Discovering the Amish- Ellie Kline

The Amish are an American Protestant group that lives a simplistic life centered around God and faith. The Amish community is at the heart of this faith, and the key to salvation is to live as a loving community apart from the world (BBC, 2019.)[1] To avoid the ‘perils of worldliness,’ the Amish widely shun automobiles, tractors, telecommunication, electricity, and other modern technologies” (Biswas- Biener, Robert, 2005)^[2]. They believe that God has called them to live a life of prayer, discipline, and dedication to Anabaptist Christian theology, where individualism is strictly avoided. The road to success in the Amish culture is paved with conformity. Any semblance of individuality will lead a member astray, with the possibility of being shunned or executed. It is not necessary for members to make decisions on how to conform and eventually reach success, as all decisions are made and a clear path is defined by Amish laws and behavioral codes (Understanding the Amish Culture, 2021)[3]

This idea of conformity is engrained in the Amish community from a young age by the older generations, or elders, who shape the extent to which the community follows a religious strictness. Young children are first introduced to the guidelines of the Amish community in school, where they are shown precisely what information is essential to learn. “Put succinctly, Amish schools are conceptualized as formal institutions that socialize individual children into the community by reinforcing Amish values and priorities in a sort of community microcosm” (Anderson, Cory, 2015)[6]. In school, “the Amish method of learning involves students searching for and recording a single, correct answer rather than exploring the subjectivity of many possible answers”. School is usually taught in a single classroom where all students are lumped together.^[9] Although children in the United States are supposed to stay in school until at least sixteen years old, Amish kids attend school until “eighth grade so that students may do additional work in ‘life’ and ‘agriculture’ (Anderson, Cory, 2015). The Amish also believe that education beyond age 14 will “expose their children to modern values that clash with their beliefs and might put their salvation at risk”. (Foster, James, 2006)[10]. The Amish believe that their education is purely meant to set the foundation for life for their students as they grow in the community.

Following their schooling, the Amish the are taught how to complete the tasks necessary for life in the community.  Children often know each other from a young age through ‘adulthood’ and engage in “school, church, barn raisings, singings and other events” together[11]. Singings are the unusual event in the society for recreation but are the usual event where courtship activity begins. The singings function as a social event for young singles where the Amish can rejoice in singing Pennsylvanian German songs as well as folk and country songs. Courtships of young couples often begin “with a young man transporting a young woman to and from one of the many singings or Sunday worship” (Wise, Stephen, 2015). The woman is typically heavily involved in the process of choosing their own partner, just as men can freely choose their partners. As the courtship develops, couples are allowed to spend time alone, although not typically behind closed doors. The courtship process is quite involved, as well, with each step carefully planned and executed.

^[12]At the age of sixteen, individuals are allowed to engage in courtships, but couples typically wait until at least twenty years old to wed. Because young men and women are able to make their own choice as to who they wish to marry, there are happier more successful marriages throughout the Amish community. (Dimmitt, Tobin, 2012)[13]. The Amish typically remain bound in wedlock for eternity after exchanging vows. If a problem arises in the marriage, an Amish couple will work with one another to try and fix it through any means possible. Unlike American marriages which have very high rates of divorce, Amish communities remain true to their vows, without the possibility of divorce.

Another signature of the Amish is the traditional clothing they wear. The conventional outfits reflect their faith and commitment to modesty. The dress is distinctive to their group, so that they can be clearly set apart from other communities. Additionally, the clothing can help to differentiate between statuses in society. Women and girls are forbidden from wearing pants, so their wardrobe contains full-length modest dresses. Amish women typically have their hair in buns, and don bonnets to protect their modesty, keep warm, and signify their relationship status. Amish women also do not wear makeup (BBC, 2019). Amish males dress in dark suits held up by suspenders, as well as a hat when outdoors. The shape and size of the hat differ with season, the individual’s age, and status within the church group. The strict dress code of the Amish is another reflection of the lack of individuality in the community, so much so that a breach of the dress code can lead to a chastising from an elder.

In addition to adhering to the dress code, religious devotion and prayer are required of all individuals, and are essential to Amish life. The Amish do not actively recruit outsiders to their culture, as it is believed that belonging to the Amish community is a divine calling and unnecessary. Although all Amish community members stem from the same religious beliefs, each respective church governs over their own congregation, deciding what rules are adjusted and interpretations of the scriptures are acceptable. The Amish youth are able to explore their decision to join the church in their late teens and early twenties. While socializing and courting other Amish youth, community members are allowed to mingle and talk to each other. If they make the decision to be baptized upon adulthood, it is required to observe the Ordnung, an unwritten custom law of required behaviors and regulations of life in the Amish community. Through this choice, these teens and those in their early twenties submit to the church for the entirety of their lives, with a clear path of adulthood shown to younger members of the community by older members. If members choose to get baptized and proceed to disobey the Ordnung, it is more than likely that they will be shunned socially, if not fully excommunicated. (The Editors of Enclyclopaedia Britannica, 2021)[14]  The strictness of even the unwritten code of behavior further exemplifies the importance of conformity within the Amish community.

The laws of the Amish society are austere, and the restrictions provide clear guidelines for all members. They demonstrate to younger community members exactly what their future will look like as long as all customs are followed, and to older community members what every day life will be. While the unconventional civilization seems outdated and stubborn, Amish people’s commitment to their beliefs, which guide their lifestyle, prove that hard work and observance of the culture’s both written and unwritten codes of conduct are required for success. The stress that the Amish community places on conformity paves the one and only path for all members – one that leads to success.

[1] https://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/christianity/subdivisions/amish_1.shtml

^[2] https://doi.org/10.1007/s10902-005-5683-8

[3] http://www.exploring-amish-country.com/amish-culture.html

[6] https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/159598486.pdf

^[9] https://alansfactoryoutlet.com/a-guide-to-the-amish-way-of-life/

[10] https://www.mtsu.edu/first-amendment/article/676/wisconsin-v-yoder

[11] https://people.howstuffworks.com/amish3.htm

[13] https://www.amishfurniturefactory.com/amishblog/amish-weddings/

[14] https://www.britannica.com/topic/Amish#ref233461