"Specialists" with in certain religious and spiritual contexts was common practice in the Viking Age and in fact I doubt you would find an Academic who would disagree with that statement. Now it is true that yes giving of offerings and other "devotional"
I would be careful with that term) gestures were practiced by lay people. However both the Sagas and the Eddas have plenty of evidence of certain types of Religious Specialists who were probably considered essential to perform certain rites or ceremonies. Not to mention that when it came time for the more significant Sacrificial Ceremonies of a given community it was generally up to the local leader (Such as an Elder or Chieftain) to the lead the sacrifices. So quite frankly I fail to see how this is even an issue seeing as it is fairly obvious that our predecessors seemed to have seen it both ways to some degree or another. Also IcyMist I would advise you to be wary of Krasskova's writing if what you want is an understanding of Heathenry that is based in historical evidence. While I have no personal axe to grind with her the fact is Krasskova represents a school of thought within modern Heathenry that I think does not put enough emphasis on the actual Worldviews and Practices of the Very Peoples and Eras that those of us who call ourselves Heathen claim to believe in.
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