Many people feel drawn to the cultural traditions of Northern Europe, which differ qualitatively from those labelled Celtic. The main streams from the past are the Norse and Anglo-Saxon traditions, which are also not homogenous in themselves. Much of what we know of these ancient Germanic traditions comes from what was written down in the Christian era and particularly from the sagas, texts stemming from the Viking age, of expansion and aggression. It is perhaps not surprising that some have tried to appropriate the Northern Traditions for extremist political ends, viewing the myths and legends atavistically.
But modern Heathenism is not atavism, nor is it racially exclusive. The Gods and Goddesses live on and are dynamic. The Heathen stream is a living current, changing with each generation of practitioners. It is for instance possible that the concept of the Wyrd, an Anglo-Saxon term poorly translated as 'fate', originated in the Christian era. Similarly, modern rune-masters have worked with the various futhark to keep them as a living system - one that is core to Northern paths.
Some modern Heathens follow Odinism, some Asatru ('the faith of the Gods'), some shamanism, some simply work with the Northern stream as it manifests in the Land today, and it is a strong current in East Anglia.
See also Wyrd, Runes and Tides, by Chris Wood in the essays section.
The following books may be useful: