DBWI: Christianity takes over Germanic Polytheism?

Before and after the fall of the Roman Empire Christianity made some impressive gains in Europe, converting several pagan peoples, but ultimately failed to expand among the Germanic peoples beyond the former Roman borders.

Is there any way that Christianity could have completely replaced the old Germanic religion? And then, what could have been the cultural and historical effects?
 
Well, for one, Central Europe (let's use the limited definition of Polabia, Pomerania, Suebia, Moravia, and Antaea) and even Scandinavia probably become Christian as well, rather than Zoroastrian. You've also butterflied the bulk of the North Sea Holy Wars, obviously, save for those that were targeted against the Northmen (I expect they'll remain pagan longer, and would have to be converted by the sword as in OTL).

For the initial conversion, you'd probably need a strong Germanic Christian tribe/dynasty to forge something resembling an Empire out of the Germanic successor states of the WRE. Maybe the Saxons?
 
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The biggest issue is overcoming the stigma of Christianity being a "Roman" religion (which given its orgins is really funny). It's hard to overcome 100s of years of culture clash.
 

dead_wolf

Banned
It'd help if the various Roman successor polities didn't spend so much time and effort fighting amongst themselves over what the exact definition of Christian is.
 
It'd help if the various Roman successor polities didn't spend so much time and effort fighting amongst themselves over what the exact definition of Christian is.
I think less controversy even before the empire's collapse could make a big difference. Imagine the ERE's theological corps establishing a Gothic rite instead of pettily squabbling as IOTL.
 
Zoroastrianism was a very important part of Slavic life by the end of the 12th century in the Christian calendar. Of course the German pagans (and the Norse) played a crucial part with their alliance with the Christian states of southern Europe. Who's to say that had they not, perhaps Christian Europe would have fallen.

Of course, the alliance with Christian Europe also helped the much needed reforms to the loosely organised Norse and German pagans and transformed it into a much more missionary religion.
 
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