It's a new year, and our Faithful Friday post today looks a bit like the Roman crossroads god Janus (for whom January is named): looking backwards to 2014 and forward to 2015 at the same time. A tour of Asgard, did you leave your religion this year, Tonanztin (aka Our Lady of Guadeloupe); welcome to Aweism; did you miss this major interfaith milestone?

This post from Eric Scott
(one of our favorite religion writers of the past year) takes us on a guided tour of Asgard. (Ok, well, it's actually Reykjavík, the capital of Iceland, but who's counting?)

Did you leave your religion in 2014? These four writers (collected in one essay at the site "Longreads") did, and if you left your family faith (especially if you were previously Christian) their stories may resonate.

Tonanztin, La Virgen Morena-the Dark Virgin, Coatlaxopeuh, Our Lady of Guadalupe routinely crosses borders of heart and mind: indigenous vs colonialist; pre-Christian paganism vs. Roman Catholic; peasant-led personal gnosis vs. Church hierarchy. This article highlights a bit of Her story.

Can naturalistic beliefs fill the same role in our lives as "religion?" This author writes of "aweism" (a feeling of awe in the presence of nature) in a way that many (non-theist) Pagans may relate to.

You may have missed this major award in interfaith relations (jointly given to a Hindu and Muslim) since it wasn't promoted that way.

 

Reykjavík