The First Anglecyn Church of Odin was founded in 1936 in Melbourne, Australia by Alexander Rud Mills,[1] an early proponent of modern Odinism. Mills, a barrister and writer, sought to revive what he considered the ancient religion of the "British race", which he believed was more natural and spiritually fitting than Christianity. His theological framework centered on Odin as the supreme deity, integrating elements of Norse mythology with an ideological blend heavily influenced by Aryan and racialist thought.[2]
Mills authored several influential texts, including The First Guide Book to the Anglecyn Church of Odin (1936) and The Odinist Religion: Overcoming Jewish Christianity (1939). These works provided liturgical guidelines and hymns for the church, drawing heavily on Anglican liturgical forms while infusing them with anti-Christian and anti-Semitic sentiments. During World War II, Mills was interned by the Australian government for his Nazi sympathies, which suppressed the church's activities. Despite this, his writings continued to influence later generations of Odinist and Ásatrú practitioners.[3][4]