Wyrd Ecology

Heathen Ritual and Gifting Relations

Barbara Jane Davy

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English

Oxford University Press Inc
14 October 2025

Philosophy of religion; Alternative belief systems; Bio-ethics; Environmentalist thought & ideology

Series: Oxford Ritual Studies

Within contemporary Heathen communities, the Old English term ""wyrd"" is used to refer to the web of relations that connect all threads of existence. Inspired by pre-Christian traditions of Northern Europe, Heathens give gifts, toasts, and offerings to foster a sense of connection with other humans and the more-than-human world. In Wyrd Ecology, author Barbara Jane Davy posits that these ritual activities are not merely isolated exchanges but rather a means of sustaining entire relational systems, in turn inspiring givers and receivers to participate out of a desire for meaningful connection.

Davy utilizes research from two years of participant observation in a Heathen community in Ontario, Canada to show how ritual activities deepen practitioners' sense of appreciation for what they have already received and instil a desire to give back. Davy illustrates how making offerings and giving gifts is important not only because of what people might believe about the gods, but because it gives people a sense of relatedness with their world. Ritual practices may thus play a critical role in instilling an ecological conscience and can encourage ethical relations and pro-environmental behavior.

By: Barbara Jane Davy
Imprint: Oxford University Press Inc
Country of Publication: United States
Dimensions: Height: 234mm, Width: 150mm, Spine: 20mm
Weight: 363g
ISBN: 9780197804926
ISBN 10: 0197804926
Series: Oxford Ritual Studies
Pages: 240
Publication Date: 14 October 2025
Audience: College/higher education , Further / Higher Education
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active

Acknowledgments Introduction 1. Wyrd Relations 2. Becoming Ancestors 3. A Procession of Reconnecting 4. How Pro-environmental are these Heathens? 5. Conclusion: From Here to There and Back Again References Appendix 1: Survey Questions Appendix 2: Survey Data Results Index

Barbara Jane Davy is the author of Introduction to Pagan Studies and editor of the three-volume collection Paganism: Critical Concepts in Religion. She has taught courses in religion and ecology, sustainability thought, and big history at Concordia University, Carleton University, and the University of Waterloo.