An introduction to the Amish people and their culture.
The Amish are a Christian community with roots in the Protestant Reformation in sixteenth-century Europe. Their ancestors were part of the Anabaptist (re-baptizer) movement which baptized adults and believed that the government should not control churches. These radicals taught that Christians should practice the teachings of Jesus in their daily lives. Many forebears of the Amish were killed for these
In 1693 the Amish emerged as a distinctive group among Anabaptists living in Switzerland and the Alsace region of France. Their first leader was Jakob Ammann and his followers were soon called Amish. Many other Anabaptists eventually took the name Mennonite from a Dutch Anabaptist leader, Menno Simons.
The Amish migrated to the Americas in several waves in the 1700s and 1800s. None of them remain in Europe. They reside in 450 communities in twenty-eight American states and in the province of Ontario in Canada. They have 1,800 small congregations, each with between twenty-five and forty families. Their total population (children and adults) currently is 240,000 and doubles every twenty years. About 85% of their youth voluntarily join the Amish church, typically when they are between the ages of eighteen and twenty-two.
Distinctive Amish practices:
•Distinctive dress
•Beard, Amish-style hat and vest for married men
•Head covering and three-piece dress that includes a cape and an apron for women
•Communication in a German dialect and English
•Formal education ends with eighth grade
•Transportation by horse and buggy
•Electricity from batteries, but not from public grid
•Marriage within the group
•Prohibition of television, radio, DVD players, iPods, and computers.
The Amish may look alike to outsiders, but there are more than forty different subgroups, each with different practices. Some have black-top buggies, while others sport yellow-, gray- or white-top ones. Some groups permit the use of power lawnmowers, but others do not. Some churches permit cell phones, but many do not. Most, but not all, homes have indoor plumbing and modern bathrooms.
The biggest difference between Amish culture and modern society is individualism. The Amish accent community and place it above individual rights and choices. They abhor pride and teach the importance of humility. Examples of pride include fashionable clothing, wristwatches, fancy drapes, and ornaments on the harness of a horse. The church prohibits cosmetics, jewellery, and personal photographs because these indicate pride.
The Amish do not have any church buildings. Instead, people gather for worship in the home of a member every other Sunday. Following a three-hour worship service, members enjoy a light fellowship lunch and then visiting, which happens in the house or on the lawn. Each congregation has a bishop, two ministers and a deacon. The leaders are selected by drawing lots from nominees in the congregation, and they serve for life without formal training or pay.
On the average, couples have six or seven children. Most youth attend one- or two-room schools operated by parents. About 45,000 Amish youth attend 1600 private schools. Instruction is in English. Reading, spelling, writing and maths are taught, but not science.
No Amish people live in cities. Some families operate farms, but rising land prices have pushed many people into non-farm employment. About 60% of the Amish do non-farm work in small shops, construction, and non-Amish factories.
The Amish use technology selectively. They buy state-of-the-art technology (in-line skates, gas grills, shop tools, some farm machinery, and archery, hunting, and camping equipment,) from non-Amish vendors. Although owning cars is forbidden, members may ride in them and may use public transportation such as buses and trains. Batteries power LED lights on buggies, calculators, fans, flashlights, cash registers, photocopy machines and typewriters. Some families use solar energy to charge batteries, operate electric cattle fences or power household appliances.
The Amish pay taxes - state and federal income taxes, sales and real estate taxes, and public school taxes. Because of the teachings of Jesus, they are pacifists who consider killing a sin. They avoid politics, holding office and political activism, but are permitted to vote in public elections.
Amish people believe that community-set guidelines bring greater dignity and security to the individual than the endless choices and rotating options of modern life. A respect for limits builds community, brings belonging and shapes identity - three important contributors to human satisfaction and happiness.
For more information, go to www.etown.edu/amishstudies or try The Riddle of Amish Culture (Donald B. Kraybill), A History of the Amish (Steven M. Nolt) and Amish Grace: How Forgiveness Transcended Tragedy (Donald B. Kraybill), Steven M.Nolt and David L. Weaver-Zercher).
