The Amish are a conservative Protestant Christian faith community. The Amish are an offshoot of the Mennonites. In the 18th century, many Amish left Europe to live in the US, especially in Pennsylvania. Adult baptism, pacifism, an austere way of life and a literal interpretation of the Bible characterize the community.
Contents
- The Amish and Mennonites
- What do the Amish believe?
- The Amish, different groups
- Ordnung
- Amish clothing
- Education according to the Amish
- Rumspringa
- Marriage within the Amish community
- The family in the Amish community
- Amish in modern times
- Meidung
The Amish and Mennonites
The Amish are an offshoot of the Mennonites, a Dutch Mennonite religious community that emerged in the 16th century based on the ideas of Menno Simons. The very energetic former Roman Catholic priest was a proponent of adult baptism, but also strove for religious tolerance, a separation of church and state, the Bible as a central part of faith, pacifism and a traditional way of life.
At the end of the 17th century, the Amish split from the Mennonites under the leadership of Jacob Amman, a Swiss Mennonite. Jacob Amman wanted to return to the old values of Menno Simons. In his opinion, the community needed more discipline. The split had little to do with a difference in religious views.
In the early 18th century, many Amish and Mennonites emigrated to America because they felt deprived and threatened in Europe. They settled mainly in Pennsylvania, where William Penn had built up his religiously tolerant state .
What do the Amish believe?
- Amish are Anabaptists. Anabaptists only allow adult baptism, they even reject infant baptism. Anabaptist actually means ‘rebaptism’. In the beginning, adults who had already been baptized as children were baptized ‘again’ in the church. The name ‘Anabaptists’ is therefore also used. Only adults can make a conscious choice for faith.
- Salvation is reserved for God. There is a deep belief that God decides whether you will get a place in heaven at the end of your life. Amish do not believe that everyone goes to heaven, but a pious and virtuous lifestyle does help, the final judgment is left to God. So there is a heaven and a hell, God exists, but so does the devil.
- The Bible is read to the letter. The Bible is inspired by God and is inerrant.
- There must be a strict separation between church and state, perhaps inspired by the persecutions and taunts of old Europe. They also keep themselves aloof from the rest of the world.
- Modern life is kept at a distance, modern technology is shunned and they live mainly from agriculture.
- The communities are autonomous. The various churches choose their own ministers and deacons and these are appointed for life. There is no ‘central’ government.
- Amish are pacifists, do not join the army and will not use weapons in time of war. They do not call themselves ‘pacifists’, nor do they protest against wars.
- Amish are not allowed to take an oath in a courtroom, for example, but they are allowed to promise to tell the truth.
- Amish do not evangelize, although some movements have done so in recent years.
The Amish, different groups
The Amish are divided into different groups, so it is possible to see a worshiper getting out of a car in traditional clothing. Some groups do use electricity and motorized transport, while conservative groups do not. For example, the group formed around Moses Beachy in 1927, the Beachy Amish, drive around motorized. Roughly speaking, there are five major groups: the Old Order Amish , New Order Amish , the aforementioned Beachy Amish , Andy Weaver Amish , and Swartzentruber Amish . The Old Order is the largest religious community, the Swartzentruber Amish are the most conservative.
Ordnung
The big difference is the Ordnung. The Ordnung is a series of written and sometimes handed down traditions that differ per community. For example, using electricity is part of the Ordnung. But also how to dress, how the children are raised, whether a telephone can be used and what should be grown on the land. The Ordnung determines every aspect of daily life.
Amish clothing
The Amish dress simply. The men have long beards after their marriage, before their marriage they are clean shaven. Mustaches are banned because it would make them look like soldiers. Gloves, ties and belts are prohibited, so suspenders are probably necessary. The women wear long skirts, black stockings, traditional hats and are not allowed to cut their hair. A pattern on clothing is not permitted, nor is jewelry. These clothing rules are also described in the Ordnung for everyone.
Education according to the Amish
Training is only offered in our own school buildings. The subjects of history and geography are not taught, but arithmetic, language, the rules of the community (the Ordnung) and Bible knowledge are included in the curriculum. In addition, there is an emphasis on practical education at home, where children learn a profession from their parents. Children do not go to school for long, after the age of 14 their school career is usually over. In 1972, the US Supreme Court ruled that Amish children were not required to attend school like other American children.
Rumspringa
The Amish only baptize adults who choose to do so. Before that happens, you can jump out of line one more time! It’s called rumspringa and it means something like, to fool around. Young people aged around sixteen are given a taste of modern society, using cars, computers or mobile phones. The young people usually still live at home and still have to adhere to the parents’ rules, but they loosen the reins for a while. The idea is that they have to make a conscious choice for their faith; after baptism that choice cannot be reversed. Although it may seem difficult to return to a life full of rules after these years of greater freedom, almost 90% of young people decide to be baptized after the rumspringa.
Marriage within the Amish community
You cannot get married outside the Amish community. Both the bride and groom must be baptized, but around the age of 16 the search for a suitable candidate begins. Weddings only take place in November or December because these are the least busy months on a farm. Wedding parties are simple and are held at the bride’s parents’ home. The bride wears a homemade blue dress that she can also wear later in church. Rings are not exchanged because jewelry is prohibited, nor is a bridal bouquet allowed. The wedding night is spent at the house of the bride’s parents because the bridal couple has to clean up after themselves the next morning! They usually continue to live with their parents for a while.
Because Amish marry within their own community, inbreeding is always a serious problem. Marrying into the family (often distant) is almost unavoidable. Amish are therefore more likely to suffer from genetic abnormalities.
The family in the Amish community
The family is the cornerstone of the Amish community. Most families have a large number of children, birth control is not practiced and the division of roles between men and women is traditional. The men work on the farm while the women do the housework at home and care for the many children. Dietsch is spoken at home, a language with both German and Swiss influences. Divorce is prohibited according to the Ordnung.
Amish in modern times
Amish avoid using many modern technologies. This varies per community, but the very conservative communities have also struggled with technological progress. It is not that the technology itself is rejected, the fear has always been that it would weaken the fabric of the community. The fear of inequality, resulting jealousy and thus a disruption of close ties, has led to the rejection of many modern comforts. In this close-knit society, everyone is equal. Amish often use a telephone but never at home and usually several families share one. Sometimes the use of electricity is permitted when it is necessary to fence off pieces of land for livestock. But the very conservative Swartzentruber Amish don’t even allow battery.
Meidung
Meidung is an exile from the community. Meidung only takes place when someone has seriously violated the rules of the ordinance, does not want to be baptized or marries outside the religious community. When young people decide not to be baptized after the rumspringa, meidung always follows. Meidung has major consequences, you are completely ignored by the community and you are no longer welcome anywhere, not even with your own family. Each community follows its own rules and some are fairly flexible while others follow the rules strictly. Meidung was the reason for the founding of the Amish church and the split from the Mennonites.
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