Balder and Frey of Scandinavia

Here are the factual answers regarding Balder (Baldr) and Frey (Freyr) of ancient Norse mythology.


 

In lists of "crucified saviors" created by 19th-century authors like Kersey Graves, these two figures are sometimes grouped together. However, in actual Scandinavian mythology, they are two entirely separate deities belonging to two different tribes of gods. Balder is an Aesir god of light and purity, while Frey is a Vanir god of fertility, peace, and agriculture. Neither of them was a crucified savior who died for human sins.


 

Timeline & Locations

  • Active Period: Germanic/Norse paganism was practiced from antiquity through the Viking Age, officially ending with the Christianization of Scandinavia around the 10th to 12th centuries CE.


     

  • Calendar Date of Birth: Norse myths do not record calendar dates for the births of their gods.


     

  • Locations: Worshipped across Scandinavia (modern-day Norway, Sweden, and Denmark) and Viking settlements like Iceland.


     

Appearance & Names

  • Balder: Described in the Prose Edda as being so fair, beautiful, and physically radiant that light literally shone from his body.


     

  • Frey: As a god of fertility and virility, historical accounts (like those from Adam of Bremen) note that statues of Frey depicted him with an immense, erect phallus.


     

Rällinge statuette - Wikipedia
  • Different Names: Baldr, Baldur, or Balder. Frey is also known as Freyr or Yngvi.


     

Life, Death, & Resurrection

  • When & How They Died (Who Killed Them):


     

    • Balder: He had prophetic nightmares about his death, so his mother made every object on earth swear never to harm him—except for the mistletoe, which she thought was too young to be a threat. The trickster god Loki crafted a dart (or spear) out of mistletoe and tricked Balder's blind brother, Höðr, into throwing it at Balder as a game. The mistletoe pierced Balder, killing him instantly.


       

    • Frey: Frey does not die until Ragnarök (the apocalyptic end of the world). During the final battle, he fights the fire giant Surtr. Because Frey previously gave away his magical sword to win the heart of a giantess, he fights with an antler and is killed by Surtr.


       

  • Age at Death: As gods who ate the magical youth-restoring apples of Iðunn, they did not age like mortals.


     

  • Did They Resurrect?


     

    • Balder: He does not resurrect in the normal sense. He goes to Hel (the underworld) and is trapped there because Loki refuses to weep for him. Balder only returns to the living world after the universe is destroyed in Ragnarök and a new earth is born.


       

    • Frey: He dies at Ragnarök and does not resurrect.


       

  • Descend to Hell or Ascend to Heaven? Balder descended to Hel (the Norse underworld, ruled by the goddess of the same name).


     

  • Crucified? No. Balder was shot with a mistletoe projectile. Frey is killed in melee combat.


     

Actions & Theological Comparisons

  • Did They Die for the Salvation of Man? No. Balder's death is a tragic cosmic event that heralds the coming of the apocalypse (Ragnarök), not a willing blood sacrifice for the forgiveness of human sins.


     

  • What Actions Did They Take? Balder was a peacemaker whose hall in Asgard was a place of absolute purity. Frey controlled the rain, the shining of the sun, and the fertility of the crops, ensuring peace and good harvests for humanity.


     

  • Born of a Virgin? No. Both were conceived naturally. Balder's parents were Odin (the Allfather) and the goddess Frigg. Frey's father was the sea god Njörðr (who conceived Frey with his own unnamed sister).


     

  • Called the Son of God? Balder was literally the son of the chief god (Odin), but he was not titled "The Son of God" in a monotheistic sense.


     

  • Part of the Trinity? No. The Norse pantheon is polytheistic.


     

  • Will They Judge Man in Heaven? No. In Norse belief, half of the slain in battle go to Odin in Valhalla, and the other half go to the goddess Freyja in Fólkvangr. Neither Balder nor Frey act as eschatological judges of human souls.


     

Worship & Followers

  • How They Were Worshiped: They were worshipped through blót (sacrificial feasts). According to historical records, the massive pagan Temple at Uppsala in Sweden housed statues of Odin, Thor, and Frey, where animals and sometimes humans were sacrificed and hung from trees in the sacred grove.


     

  • Who Worshipped Them? The Germanic and Norse peoples. Frey was particularly beloved by farmers in Sweden, where the early kings claimed direct descent from him.