What is the Amish religion? Let’s just say it’s Christianity—with a twist. Here’s the story.
Brief History
Europe of the 16th century came to be known for the Reformation, better known as the birth of Protestantism, with the protest part of that word being in response to the excesses of the Catholic Church.
Some involved in the Reformation felt the changes didn’t go far enough, giving way to what was termed the Radical Reformation. Falling under this umbrella were the Anabaptists, who stood against the practice of infant baptism, proposing instead that baptism should be reserved for consenting adults.
A prominent leader in the movement was Menno Simons, whose followers became known as Mennonites. In the 17th century, another important figure in this camp, Jakob Ammann, felt that those not complying with relevant teachings should be shunned, and in 1693, his followers were labeled as Amish.
In the early 18th century, facing religious persecution, Anabaptist communities sought refuge in the British colony (and future American state) of Pennsylvania. As these communities originated in German-speaking regions of Europe (largely modern-day Switzerland), they brought the German language with them. Today, that language has morphed into what is called Pennsylvania German (or Pennsylvania Dutch) and remains the day-to-day language of more traditional groups, complemented by Standard German in prayer and English in education.
Now here’s where things can get a little confusing. The Amish who remained in Europe rejoined forces with the larger Mennonite community, leaving the Amish of today as a phenomenon unique to the Americas. And as you might expect, philosophical homogeneity has been hard to achieve, meaning what applies to one Amish group may not apply to the next. For the purposes of this article (and in keeping with what most envision when they hear Amish), the focus will be on the Old Order Amish.
(In terms of Mennonite groups in the Americas, practices can be all over the map, ranging anywhere from complete integration to a lifestyle that’s similar to the Old Order Amish. In other words, human interpretation of God’s word can get a little messy.)
Beliefs
Amish beliefs are largely driven by their unique take on the Bible. Underlying it all is something called Gelassenheit, or surrender to God’s will, which includes a few key elements, some of which are mentioned below.
Service to community is critical for communal salvation (eternal life in the Spiritual Kingdom). Knowing that, individualism is downplayed.
Maintaining a separate existence (in contrast to one integrated with general society) helps achieve the first goal, as do simplicity and humility, particularly when in close contact with nature.
Goodness is of greater value than intellect, with pacifism playing a central role in that ideal.
Finally, those who stray from these values should, as above, be shunned.
The Practical Application
How are these values actually applied to daily existence?
Aside from the display of immense discipline, perhaps the best-known manifestation involves the snail-like adoption of technology, thought to be a source of individual temptation and thus a threat to community stability. Internet, television, automobiles, and air travel are therefore typically left out of the mix.
Simple dress is also emphasized, with women usually refraining from cutting their hair and donning jewelry. Equally simple (and in tune with nature) are the usual methods of revenue generation, taking place in rural settings and centered on things like agriculture, trades (such as carpentry), and quilt making.
Education takes place in one-room schools and continues through eighth grade (age 14), an unsettling reality that has been allowed to stand based on the 1972 Supreme Court decision in Wisconsin v. Yoder.
To maintain cultural integrity, marriage occurs within the community, and continued growth relies on a generous birth rate, explaining the uncommon use of birth control and the not uncommon finding of six to eight children per couple. After marriage, men often grow beards without mustaches, the latter being associated with the military (see below).
As you might imagine, the community skews conservative, discouraging premarital sex, homosexuality, and divorce, while favoring traditional gender roles.
In keeping with pacifist ideology, military service, lawsuits, and political involvement are frowned upon. (The aforementioned lawsuit was defended by a non-Amish legal team interested in preserving religious freedom.)
As a final point regarding community, the Amish forego American institutions such as social security and insurance, relying instead on their built-in safety net.
Of course, given the basic premise behind the Anabaptist movement, all of the above must be a choice, explaining the opportunity for rumspringa (running around) at age 16. After this period of exploring the outside world, if a return to home base is desired (which appears to be the case around 90 percent of the time), baptism can proceed, thereby indicating eligibility for future marriage.
The Nuts and Bolts
If you’re a bit more detail oriented, here are a few extra nuggets.
The Amish celebrate the same holy days as the rest of Christianity. While the Bible is always front and center, so is Martyr’s Mirror, documenting the stories of various Anabaptist martyrs.
Each church district consists of about 20 to 40 families, and worship takes place every other Sunday in the house of one family (on a rotational basis). Each district sets its own code of behavior, or Ordnung.
Ministers are considered lay ministers, as their role is not formalized per se, and there is no central governing authority.
The Amish generally do not proselytize, though given their admirable ability to procreate, the community has seen overall population growth. Estimates have the total number in the ballpark of 350,000, largely in the US (see distribution on Wikipedia), with a few outposts in Canada and Latin America.
A Song
I’ve been told that taking a multimedia approach to blogging is not only cutting edge but also quite efficacious in driving home the main learning points. With that in mind, here’s a song to put it all together.
So what is the Amish religion? It’s safe to say it’s not for everyone.
