Hjørdist Gustafism

Hjørdist Gustafism
Scripture	Nori’s Sagas
Fylkir	Olav I
Arch-Gothir	Gaëtane III, Jaubert-Frida
Headquarters	Caenfjord
Founder	Hjørdist Frida
Origin	1770 Batkong, Federation of the Southern Coast
Branched from	Gustafistism Ulvriktru

Hjørdist Gustafism is a branch of Gustafistic and differs strongly from Orthodox Gustafism. It is the second largest branch of Gustafistic branch of Ulvriktru. It was founded alongside Orthodox Gustafism in 1770, with a minor reform happening in 1785 to declare the Arch-Gothir is required to be unlanded but still inherited. The branch is headed by the Arch-Gothir Anny Jaubert-Frida and is seated in Caenfjord. It has over 40 million followers spread across the world, with largest amount of followers being in Kaldrbuth, Federation and Norgsveldet.

History

Hjørdist Gustafism was formed in 1770 by Queen Hjørdist Frida, of Queendom of Lapérouse. Recognizing Gustaf the II as the Fylkr but establishing it as a separate branch more according to the matriarchal customs and traditions. It was reformed again in 1785 due to the personal union between Queendom of Lapérouse and Norgsveldet. Queen Frida wanting to avoid giving the Norgsveltian royal family the power in the future to take over the religion, separate her title as Queen and Arch-Gothir. Assigning the Arch-Gothir title to her youngest daughter and establish the main temple of the branch in Caenfjord.

Reforms

1785

The first reform to the branch was shortly after it was founded, due to pressure from the nobility and concerns of the Personal Union between the Queendom of Lapérouse and Norgsveldet. Queen Hjørdist Frida separated the queen title and the Arch-Gothir role, giving the Arch-Gothir title to her youngest daughter Léonie Frida as well assigning the head temple to Caenfjord. In addition to the title reform, the Queen also organized the Shieldbands as militant religious order under the Arch-Gothir. Today, Shieldbands are still under the Arch-Gothir but fill a different niche than militantism.

1854

In the year 1854, faced a issues of a raising middle class which frequently sided more along with Akuanists and Duarists rather than the temple itself which was seen as upper class and elitist. The middle class being from exiled nobles from Norgsveldet, wealthy Akuan merchants, liberals and landless nobles. The reform of 1830 legitimized men being able to have less resistive dress code, can jointly own farmland with their wife and was allowed to sit with their wife in service. In addition, they legitimize Akuan marriages as a lessor form and made appeals to Duarism matriarchal customs though still calling them a lesser religion. The reform brought in middle class into supporting the temple, widely seen as a successful historically though it failed to appeal the liberal parts of the middle class and more radical elements parts of the middle class which pushed for further reforms in it.

1937

The 1937 reformed was extremely controversial at the time, and was primary pushed by the socialist government of the Federation. The controversial reform legitimize many things traditionally been seen inconceivable such as allowing men to join the clergy as Gothirs, gay marriage, reducing barriers and restrictions to men in roles; tolerance of trans rights, and most controversially allowing to marry outside of the religion, as well many other social and political issues in line with the new socialist government. The reformed sparked fierce arguments and is the leading reason why Kaldrbuth became the leading Hjørdistic state, with debate taking place that the holy seat should be moved to Kaldrbuth outright through this was put a stop to by the Arch-Gothir for dubious reasons. Despite the resistance from the international Hjørdistic clergy community, the reform was pushed through. In the modern terms, majority of countries pay lip service to the reform many countries still favoring more traditional structure from before the reform was made.

Structure

All religious roles in Hjørdist Gustafism are matrilineal titles with the only two expectations being Fylkir and more recently the lowly Gothir, despite criticisms from scholars. The head of the branch is the Arch-Gothir, a matrilineal-primogeniture hereditary title that's been within the Jaubert-Frida since 1797. High-Gothir, being in charge of a certain nation or region. There are currently five High-Gothirs, and are selected by the Arch-Gothir for their region. The lowest member of the Hjørdist Gustafism clergy that is still authorized to give sermons being Gothir, which is selected by the High-Gothir of their country or region.

Gothir traditionally and as well all roles with the clergy was a exclusive reserved for women until in 1930 reformation. Where the lower clergy, the Gothir was open to men as well and tolerated to assist within service at the temples.

Shieldband

Shieldmaidens are women who vow to dedicate her life to Ulvriktru historically as militants of the faith. Within history and in some militant orders, Shieldmaidens would consume psychedelic drugs. Shieldmaidens are organized into shieldbands, head by the Shield-Master of the Shieldband. Shieldbands historically was created by Queen Noémie Frida as a method of raising additional troops to secure her realm from rebelling regions in the Queendom of Lapérouse. Later turning them into more of a elite guard for herself and the Arch-Gothir in 1790.

In the current day, Shieldbands act as sapient aid organizations with a handful of expectations. For a example being the royal guards for various royalty, nobility and elected leadership. Such as the Hel's Escort Shieldband, the royal guards of Kaldrbuth.

Doctrine

Hjørdist Gustafism has developed over the centuries, reflecting on the Nori’s Sagas, formal definition of what is a heretical belief within the Hjørdistic interpretation, (Hjørdistic) orthodox beliefs through the Arch-Gothir and theological debates by scholars. The branch believes the superiority of Freya and Hel as goddess over Thor. As well interpretation of Odin being more feminine but not a woman in nature as opposed to other Ulvriktru interpretations.

The Hjørdist Gustafism branch focus heavily on Freya, goddess of fertility/life giving and Hel, the goddess of death and ruler of the dead, proclaiming the superiority over deities. The Novi's Sages consists of different sect of stories compared to orthodox sect of Novi's Sages, with a bigger focus women roles in the sages rather than men within the stories. The branch places a heavily empathizes on matriarchal culture and traditions, and believed by the branch to be handed down since the time of the first Queen of Lapérouse. The Hjørdistic Novi's Sages and Traditions are collectively called the "Uvlantor's Deposit." Named after the first dynasty of Lapérouse. Interpretation of the Uvlantor's Deposit is the responsibility of the Arch-Gothir and a advisory board of High-Gothirs.

Divinity of Freya & Hel

The Hjørdistic temple holds the Freya & Hel over the other deities save for Odin. Putting forward the that only the deities of life giving and death should be emphasized in worship, as all is born and all will die. This heavily reflects from sermons, culture and in the architecture. Example being having Garmr sitting on top of the temple rather than Thor's hammer or Odin's spear, Garmr being a important servant of Hel in the form of a dog. Sermons tend to place a heavy focus on the circle of life, both on the beginning and on the end of life equally.

Funerals

Funerals in Hjørdistic branch differents from the Orthodox branch. Funerals still features a burning pyre, however it features war chants and shield bashing for women. Men funerals have soft singing hymns as opposed to war chants, instead of shield bashes they feature soft dances around the burning pyre. Additionally, the outfits for the funerals different with men wearing light black robes and women wearing special chainmail shirts on top of dark blue robes with fur on top of it. Placing heavy focus on treating men with a gentle nature as opposed to the more aggressive and militant nature of women's funerals.

Social and Cultural Issues

Physical Abuse towards Men

Abuse towards men, particularly towards husbands and sons has been historically noted for being common even more so for husbands. Primary abuse is physical in a nature, rather than mental or emotional. As abuse of the mental or emotional is considered to be a sin, as believing men should be respected for their intelligence and at the minimum being listened to. However physical abuse, is less protected until recently in modern times. It should be noted that abuse, comes less in a direct beatings and more in forms of slapping or hitting with a stick directly towards the chest. Previously in history, it was difficult to prevent the more intense beating until in 1790, where Shieldbands acted as a prompt law enforcement officers for abuse towards men. Acting on behalf of Arch-Gothir and with religious authority to punish those who abuse mentally or take the physical abuse too far and abusing children. In the modern day, abuse has been mostly curtailed including slapping and illegal in all Hjørdistic countries.