Woden is depicted as being the ancestor of Anglo-Saxon kings in this Anglo-Saxon Christian-era genealogy.

Sources: Iconography

Argument/Theme: After the adoption of Christianity Pagan cultural themes and motifs continued on through ornamentation and iconography. This ornamentation and iconography features clear pagan symbolism with animals such as the wolf, eagle and boar, all of which were animals symbolized and associated with Germanic Pagan deities. Them being featured in prominent art in a style similar to those of Anglo-Saxon Pagan art and showing a clear cultural influence despite Christianization, this kind of zoomorphic ornamentation survived long into the 11th century, the direct link to Paganism was shattered but its motifs and symbols lived on.

Sources: Beowulf, scholarly evidence
Beowulf is in many ways a “Fairy tale without the magic”, the literary motifs and influence is obviously Germanic pagan cultural influence but it lacks the backing up of the Germanic Pagan religious beliefs and instead replaces them with Christian theology and religious ideas. Beowulf is clearly a hero in the Germanic literary heroic tradition but is instead made into a Christian one. Furthermore, magic and magical themes clearly taken from Paganism are featured but they are Christianized to avoid detection 

Sources: Beowulf, literary evidence, other scholars’

Argument/Theme: Due to the distinct Pagan and Christian themes in Beowulf it is impossible that it was written by same author and was likely a Christian adaptation of an earlier story. The society in which the story is set is recognizable as society which is still based on Germanic pagan cultural practices and beliefs, especially the emphasis on objects such as swords, helmets and charms. Also the inclusion of Norse burial practices such as sea burial which completely contradict Christian teachings about cremation and how to handle the deceased.  

Sources: Archeological evidence

Argument/Theme: Animal bones and zoological symbolism feature prominently in Anglo-Saxon paganism and animistic worship. Animal bones present in cremations in Anglo-Saxon England show a clear reverence and mystical/magical belief in the sanctity and worship of animals in Post-Christian times and how they were associated with the beyond and beliefs owing to Pagan cosmology and beliefs about the supernatural. 

Sources: Legends, literary evidence

Argument/theme: Certain legends and folktales present in Christian Denmark are Pagan survivals of Germanic Pagan beliefs and legends.  For example "wight’s" and other seemingly demonic beings present in Danish legends have clear Pagan names and antecedents but are integrated with and exist alongside Christian beliefs. Furthermore, folkloric beliefs which emphasize nature and animistic worship are also a manifestation of the survival of Pagan Beliefs through culture and legends.

Sources: Literary evidence, Norse Sagas

Argument/Theme: Supernatural elements are what distinguishes sagas from many other types of medieval literature, these elements are furthermore indicators of the survival of Pagan symbolism and cultural. The mythical creatures present in the Sagas are clearly creatures taken from Norse mythology and were not inspired by any real world animals, such as dragons, giants or draugr. Furthermore, the cosmological concept of a “downward-oriented world” is present in Norse Sagas long after the introduction of Christianity in the style of storytelling and conflicts involving heroes. 

Sources: Many different Icelandic Norse Sagas, some of which are Pagan

Argument/Theme: Magic and magical figures present in the Icelandic Sagas, such as Shamans show a clear Lapp/Finnish and Siberian pagan influence. Olaf Trygvvson is mentioned as an example where a Christian king was supposedly able to deflect and defeat hostile magic used against him. Norse Paganism and the influence of hostile magic are seen as having a direct correlation in these stories and especially as a representation of a Christian king fighting the forces of Paganism.

Sources: Icelandic Sagas, other scholars

Argument/Theme: Despite being written more than two centuries after the introduction of Christianity the Icelandic sagas show clear Pagan influence from a Pre-Christian era. Beliefs associated with Germanic paganism are not condemned in the Sagas and furthermore are represented existing alongside, but often in conflict with Christian beliefs. Certain cultural attitudes such as the heroic ideal, owing to Germanic mythological influences. Attitudes towards magic are also not much different as many characters both Pagan and Christian practice magic or try to defend themselves from harmful magic. 

Sources: Literary evidence, archeological evidence

Argument/Theme: Before the advent of medicine many illnesses and unexplained occurrences were often blamed on magical creatures. In the Anglo-Saxon context this often meant that these events were blamed on elves and similar magical creatures. Charms and other similar magical incantations and objects were created and used as protective measures against such creatures. These charms are of obvious pagan influence and coupled with the belief in elves who are representations of natural spirits show a survival of supernatural pagan beliefs within Christian Anglo-Saxon England. 

Sources: Literary Sources, Iconography

Argument/Theme: An association or link with the past is an important theme in Anglo-Saxon cultural identity. Place names in Christian England were often associated or named after Pagan gods, such as Wodanshill and the like. Ancient burial mounds were used as a means of connecting the dead with the supernatural even during Christian times and were a way to establish a link with a Pagan past. Older monuments were built over or reused and linked instead with a Christian worldview and identity. 

Sources: Stave churches, archaeological evidence, literary evidence
Argument/Theme: Stave churches are some of the best possible evidence we have for how Pagan temples and places of worship might have looked. They are our best look into these beliefs and are a representation of their cultural survival. The way in which the architecture and inclusion of lots of seemingly pagan motifs of monsters and other unworldly creatures is seemingly inspired from the old myths. Also the position and architecture of the churches mirrors pagan beliefs about the sanctity of nature and an attempt to commune with the beyond, it is structured around what might be a world tree.

Sources: Literary, legends/mythology

Argument/Theme: Local spirits and supernatural creatures tied to the land feature prominently in Old Norse Paganism, such as elves, giants, rock-dwellers and trolls. Natural phenomena also feature prominently in this type of cosmological belief, such as cracks in the earth being portals to the Underworld etc. The presence of these beings and belief in these phenomena as it existed is sagas, tales and folklore represent a survival of these beliefs Post-Christianity. Even mundane things in the everyday lives of people such as garden gnomes are a representation of the survival of these beliefs through Folklore.

Sources: Literary evidence, archeological evidence

Argument/Theme: Draugr, which are Norse spirits of the dead but reanimated in human form as zombie-like creatures and Haugar, the mounds in which the dead are buried occupy a unique place in Norse literature. They exist outside of the typical Christian context of belief and are obviously creatures from Norse Pagan mythology but are integrated into stories in a Christian context such as story in which a woman who wished for a Christian burial but is denied it comes back to haunt those who had wronged her. These beliefs also existed in the context of Norse burial practices and a belief in the sanctity of these barrows and mounds in a semi-Pagan cultural context. 

Sources: Surviving Medieval Norse Churches and Norse Sagas, specifically the younger and elder edda’s

Argument/theme: Stave Churches represent a mixture and tension between Pre-Christian and Christian cultural beliefs. Stave churches with their Pagan cultural designs are based off models of Pagan temples and also follow certain rules and regulations believed in Norse Cosmology. The churches are often located near large natural formations as they would according to Pagan cosmology.

Sources: Icelandic accounts of Olaf Tryggvason, sagas written in Icelandic in the style of stories about saints, owing to Christianization

Argument theme: Magic and Magical practices were associated with heathenism and the Norse Pagan gods in their conflict with Christianity, different sources about Olaf and his conflict with Pagan rulers conflate heathenism with magic. Lapps/Finns feature prominently as shamans and magic users, the sources however are ambiguous sometimes about the association of heathenism and magic and sometimes distinguish between them. The belief in the hostility of magic and its association with heathenism is a pagan survival, belief in the use of hostile magic through verse is a heathen Norse practice, one that features prominently in this story and was a belief that survived despite Christianity until the 19th century. Magic was also by heroes in sagas and elsewhere being seen as positive practice also to try and defend oneself from evil

Sources: Icelandic Sagas, Prose Edda, Literary evidence

Argument/Theme: People living in Iceland during the Middle Ages were especially close to their Pagan roots, Christianity was an outside cultural force imposed on them so that they could try and integrate into outer European society. Christianity and the combination of Norse culture combine together to form the Sagas and their place in Medieval literary history. Skaldic poetry upon which the form and subject matter the sagas are based put an emphasis on the maintenance and survival of tradition and the memory of ones ancestors, which the Sagas try to duplicate. Old Norse beliefs are reinterpreted from a Christian point of view. 

Sources: Literary evidence
Argument/Theme: Women had a prominent role as religious figures in Norse Paganism and were thought to have special access to magical powers. Witchcraft users in Christian Scandinavia were associated with this previous magical role granted to woman and also with the Pagan beliefs that came along with them. This represents a Pagan survival in the views about magic and religious figures in culture, especially in relation to the Trolldomr

Sources: Archaeological evidence, charms, literary evidence
Argument/Theme: Paganism survived in England long after Christianization and was integrated alongside or into Christian practices, Anglo-Saxon charms, their pagan influences and the resulting syncretism at times makes for an almost neo-polytheism, even up to the Norman invasion the English church remained syncretic with its symbolism of Pagan religious practices mixed with Christian ones and also the mixing of Paganism with Christianity in regards to Anglo-Saxon kingship and the inclusion of Wodan as one of the ancestors of the kings, many other religious practices also seemingly survive such as the sacral worship of the wolf and raven, also much of the religious symbolism is the same merely adapted to Christian motifs from pagan ones, this fits into scholarship as an article analyzing literary and archaeological evidence to analyze cultural and religious practices 

Sources: Archeological evidence, runes

Argument/Theme:Churches are often built near old Norse burial mounds and pillars of churches were also sometimes built upon Rune stones and other places of importance in Norse Paganism. There is some debate about the place of memory of Pagan practices versus spatial pragmatism in the use and reuse of Pagan spaces but it is generally accepted that the symbolism is clear. Runes were an important part of Norse magic and were regarded as having magical qualities connected to the poetic qualities of the runes, the connection of the Churches and the runes and rune stones of Norse paganism 

Sources: Medical manuscripts, literary evidence, archeological evidence

Argument/Theme: Charms used in Anglo-Saxon England to defend against elves represent a survival of pagan cultural beliefs within a Christian context. The belief in these elves and other minor magical creatures was widespread as was the methods believed to be needed to defend ones selves from them. The belief in these magical creatures is a manifestation of religious syncretism and popular religion as it existed in England at the time. Belief in magical creatures was often but not always seen as not being incompatible with Christian belief, though this was not always the case and depended on context.

Germanic art and cultural influences in evident in visual art and especially church art through motifs included on manuscripts such as serpents and other monsters, also through funeral stones erected to commemorate important dead, also Viking and Norse cultural influences show a mixing of Norse pagan and Anglo-Saxon Christian influences during the Viking age, much Viking age art, sculptures and other archaeological evidence, the population still largely remained Christian though during this time 

Sources: Literary evidence, archeological evidence, runes

Argument/Theme: The yew tree, which is found in much of Northern Europe, features predominately as the tree of choice in Germanic paganism for the creation of charms and other magical objects and was viewed as specifically having special powers. Runes were often made from the wood of this specific tree and their survival into the Christian era represent a survival of these mystical pagan beliefs about nature and this specific species of tree. These beliefs survived a popular superstitions and folklore among the less religious parts of society. 

Baldur, a Norse deity, is stabbed by Loki in a Icelandic Christian-era manuscript

Sources: Objects, literary evidence

Argument/Theme: Charms and similar magical objects pop up often in Anglo-Saxon literature and feature prominently in the archeological record. These charms have poetical inscriptions meant to have magical qualities as per the ideology of Norse Paganism and their beliefs in Magic. Furthermore, the uses for these charms despite existing in a Christian worldview have overt Pagan influences and were used with magical purposes outside of Christian uses. 

Sources: Iconography, literary

Argument/Theme: In addition to the inclusion of Wodan as part of Royal genealogies Anglo-Saxon kings also place a remarkable amount of their power on their status as divine monarchs. Even more so than other contemporary kingdoms, this points to the syncretic influence of Pagan beliefs as the previous Germanic Pagan sacral kingship is transformed into a Christian sacral kingship. Also royal iconography could continue ambiguous or vague  pagan influences such as the Dragon banner or the boar iconography on helmets and other royal regalia.

Sources: Heimskringla Sagas

Argument/Theme: The Ynglinga saga, the sagas of the Kings of Norway, and

 in the other literary accounts Heimskringla, the saga of the Norse kings. Written by Snorri Sturlson it features imaginative and fantastical usage of folk tales and popular beliefs to tell a supposedly historical story. As revealed by literary evidence and admitted by Snorri himself these tales contain themes and motifs borrowed from previous writers of previous eras, such as elements of the supernatural and other folkloric beliefs. The mythic qualities of these sagas borrows heavily from Norse mythology and beliefs about destiny and the power of magic, Pagan themes such as the importance of destiny feature heavily in these stories and suggest a cultural survival of pagan beliefs.

Sources: Literary evidence, archeological evidence

Argument/Theme: Burial mounds as a means of remembrance and protection of a person, especially a king or figure of importance, are a prominent feature in Germanic paganism. The practice of burying men in mounds like the practice of cremation was officially condemned as unchristian methods of burial but was a continued cultural practice post-Christianity nonetheless. These burial mounds often contained many important items to the deceased as according to Anglo-Saxon paganism they were important in the afterlife, this combined with the symbolism of animals(especially dragons) in the mounds suggests a Pagan cultural survival.

Sources: Literary evidence, archeological evidence

Argument/Theme: Norse ideals of Christian kingship were born out of a specific ideological framework with influences from Pagan heroic ideals of the chieftain and imported Christian ideals which merged into a unique synthesis. Ruler ship was tied to masculine ideals which were embodied in the Norse legends and in the Norse gods themselves, the culture of long halls and a warrior society was born into this and long survived Post-Christianization. 

Sources: Iconography, archaeological, stone carvings and the like literary evidence (legal codes, literature)

Argument/theme: Literary evidence suggests a cult which vigorously worshipped trees in accordance with Norse Pagan mythology during Anglo-Viking England. Many artifacts found exhibit clear evidence of religious symbolism of the tree in a religious context derived from pagan influences. Yggdrasil, the World tree, an important part of Norse Mythology pops up many times in this symbolism and represents a survival of pagan beliefs. Also other Scandinavian visual motifs are present such as representations of the pig and boar, some mixed symbolism is also suggested with an association of the tree and the cross in some instances and also the location of some of these artifacts in churches or other holy sites. These motifs show a clear Anglo-Viking mixed/syncretic influence, trees placed on/alongside or with crosses showing cultural influences, these are present also when it was thought that England was largely Christian in opposition to a previous scholar, Gale R. Owen.

Sources: Old English metrical charms

Argument/Theme: Old English metrical charms a reflection of a syncretism of Christian formulas and prayers and pagan symbolism and motifs in a deliberate combination. These charms are meant to provide protection through the incantation of written word spells written on the charms in the style of Old Norse Magic. These Pagan elements are a representation of a cultural paganism which survived Christianization, it does not necessarily however represent a corruption or bastardization of Christian beliefs but instead more of an adaptation of them. 

Sources: Beowulf, Literary evidence of Norse poetic structure and Norse Cosmological Beliefs
Argument: Beowulf shows indirect influence of Norse Pagan cosmological beliefs, the structure and nature of the poem shows influence by the structure of Norse Pagan literary devices which were linked to Norse cosmological beliefs. The cultural artifacts present in the story show an obvious cultural influence, the emphasis on objects like swords, their creation and importance, the structure and sequence of the actions follows convention of old Norse tales. These all show that this poem was created in a Germanic cultural context despite the changes brought on by Christianization

Sources: Literary evidence

Argument/Theme: Do Trolldomr, who are medieval Scandinavians witches represent a survival of pagan beliefs of Norse magic? They have very little in common with other continental beliefs in what constitutes witchcraft and have many clear pagan allegories or influences. Christianization was a creative process and things like these were adapted to fit into the new Christian worldview, Trolldomr were also connected to the spoken word or verse as in keeping with the tradition of Norse magic. Trolldomr were seen as hostile magic users and were often prosecuted by religious authorities for their use of magic. 

Sources: Franks casket, literary evidence

Argument/Theme: There is evidence of numerous complaints by church authorities about the worship of Pagan heroes and the singing of Pagan songs in Anglo-Saxon England. Of particular importance is the “Franks Casket”, an object which combines obvious Pagan and Christian motifs and attempts to merge different cultural beliefs. Especially the representation of the smith Weland which is featured on the casket alongside Christian figures and was a prominent figure in Germanic mythology, especially the stories of the Eddas among others.

Sources: þættir, literary evidence

Argument/Theme: þættir, which are short stories written mostly Iceland during the 13th and 14th centuries, contain two specific stories which clearly outline a cultural conflict between Paganism and Christianity. The main character of one of these tales has an internal and external conflict over whether or not to be Christian or Pagan and is tempted by priests and magical people and creatures from both sides. The main characters of these tales furthermore often have contact with the dead and experience supernatural events outside of the Christian context, despite these tales taking place in a Christian timespan.