Who are the Amish, and what are their beliefs?

Response

The Amish are a community of individuals who adhere to the teachings of Jacob Ammann, a 17th-century Swiss citizen. They belong to a Protestant denomination closely linked to the Mennonites. Primarily residing in the United States, the Amish follow modest traditions and abstain from taking oaths, voting, or engaging in military service. They reject modern technology and comforts, opting for horse-drawn buggies as their mode of transportation. Their homes lack electricity and telephones. Men typically sport beards and trousers with buttons instead of zippers, while women wear plain dresses with white head coverings, often fastened with straight pins instead of buttons.

The Amish interpret James 1:27 as a directive to remain separate from worldly practices, such as driving cars, owning televisions, attending movies, wearing makeup, and using modern amenities like electricity and phones. They sometimes utilize generators for power and rely on horses instead of tractors for farming. The bishop, who leads an Amish community (known as a district), establishes the behavioral guidelines for the district. Rules can vary in strictness among different bishops. Amish congregations hold church services in private homes, rotating hosting duties on Sundays, and do not have dedicated church buildings. Typically, formal education only extends until age 15.

Like any other community, Amish groups face challenges. Many of these issues are kept private from the outside world. Amish youth are permitted to explore aspects of mainstream society in their late teens to decide whether they wish to join the church. During this period, some young Amish individuals experiment with drugs, alcohol, and other vices, often while owning a motor vehicle. However, a significant number ultimately relinquish their vehicles and become church members. Others opt not to join the church and strive to integrate into mainstream society.

The secular world.

From a spiritual perspective, the Amish share similarities with traditional Jews who adhere to the Old Testament Law. They follow a comprehensive set of guidelines. Failure to comply with these guidelines can lead to repercussions from the church, including the risk of being shunned. Shunning is a form of excommunication. Engaging in activities considered “worldly” can result in being shunned by fellow church members.

The Amish affirm that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, that He sacrificed Himself for their sins, and that He is the path to salvation. However, many Amish also emphasize a works-based connection with God. They believe that their good deeds earn them favor in God’s eyes. If their good deeds outweigh their bad deeds, they trust that God will grant them entry into heaven. Essentially, the Amish are diligent, virtuous individuals who must ensure they adhere to the right path to receive heavenly rewards upon life’s conclusion. They assert that “Amish is a lifestyle,” not merely a religion. They opt for a simple way of life to prioritize family and home over the complexities of modern technology.

Collectively, the Amish do not subscribe to the concept of guaranteed salvation. They maintain that an individual can forfeit their salvation by deviating from the righteous path or falling from grace. While they do not endorse infant baptism, they do practice “sprinkling” for adult baptism instead of full immersion in water.

Fortunately, some members of the Amish community acknowledge that Jesus fully atoned for their sins and have genuinely accepted the grace freely offered by God. Regrettably, others adhere to a works-centered ideology, believing that their salvation hinges on their “correct” actions. The Amish serve as a compelling example by striving to “keep themselves unspotted from the world” «Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.», (James 1:27). At the sAt the same time, the Bible does not call us to completely separate ourselves from the world. We are called to go into all the world and preach the gospel (Matthew 28:19-20; Acts 1:8). We are not to withdraw and separate ourselves from those who most need to hear the gospel message.

There is much for which the Amish are to be commended. The powerful example of unconditional forgiveness the Amish showed after the 2006 Amish school shooting was a demonstration of the love and grace of God. The Amish are kind, respectful, hard-working, and God-loving people. At the same time, the legalism and works-based faith that is evident in some Amish communities is not to be followed.