As Theodism is an ancestral faith, and one which believes in studying, honoring, and emulating our ancestors, the practice of ancestor veneration is absolutely inseparable from our faith. We believe in the folk soul, and that the luck and traits of our ancestors are passed along to future generations through this folk soul. This is one of the reasons you will tend to find “family names” within the folk. It is thought that by naming a child after an ancestor that the spirit of that ancestor will take a special interest in the child and help guide and support them in all of their endeavors. It is also likely that the child in question will inherit behaviors, skills, and luck from that ancestor. It is all about roots and connections, about tapping into the collective maegns of the entire family line to bring more worth and luck to the current generation. Our ancestors are like the Gods and wights in their ability to aid us in our quest to build worth and gefrain, but because they are family and will be directly affected by that gefrain and worth through the ancestral connection, they have a vested interest in helping us to succeed. It is not unlike the Christian concept of “guardian angels” except that those “angels” are our ancestors trying to help us build the family line!
check out oue “Heall of the Ancestors” to learn about the Ancestors of members of Ondheim Theodish Fellowship!