Stephen McNallen facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Stephen McNallen
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McNallen in 2005
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| Born |
Stephen Anthony McNallen
October 15, 1948 Breckenridge, Texas, U.S.
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| Education | Midwestern State University |
| Occupation | Spiritual leader (goði) |
| Years active | 1970–present |
| Spouse(s) |
Sheila Edlund
(m. 1997) |
Stephen Anthony McNallen (born October 15, 1948) is an American leader in Heathenry, a modern spiritual path inspired by ancient Norse beliefs. He founded groups like the Viking Brotherhood and the Asatrú Free Assembly. He is best known for starting the Asatru Folk Assembly (AFA), which he led from 1994 until 2016.
McNallen grew up in Breckenridge, Texas. While in college, he became very interested in the ancient cultures of Scandinavia. In 1969–70, he started the Viking Brotherhood. Through this group, he published a newsletter called The Runestone. This newsletter helped share his ideas about Heathenry, which he called "Asatru."
After serving in the United States Army for four years, he changed the Viking Brotherhood into the Asatrú Free Assembly (AFA). He believed that religions were connected to a person's family background. He thought Heathenry was best suited for people of Northern European heritage. As the group grew, there were some disagreements. McNallen decided to remove members who held extreme views. In 1987, he closed down the Assembly.
McNallen then moved to Northern California and became a school teacher. During his summer breaks, he traveled and wrote articles for Soldier of Fortune magazine. In the mid-1990s, he became active in the Heathen movement again. He started the Asatrú Folk Assembly, based in Grass Valley, California. In 1997, he helped create the International Asatru/Odinist Alliance. His group gained more attention when they became involved in discussions about the Kennewick Man. McNallen has been a debated figure in the Heathen community.
Contents
Stephen McNallen's Life Story
Early Years: 1948–1976
Stephen McNallen was born on October 15, 1948, in Breckenridge, Texas. His family practiced the Roman Catholic faith. After high school, he attended Midwestern State University in Wichita Falls, Texas. There, he started exploring different spiritual paths. He read about modern Paganism and other spiritual ideas.
In college, he read a book called The Viking. This book sparked his interest in the ancient societies of Scandinavia. He felt drawn to the Vikings' spirit of courage and independence. Around 1968 or 1969, he decided to follow the Norse gods. He practiced this faith by himself for about two years. He later shared that he initially felt strongly against Christianity. He believed it was a "foreign imposition" that harmed traditional European culture.
In 1969–70, McNallen founded the Viking Brotherhood. He wrote a "Viking Manifesto" for the group. It said the Brotherhood wanted to keep the Norse religion alive, especially as it was during the Viking Age. The group also aimed to promote values like courage, individualism, and independence. In 1972, the group was recognized as a religious organization.
In 1971–72, he began publishing a newsletter called The Runestone. He used a typewriter and a special printing machine. He found his first subscribers through an advertisement in Fate magazine. He first called his religion "Norse religion." Later, he used "Odinism" and then "Asatru." He helped make the term "Asatru" popular in the American Heathen community.
During college, McNallen was part of the Reserve Officers Training Corps. He earned a degree in political science. After college, he joined the United States Army for four years. He served in West Germany. Even in the army, he kept his interest in Heathenry. Around 1974, he began to believe that the Norse gods were connected to people of Northern European descent. After leaving the Army in 1976, McNallen traveled before settling in Berkeley, California.
Asatrú Free Assembly and Writing: 1976—1993
When he returned to the United States in 1976, McNallen changed his Viking Brotherhood into the Asatrú Free Assembly (AFA). This group became the first national Heathen organization in the U.S. It helped set up many important ways that American Heathenry is practiced today. The group first met in an insurance office. Later, they opened an office in Breckenridge. Through the AFA, McNallen continued to publish Runestone and created booklets about Asatru.
He also started leading religious ceremonies called blóts. He gave talks at Pagan events across the U.S. He created smaller groups within the AFA, like the Mead Brewing Guild and the Warrior Guild. The Warrior Guild published a quarterly magazine called Wolf Age. In it, McNallen explored his ideas about warrior ethics.
In the early 1980s, McNallen used The Runestone to share his idea of "metagenetics." This was the belief that spirituality or religion was part of a person's genes. He thought it was passed down through families. He believed that Heathenry was an expression of the "soul of our [Nordic] race." He felt it was not suitable for people who were not of Northern European descent. Some members of the AFA did not agree with this idea.
As the AFA grew, there were more disagreements among members. This was partly because each local group, called a kindred, was independent. The AFA also encouraged individual freedom, which led to many different opinions. These conflicts sometimes happened at the AFA's yearly meetings, called Althings. McNallen did not support extreme political views. He wanted to keep his religion separate from political movements. He tried to remove members with extreme views from the group.
In 1978, he said AFA members could not wear certain uniforms or symbols at events. Some members left the AFA because of these changes. By the late 1970s, there was a clear difference between McNallen's AFA, which focused on religious goals, and other groups that focused more on political aims.
Running the Assembly and organizing its events was a lot of work for McNallen and his wife, Maddy Hutter. They also faced financial difficulties. In 1987, McNallen stopped publishing The Runestone and closed the AFA. He then moved to Northern California. However, the AFA had already planted important ideas that would continue to grow. Another group, the Asatru Alliance, was formed to continue the yearly meetings.
From 1986 to 1987, McNallen worked in law enforcement. In 1986, he and Sheila moved to Forest, California. He became a teacher, teaching science and math at a junior high school for six years. During his summer breaks, he traveled and wrote articles about different groups around the world. He later said these experiences made him believe in the importance of different ethnic groups having their own identities. McNallen also joined the U.S. National Guard.
Returning to Heathenry: 1994–2016
In the mid-1990s, McNallen became active in the U.S. Pagan community again. He was helped by his new partner, Sheila Edlund. They started their own Heathen group, the Calasa Kindred. He was concerned about the growth of groups that welcomed members regardless of their ethnic background. He felt these groups were changing Heathenry too much.
In response, he decided to restart the AFA in 1994. This time, he called it the Ásatrú Folk Assembly. This new group was very similar to the old AFA. It brought back McNallen's The Runestone publication as a yearbook. The AFA's headquarters were in Grass Valley, California. McNallen also started the Ásatrú Community Church to reach more people. It held Sunday services, but it was not very successful.
In the 1990s, McNallen became friends with Michael Moynihan. McNallen's AFA also had good relations with Ron McVan, who co-founded another group. Some of McVan's writings were published in Runestone. In September 1997, McNallen signed an agreement to create the International Asatru/Odinist Alliance (IAOA). This was a worldwide group for Heathen organizations that focused on ethnic heritage. Other groups from the U.S. and Britain joined. The alliance held an international meeting every three years. In 1997, McNallen married Sheila Edlund at the seventeenth Althing in Utah.
In 1999, the AFA bought land in Northern California. This land became a place where Heathen groups could meet and practice their religion.
McNallen believed that white people should revive the religions of their European ancestors. He felt they should not adopt the beliefs of other cultures. However, he had disagreements with Native American communities over the discovery of Kennewick Man. This was a very old skeleton found in Washington State. Native communities believed the body was one of their ancestors. They wanted it returned to them. McNallen argued that the skeleton was Caucasian.
In October 1996, the AFA filed a lawsuit. They wanted to prevent Kennewick Man from being given to Native communities. The court decided that the remains were not "Native American" under the law. McNallen thought Native American communities did not want the body tested. He believed they feared it would show a Caucasian presence in ancient America. He thought Caucasians might have entered the Americas long ago but were later wiped out. He warned that this could happen again and that steps should be taken to protect the European population in North America. In 2000, the AFA stopped its involvement in the Kennewick Man case due to lack of funds. However, the case brought much more attention to the AFA.
In the late 1990s, the AFA began promoting "tribalism." This encouraged Heathens to form large family networks to help secure the religion's future. By mid-2001, McNallen and other leaders felt overwhelmed. They tried to reduce the group's strict structure by removing the idea of formal membership. In the 21st century, the AFA became very active online. They created a website, blog, podcast, and accounts on social media platforms like Facebook and YouTube.
Increasing Public Involvement
Around the year 2000, McNallen decided to become more involved in public issues. He became President of the European American Issues Forum. This group focused on promoting the interests of white Americans. He later resigned from this role due to stress and health issues.
In 2009, McNallen was invited to an international Heathen camp. However, many groups attending opposed his invitation. They felt his views were not inclusive. Some European Heathen groups threatened to boycott the event if he attended.
In 2010, he wrote an article for a new online magazine called AlternativeRight.com. This magazine was founded by Richard B. Spencer. McNallen's article appeared alongside those by other writers who focused on white identity. In 2011, the AFA sent members to a conference held by Spencer's organization. This led to accusations of racism against McNallen and the AFA from various online Pagan communities.
In December 2012, McNallen created a Facebook page called Green Asatru. This page aimed to promote environmental ideas within Heathenry. In June 2013, he started a non-profit organization called Forever Elephants. This group worked to fight ivory poaching in Africa. He used Facebook to promote this cause. In 2014, he retired from his job as a juvenile corrections officer. In 2015, he published a book called Asatru: A Native European Spirituality. A scholar reviewed the book, calling it an "important moment" for the Heathen movement.
Later Years: 2016–Present
In 2016, McNallen stepped down as the head of the AFA. Matt Flavel, Allen Turnage, and Patricia Hall took over his role. He announced that he wanted to focus on new projects as a writer and religious leader. That year, he upset many Heathens who believed in universal acceptance. He made a social media post about events in Germany. He expressed support for the German people and criticized leaders like Angela Merkel. He also mentioned the Freikorps, which were right-wing groups from the past. This reference caused much criticism.
A few months after McNallen's resignation, the AFA posted a message online. It stated their belief that gender is a gift from divine powers and ancestors. They celebrated "feminine ladies," "masculine gentlemen," and "beautiful white children." This post led to accusations of racism. Many Heathens who had not commented on the AFA before spoke out against it. In March 2017, McNallen spoke about the issue in a YouTube video. He stated his loyalty to the white race and to certain political ideas. He also expressed support for the "14 Words," a slogan used in some white identity circles.
In 2018, the Southern Poverty Law Center added the Asatru Folk Assembly to its list of groups that promote hate. They described it as a "Neo-völkisch hate group."
In October 2023, Stephen McNallen gave a speech at the American Renaissance conference. This group describes itself as "America's foremost white advocacy publication." McNallen spoke about "Wotan's dual aspects of fury and wisdom" and his recent book, "The Spear."
McNallen's Personality and Life
One observer described McNallen as having a very diverse personality. He was interested in many topics, including politics, culture, technology, and spiritual matters. He was seen as a "charismatic man" who had a strong presence. He was also described as a man with both vision and determination. When he wrote about himself, he sometimes showed a strong focus on his own role. This is sometimes seen in leaders who start religious movements.
McNallen's Views on Identity and Society
In an online video, McNallen stated that "race is real" and not just a social idea. He believes there is a strong link between a person's family background and their religion. He thinks that the ancient religion of the Norse is connected to the inner feelings of people descended from ancient Northern Europeans. He sees Heathenry as belonging to all people from this background. He wants to make it easy for them to access this religion. He argues that it is the best faith to meet the spiritual needs of many white Americans. While he often links Heathenry to Northern Europeans, he sometimes speaks of a broader "pan-European identity." He says European cultures are unique but share a basic European pattern.
He tried to create a theory for this belief, calling it "metagenetics." This is the idea that religious and cultural practices are stored in DNA. They are then passed down through generations. He also connects this idea to Jungian psychology. He argues that certain patterns of thought are unique to specific groups and are passed down genetically. While he first used scientific language for this idea, later discussions seemed more like "race mysticism."
Part of his reason for creating "metagenetics" was to make his religion more appealing to a wider range of Americans. He also wanted to distance his movement from groups that promoted extreme views. He has said that his AFA represents a "middle ground" on issues of identity. He said they were proud of their European heritage and supported the interests of European-descended peoples. But he also said they were against extreme control and hatred. He believed that decency required treating everyone with respect. According to a 1998 article, McNallen tried to avoid being linked to extreme groups. However, he also "expressed sympathy with what he sees as the 'legitimate frustrations of white men who are concerned for their kind.'"
McNallen believes that white Americans are essentially Europeans because of their family history. He has written articles about his concerns for the future of the white population. He claims that a lack of clear ethnic identity has put European-Americans at a disadvantage. He says that fewer white people are being born than are dying. He also says that their children look to other cultures for role models. He believes their heritage is being steadily replaced. This, he argues, leads to them becoming less important and possibly disappearing. One scholar noted that McNallen's concerns reflect a feeling among some white Americans that they are losing status in modern, diverse society. This idea of white people as victims is common in some discussions about white identity.
McNallen says he is not a racist. He argues that racism means believing one group is better than another, which he says he does not believe. He insists that his support for separate groups does not mean he dislikes or hates other groups. However, in May 2015, a magazine accused McNallen of being a racist. It claimed he used ancient Norse beliefs for harmful purposes. Another group described McNallen as someone who actively supports certain extreme traditionalist movements. They called him an "unapologetic advocate for white nationalism." On the other hand, some very extreme groups within Heathenry have criticized McNallen. They have called him a "race traitor" because he has not fully supported their extreme views. They have said he avoids working for the "survival of the Aryan race."
A scholar of religion, Jeffrey Kaplan, said that McNallen's views fit into the right side of the political spectrum. However, in the Heathen community, McNallen is sometimes seen as being in the middle. This makes him a target for criticism from both sides. Another historian described McNallen as a libertarian. McNallen does not like being called "conservative." He feels there is little in modern Western society worth keeping. McNallen imagines a future American society without a central government. He envisions it based on environmentally friendly, local tribal groups. He also supports all ethnic groups around the world having their own separate movements. This has drawn criticism from some extreme groups. They claim it takes away from focusing on the "white" or "Aryan" struggle against other groups. However, in his writings and videos, Stephen McNallen has spoken positively about certain extreme views and slogans. He has also connected with social media outlets linked to the alt-right movement.
See also
In Spanish: Stephen McNallen para niños
