The organization was founded on December 20 (Mothers' Night), 1987 by former Ásatrú Free Assembly members Edred Thorsson and James Chisholm.
The Troth defines itself as a religious organization of Germanic Heathenry open to all the forms of the religion (Asatru, Urglaawe, Forn Sed, and others)[1] international in scope, with training clergy, promoting cooperation and community, and providing information and educational publications as objectives.
Internal controversy continued to plague the group, however, including accusations that Priest was intending to pass leadership back to Thorsson and attempting to marginalize the increasingly influential Stephan Grundy.
By the mid-1990s, the Troth, now led by William Bainbridge, had emerged as a stable organization with a wide spectrum of members situated "squarely within the Wiccan/neopagan community".
[9] Bainbridge was followed by Diana Paxson (1999), Stefn Thorsman (2002), Mark Donegan (2005), Patricia Lafayllve (2008), Victoria Clare (2010), Steve Abell (2013), Rob Schreiwer (2016), and Lauren Crow (2022).
"[12] Edred Thorsson intended the Ring of Troth to be based on scholarship and provide priests trained to high academic standards.