical information on the subjects covered. One finds oneself yearning at once for either more practicum or more philosophy, and wonders if the world really needed another general handbook on Théodish Belief.
The book's chapter on the history of Théodish Belief is the most troubling in this area. A book that purports to offer a history of a particular facet of a religious movement should at the very least make an attempt to be neutral in its point of view. Alternatively, if an author feels incapable of mentioning contributions of individuals and groups towards which he holds a personal animus, intellectual honesty demands that he at least acknowledge that fact. Unfortunately, the history given is not only incomplete, but seriously lacking an objective point of view that such a thing requires. Specifically, he omits any mention of what is, to date, the most successful Théodish group in the world, in terms of both numbers of members and the average retention of those members. The Normannii (http://www.normannii.org) practice a Danish-Norman tribal thew, and were a vital and integral part of the Winland Ríce throughout several of its most important years, contributing greatly to the overall Théodish understanding of historical Germanic beliefs and practices, and continue to be a driving force within Théodism today. Currently the Normannii and the author's former group and its allies are at odds, and it seems that a conscious attempt to re-write history is being made through the history section of the book. (As an aside, it should be pointed out that the book has a listing of Théodish websites at the end. They are, naturally, those sites belonging to the groups who sided with Swain against the Normannii, presumably as a furtherance of the attempt to define Théodism as something which only Swain and those who agree with him practice. It should hopefully be taken as a sign of both the fickleness of Théodish politics and the transitory nature of the Internet that as of this writing one of those groups has renounced its Théodish affiliation and now styles itself simply an Anglo-Saxon Heathen group, thus rendering the list out of date within weeks of the book's publication.) In the interests of full disclosure, the current reviewer is himself a member of the Normannii and was around during many of these historical events.
Similarly, the author's own personal contribution to Théodish Belief is overstated, and his negative experiences have been excised. Specifically, he fails to mention the fact that he was outlawed by Garman Lord from the Winland Ríce, and that his own Angelseaxisce Ealdriht eschewed the Théodish label for many years because of this, preferring to paint itself as a more democratic form of Anglo-Saxon Heathenry. It was only when that outlawry was lifted (in large part thanks to the efforts of Dan O'Halloran, Aetheling of the aforementioned Normannii tribe) that he and his group once again took up the Théodish mantle. In addition, if one takes the history chapter at face value, Swain and his brother Eric introduced every important concept in current Théodish thought. In fairness, the author does throw a bone to the great Ásatrú scholar Edred Thorsson, giving him credit as the source of some of those ideas, but doesn't specify which came from which source, adding to the overall impression that Swain was the font whence most of modern Théodish sprung. That is, of course, an exaggeration to say the least.
In addition, at least some of the material in the book has already been published on the Internet. (Two particular examples stands out; the appendix "A Divination Faining", which is repeated in its entirety on the author's blog, and the appendix "Idols in Germanic Heathenry", which is found in its entirety on the Ealdriht website.) While it is certainly not the most egregious offense to republish such material and charge for it, certainly the least an author can do in such circumstances is to let his readers know that it has been done, or preferably revisit the material with new insights or an updated text.
Overall, the book fails to rise to the level of "must-read" for ether the Ásatrú or Théodish communities. A reader would do much better to purchase Garman Lord's "The Way of the Heathen" and supplement it with a few hours spent on the more prominent Théodish websites. There is nothing contained within it that is particularly unique, and much within it that is consciously self-serving and factually misleading. It may well be that the time has, or will soon, come for another general handbook on Théodish Belief, but this is sadly not that book.
11 of 20 found the following review helpful:
Concepts in Germanic Heathenry Aug 07, 2007
This book is a thorough manual on Theodish belief, but it also has more to offer. It discusses in the clearest terms the ties of custom, culture, and kin. It describes the reality of the collective wyrd (like Karma) of the tribe.
Whether by inheritance or adoption, most of us belong to a family or tribal network and its customs. One of the most valuable surviving legacies of our Heathen ancestors is the English Common Law. This was explicitly recognised by Thomas Jefferson in discussions of its adoption as the foundation of the American legal system. Its essence is based on precedent. The accumulated wisdom of previous judgements, but containing within it the ability to evolve and adapt to a changing world.
This ability to value custom and tradition, while still being able to cope with the world, really captures the underlying power of Germanic Heathenism. It is underpinned throughout with the concept of wyrd, and the ties of responsibility.
The book will not appeal to the New-Age dilettante, and warns against the temptation to mix traditions, or approach them superficially. But for Heathens, even if you are not specifically interested in Theodism, this book is still well worth a read.
Sweyn
The Rune Primer: A Down to Earth Guide to the Runes
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