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108-592: The Byler Amish , also called Alt Gemee (Old Church), are a small conservative subgroup of the Amish . They are known for the yellow color of their buggies, which earned them the nickname "yellow-toppers" and for wearing only one suspender. They are the oldest Old Order Amish affiliation that separated for doctrinal and not for geographical reasons. Amish settled in the Mifflin County region of Pennsylvania as early as 1791, coming from Lancaster County, Pennsylvania . In
216-572: A schism in Switzerland within a group of Swiss and Alsatian Mennonite Anabaptists in 1693 led by Jakob Ammann . Those who followed Ammann became known as Amish. In the second half of the 19th century, the Amish divided into Old Order Amish and Amish Mennonites ; the latter do not abstain from using motor cars, whereas the Old Order Amish retained much of their traditional culture. When people refer to
324-402: A 2017 report by Canadian Mennonite magazine: The customs of Old Order Mennonites, the Amish communities and Old Colony Mennonites have a number of similarities, but the cultural differences are significant enough so that members of one group would not feel comfortable moving to another group. The Old Order Mennonites and Amish have the same European roots and the language spoken in their homes
432-483: A competition for status goods, or photographs might cultivate personal vanity. Electric power lines would be going against the Bible, which says that you shall not be "conformed to the world" ( Romans 12:2 ). Amish church membership begins with baptism , usually between the ages of 16 and 23. It is a requirement for marriage within the Amish church. Once a person is baptized within the church, he or she may marry only within
540-555: A dozen church districts primarily in Pennsylvania . The Holmes Old Order Amish affiliation is third in numbers of adherents of all Amish affiliation. It is almost only present at the Holmes - Wayne Amish settlement in Ohio . With 140 church districts there in 2009, it is the main and dominant Amish affiliation there, even though there were 61 another church districts of 10 other affiliations in
648-546: A form of Bernese German (Adams County, IN and daughter settlements) or a Low Alemannic Alsatian dialect (Allen County, IN and daughter settlements). Contrary to popular belief, the word "Dutch" in "Pennsylvania Dutch" is not a mistranslation, but rather a corruption of the Pennsylvania German endonym Deitsch , which means "Pennsylvania Dutch / German" or "German". Ultimately, the terms Deitsch, Dutch , Diets and Deutsch are all cognates and descend from
756-501: A greater extent, and were perhaps more likely to maintain a separate Amish identity. There are a number of Amish Mennonite church groups that had never in their history been associated with the Old Order Amish because they split from the Amish mainstream in the time when the Old Orders formed in the 1860s and 1870s. The former Western Ontario Mennonite Conference (WOMC) was made up almost entirely of former Amish Mennonites who reunited with
864-500: A heavy emphasis is placed on church and family relationships. The Old Order Amish typically operate their own one-room schools and discontinue formal education after grade eight (age 13 – 14). Most Amish do not buy commercial insurance or participate in Social Security . As present-day Anabaptists , Amish church members practice nonresistance and will not perform any type of military service. The Anabaptist movement, from which
972-533: A horse and buggy. The Amish are known for their plain attire. Men wear solid colored shirts, broad-brimmed hats, and suits that signify similarity amongst one another. Amish men grow beards to symbolize manhood and marital status, as well as to promote humility. They are forbidden from growing mustaches because mustaches are seen by the Amish as being affiliated with the military, to which they are strongly opposed, due to their pacifist beliefs. Women have similar guidelines on how to dress, which are also expressed in
1080-567: A leader among the Emmentalers) argued that fallen believers should only be withheld from communion , and not regular meals. The Amish argued that those who had been banned should be avoided even in common meals. The Reistian side eventually formed the basis of the Swiss Mennonite Conference . Because of this common heritage, Amish and conservative Mennonites from southern Germany and Switzerland retain many similarities. Those who leave
1188-705: A lot of contact with more progressive Mennonites and the outside world, had the result that many of these men never joined the Amish church. In the 1950s, the Beachy Amish laid heavy emphasis on the New Birth , personal holiness and Sunday School education. The ones who wanted to preserve the old way of the Beachy became the Old Beachy Amish . In 1966, the New Order Amish were formed after certain congregations left
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#17328523724081296-494: A milder discipline for members whose only offense was transferring membership to other Anabaptist churches, specifically the conservative Amish Mennonite congregation that broke from Moses Beachy's congregation (then not under Beachy's leadership) in 1895. In contrast to the Old Order Amish, the Beachys have meetinghouses, Sunday School , and a Bible School for young adults, and most also support missionary work. Excommunication
1404-452: A part of Anabaptist Christianity. The Amish are known for simple living , plain dress , Christian pacifism , and slowness to adopt many conveniences of modern technology, with a view neither to interrupt family time, nor replace face-to-face conversations whenever possible, and a view to maintain self-sufficiency. The Amish value rural life, manual labor, humility and Gelassenheit (submission to God's will). The Amish church began with
1512-486: A related but distinct group. According to one scholar, "today, almost all Amish are functionally bilingual in Pennsylvania Dutch and English; however, domains of usage are sharply separated. Pennsylvania Dutch dominates in most in-group settings, such as the dinner table and preaching in church services. In contrast, English is used for most reading and writing. English is also the medium of instruction in schools and
1620-437: A reluctance to be forward, to be self-promoting, or to assert oneself. The Amish's willingness to submit to the "Will of Jesus ", expressed through group norms, is at odds with the individualism so central to the wider American culture. The Amish anti-individualist orientation is the motive for rejecting labor-saving technologies that might make one less dependent on the community. Modern innovations such as electricity might spark
1728-519: A role in the Old Order division of the second half of the 19th century. Telephones were the first important technology that was rejected, soon followed by the rejection of cars, tractors, radios, and many other technological inventions of the 20th century. Old Order Mennonites, Old Colony Mennonites and the Amish are often grouped together in North America's popular press. This is incorrect, according to
1836-593: A subgroup of the Old Order Amish, although they do not fellowship or intermarry with more liberal Old Order Amish. Like some other Old Order groups, they avoid the use of electricity and indoor plumbing . Many other common devices and technologies are also disallowed for being too worldly, including buttons , Velcro and bicycles . Swartzentruber farms and yards are often unkempt. The Swartzentrubers discourage interest in outward appearance, as such an interest could promote vanity and pride. Their farms can be identified by dirt drives and surrounding roads, while most roads of
1944-530: A total population of 1,744 mostly in northeastern Mifflin County, Pennsylvania . The Swartzentruber Amish are an Old Order Amish group that is about as conservative as the Nebraska Amish but much more numerous and therefore much better known. They formed as the result of a division that occurred among the Amish of Holmes County, Ohio , in 1917. The bishop who broke away was Sam E. Yoder . The Swartzentruber name
2052-563: A year by all members of the church. Only if all members give their consent to it, Lord's supper is held. The Ordnung must be observed by every member and covers many aspects of day-to-day living, including prohibitions or limitations on the use of power-line electricity , telephones , and automobiles , as well as regulations on clothing . As present-day Anabaptists , Amish church members practice nonresistance and will not perform any type of military service. The Amish value rural life, manual labor, humility, and Gelassenheit , all under
2160-576: Is 'one of a handful of minority languages in the United States that is neither endangered nor supported by continual arrivals of immigrants.'" The Amish largely share a German or Swiss -German ancestry. They generally use the term "Amish" only for members of their faith community and not as an ethnic designation. However some Amish descendants recognize their cultural background knowing that their genetic and cultural traits are uniquely different from other ethnicities. Those who choose to affiliate with
2268-584: Is agreed upon – or changed – within the whole community of baptized members prior to Communion which takes place two times a year. The meeting where the Ordnung is discussed is called Ordnungsgemeine in Standard German and Ordningsgmee in Pennsylvania Dutch. The Ordnung include matters such as dress, permissible uses of technology, religious duties, and rules regarding interaction with outsiders. In these meetings, women also vote in questions concerning
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#17328523724082376-488: Is important because women are not allowed to wear jewelry, such as wedding rings, as it is seen as drawing attention to the body which can induce pride in the individual. All clothing is sewn by hand, but the way to fasten the garment widely depends on whether the Amish person is a part of the New Order or Old Order Amish. The Old Order Amish seldom, if ever, use buttons because they are seen as too flashy; instead, they use
2484-604: Is more evangelical and more open to outsiders, so-called seekers , than other Old Order Amish affiliations. The New Order Amish are a subgroup of Amish which is close to the Old Order Amish . New Order Amish split away from the Old Order Amish in the 1960s for a variety of reasons, which included a desire for "clean" youth courting standards, meaning they do not condone tobacco, alcohol, or the practice of bundling , or non-sexually lying in bed together, during courtship. They also wished to incorporate more evangelical elements into
2592-401: Is provided in "Amish affiliations Ranked by Number and Church Districts, 2011": The table below indicates the use of certain technologies by different Amish affiliations. The use of cars is not allowed by all Old and New Order Amish, as well as radio, television and in most cases the use of the internet. The three affiliations: "Lancaster", "Holmes Old Order" and "Elkhart-LaGrange" are not only
2700-467: Is similar to the American average though they tend to eat more preserved meat. Amish cuisine is often mistaken for the similar cuisine of the Pennsylvania Dutch with some ethnographic and regional variances, as well as differences in what cookbook writers and food historians emphasize about the traditional foodways and intertwined religious culture and celebrations of Amish communities. While myths about
2808-564: Is the concept many outsiders have when they think of "Amish". In 1990, Old Order Amish settlements existed in 20 states in the United States and in one province in Canada . Membership was estimated at over 80,000 in almost 900 church districts. By 2002, there were over 1,200 districts. According to sociologist Julia Erickson, of Temple University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania , the Amish are among
2916-688: Is the largest affiliation among the Old Order Amish. Its origin and largest settlement is Lancaster County in Pennsylvania . The settlement in Lancaster County, founded in 1760, is the oldest Amish settlement that is still in existence. Even though the Lancaster affiliation is quite liberal concerning the use of technology, compared to other Amish affiliations, it is an affiliation that practices strenge Meidung (strict shunning ). Lancaster affiliation buggies have gray tops. Lancaster affiliation had 141 church districts in 1991 and 286 in 2010. In 2011 it
3024-426: Is the same German dialect. Old Colony Mennonites use Low German, a different German dialect. Two key concepts for understanding Amish practices are their rejection of Hochmut (pride, arrogance, haughtiness) and the high value they place on Demut (humility) and Gelassenheit (calmness, composure, placidity), often translated as "submission" or "letting be". Gelassenheit is perhaps better understood as
3132-558: Is used in business transactions and often, out of politeness, in situations involving interactions with non-Amish. Finally, the Amish read prayers and sing in Standard German (which, in Pennsylvania Dutch, is called Hochdeitsch ) at church services. The distinctive use of three different languages serves as a powerful conveyor of Amish identity. "Although 'the English language is being used in more and more situations,' Pennsylvania Dutch
3240-488: The Ordnung , the Amish version of legislation. They are to wear calf-length dresses, muted colors along with bonnets and aprons . Prayer kapps and bonnets are worn by the women because they are a visual representation of their religious beliefs and promote unity through the tradition of every woman wearing one. The color of the bonnet signifies whether a woman is single or married. Single women wear black bonnets and married women wear white. The color coding of bonnets
3348-467: The Ordnung . Bearing children, raising them, and socializing with neighbors and relatives are the greatest functions of the Amish family. Amish typically believe that large families are a blessing from God. Farm families tend to be larger, because sons are needed to perform farm labor. Community is central to the Amish way of life. Working hard is considered godly, and some technological advancements have been considered undesirable because they reduce
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3456-868: The Beachy Amish , New Order , Old Order , or Swartzentruber Amish groups. Donald B. Kraybill , Karen M. Johnson-Weiner and Steven M. Nolt speak of different Amish "affiliations" in their book The Amish . They define an affiliation as "a cluster of two or more districts with at least twenty years of shared history". They continue: "affiliated congregations share similar Ordnungs , which specify distinctive lifestyles and visible symbols that set them apart from other affiliations". When referring to affiliations, Amish themselves speak of "our people" ( unser Leit ) and "our way" to do things. By 2012 there were more than 40 affiliations, with smaller subgroups within some affiliations counted, there were more than 65. In addition to that, there were more than 130 fairly independent congregations. The majority of affiliations reflects mainly
3564-550: The Dordrecht Confession of Faith and practicing varying degrees of Anabaptist practice, such as nonresistance, separation from the state, and adult baptism. The Beachy church arose from a 1927 division in the (Casselman) River Old Order Amish congregation in Somerset County, Pennsylvania . Bishop Moses M. Beachy led the congregation during that time and his name became associated with the faction. The Beachys favored
3672-635: The Kishacoquillas Valley in Pennsylvania in 1881 to assist a conservative Amish group. Because bishop Yoder was living in Nebraska for some time the group was nicknamed the Nebraska Amish by others. Like other Old Order Amish, the Nebraska Amish do not use motorized equipment or indoor plumbing and wear very conservative clothing. Differences include the fact that the men do not wear suspenders and
3780-515: The New Order Amish , and the Beachy Amish —all of whom wear plain dress and live their life according to the Bible as codified in their church's Ordnung . The Old Order Amish and New Order Amish conduct their worship in German, speak Pennsylvania German , and use buggies for transportation, in contrast to the Beachy Amish who use modern technology (inclusive of motor cars) and conduct worship in
3888-503: The Old Beachy Amish speak Pennsylvania Dutch , but Indiana's Swiss Amish also speak Alemannic dialects . As of 2024 , the Amish population passed the milestone of 400,000, with about 395,000 Old Order Amish living in the United States, and over 6,000 in Canada: a population that is rapidly growing. Amish church groups seek to maintain a degree of separation from the non-Amish world. Non-Amish people are generally referred to as "English" by
3996-502: The Old Order Amish , are a group of traditionalist Anabaptist Christian church fellowships with Swiss and Alsatian origins. As they maintain a degree of separation from surrounding populations, and hold their faith in common, the Amish have been described by certain scholars as an ethnoreligious group , combining features of an ethnicity and a Christian denomination. The Amish are closely related to Old Order Mennonites and Conservative Mennonites , denominations that are also
4104-530: The Proto-Germanic word *þiudiskaz meaning "popular" or "of the people". The continued use of "Pennsylvania Dutch" was strengthened by the Pennsylvania Dutch in the 19th century as a way of distinguishing themselves from later (post 1830) waves of German immigrants to the United States, with the Pennsylvania Dutch referring to themselves as Deitsche and to Germans as Deitschlenner (literally "Germany-ers", compare Deutschländ-er ) whom they saw as
4212-593: The hook and eye approach to fashion clothing or metal snaps. The New Order Amish are slightly more progressive and allow the usage of buttons to help attire clothing. Amish cuisine is noted for its simplicity and traditional qualities. Food plays an important part in Amish social life and is served at potlucks , weddings, fundraisers, farewells, and other events. Many Amish foods are sold at markets including pies, preserves, bread mixes, pickled produce, desserts, and canned goods. Many Amish communities have also established restaurants for visitors. Amish meat consumption
4320-461: The suppression of the German language in the US that eventually led to language shift of most Pennsylvania German speakers, leaving the Amish and other Old Orders as almost the only speakers by the end of the 20th century. This created a language barrier around the Amish that did not exist before in that form. In the late 1920s, the more change-minded faction of the Old Order Amish, that wanted to adopt
4428-411: The "Old Order" Amish, a conservative faction that separated from other Amish in the 1860s, are those who have most emphasized traditional practices and beliefs. The New Order Amish are a group of Amish whom some scholars see best described as a subgroup of Old Order Amish, despite the name. As of 2011, about 40 different Old Order Amish affiliations were known to exist. The eight major affiliations of
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4536-417: The 1840s there were three Amish congregations in the region. In 1849 Samuel B. King, a conservative bishop who warned against adopting the use of rubber tires on buggies and who was also accused of giving sermons that were too long, was "silenced", that is he was removed from his ministerial duties. One of the three districts, the "lower" district sided with King and split from the other two districts. This split
4644-401: The 20th century, almost all Amish children attended Amish schools. In the last quarter of the 20th century, a growing number of Amish men left farm work and started small businesses because of increasing pressure on small-scale farming. Though a wide variety of small businesses exists among the Amish, construction work and woodworking are quite widespread. In many Amish settlements, especially
4752-458: The 300,000 figure from 2015, at the same time the total number of settlements grew from 501 to 675 (+35%), and the number of districts from 2,193 to 3,039 (+39%). The United States is the home to the overwhelming majority (over 98 percent) of the Amish people. In 2024, Old Order communities were present in 32 U.S. states. The total Amish population in the United States as of June 2024 has stood at 394,720 up 17,445 or 4.6 percent, compared to
4860-517: The Amish are usually baptized no earlier than 18 and children are not counted in local congregation numbers, estimating their numbers is difficult. Rough estimates from various studies placed their numbers at 125,000 in 1992, 166,000 in 2000, and 221,000 in 2008. Thus, from 1992 to 2008, population growth among the Amish in North America was 84 percent (3.6 percent per year). During that time, they established 184 new settlements and moved into six new states. In 2000, about 165,620 Old Order Amish resided in
4968-454: The Amish fold tend to join various congregations of Conservative Mennonites . Amish began migrating to Pennsylvania, then-regarded favorably due to the lack of religious persecution and attractive land offers, in the early 18th century as part of a larger migration from the Palatinate and neighboring areas. Between 1717 and 1750, approximately 500 Amish migrated to North America, mainly to
5076-665: The Amish later emerged, started in circles around Huldrych Zwingli (1484–1531) who led the early Reformation in Switzerland . In Zürich on January 21, 1525, Conrad Grebel and George Blaurock practiced believer's baptism to each other and then to others. This Swiss movement, part of the Radical Reformation , later became known as Swiss Brethren . The term Amish was first used as a Schandename (a term of disgrace) in 1710 by opponents of Jakob Amman , an Anabaptist leader. The first informal division between Swiss Brethren
5184-400: The Amish should deal with the tensions caused by the pressures of modern society. The meetings themselves were a progressive idea; for bishops to assemble to discuss uniformity was an unprecedented notion in the Amish church. By the first several meetings, the more traditionally minded bishops agreed to boycott the conferences. The more progressive members, comprising roughly two-thirds of
5292-488: The Amish today, they normally refer to the Old Order Amish, though there are other subgroups of Amish . The Amish fall into three main subgroups—the Old Order Amish, the New Order Amish , and the Beachy Amish —all of whom wear plain dress and live their life according to the Bible as codified in their church's Ordnung . The Old Order Amish and New Order Amish conduct their worship in German, speak Pennsylvania Dutch , and use buggies for transportation, in contrast to
5400-399: The Amish, and outside influences are often described as "worldly". Amish church membership begins with adult baptism , usually between the ages of 16 and 23. Church districts have between 20 and 40 families, and Old Order Amish and New Order Amish worship services are held every other Sunday in a member's home or barn, while the Beachy Amish worship every Sunday in churches. The rules of
5508-550: The Andy Weaver Amish were formed in 1952 over the issue of shunning. They are less conservative than the Swartzentruber Amish but more conservative than the Old Order main body. Compared to them they have greater restrictions on farm, business and home technologies, a stricter interpretation of shunning, stricter youth regulations and a greater tolerance of alcohol and tobacco. There are about 30 Andy Weaver districts in
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#17328523724085616-486: The Beachy Amish who use modern technology (inclusive of motor cars) and conduct worship in the local language of the area in which they reside. Both the New Order Amish and the Beachy Amish emphasize the New Birth , evangelize to seek converts, and have Sunday Schools . In the early 18th century, many Amish and Mennonites immigrated to Pennsylvania for a variety of reasons. Most Old Order Amish, New Order Amish and
5724-755: The Byler Amish had one church district with 40 members. In his 1981 book Plain Buggies Stephen Scott writes that the Byler Amish have "only one district around Belleville " and "about 90 members". As of 2000, the Byler had three churches in Mifflin County and are also affiliated with districts near New Wilmington, Pennsylvania . As of 2011, the Byler Amish had 5 church districts. Amish The Amish ( / ˈ ɑː m ɪ ʃ / , also / ˈ æ m ɪ ʃ / or / ˈ eɪ m ɪ ʃ / ; Pennsylvania German : Amisch ; German: Amische ), formally
5832-516: The Byler had three churches in Mifflin County and are also affiliated with districts near New Wilmington, Pennsylvania . The Renno or Peachey Amish, also called "black toppers", because they have buggies with black top, were formed in 1863 in Mifflin County, Pennsylvania . Their Ordnung allows men to wear only one suspender, while women wear black bonnets. As of 2000, the Renno Amish had about
5940-462: The German language. The members of these groups are largely of Amish origin, but they are not in fellowship with other Amish groups because they adhere to theological doctrines (e.g., assurance of salvation ) or practices ( community of goods ) that are normally not accepted among mainstream Amish. The Bergholz Community is a different case; it is not seen as Amish anymore because the community has shifted away from many core Amish principles. Because
6048-668: The Holmes County settlement and some more outside of Holmes County, including settlements in Ashland County, Ohio, and in upstate New York. In 1932 bishop Eli A. Troyer withdrew from the Swartzentruber Amish and began the Troyer church in Wayne County, Ohio . He did this over several issues, one of which was hat brims. Swartzentruber wore hats the same as the rest of the Amish up to this time. Up to 1942 free moving from one sect to another
6156-871: The Holmes Old Order Amish affiliation. Geographically it is more spread out than any other Amish affiliation. The Swiss Amish immigrated to the United States mostly in the middle of the 19th century directly from Switzerland and the Alsace and not in the 18th century via the Palatinate as most Amish did. They do not speak Pennsylvania German , but either a form of Bernese German or a Low Alemannic Alsatian dialect . Their main settlements are in Adams County, Indiana (Bernese Amish) and in Allen County, Indiana (Alsatian Amish). They form two distinct Amish affiliations. The Swiss Amish are more conservative concerning
6264-511: The Mennonite Church in Canada. Orland Gingerich's book The Amish of Canada devotes the vast majority of its pages not to the Beachy or Old Order Amish, but to congregations in the former WOMC. Several other groups, called " para-Amish " by G. C. Waldrep and others, share many characteristics with the Amish, such as horse and buggy transportation, plain dress , and the preservation of
6372-490: The Old Order Amish are listed below, with Lancaster as the largest one in number of districts and population: The table below indicates the use of certain technologies by different Amish affiliations. The use of cars is not allowed by any Old and New Order Amish, nor are radio, television, or in most cases the use of the Internet. Three affiliations – "Lancaster", "Holmes Old Order" and "Elkhart-LaGrange" — are not only
6480-477: The Old Order Amish due to issues regarding salvation and "the use of modern agricultural methods." The Old Order Amish believe that they have a "hope for salvation", believing that "joining with other church members to live according to the Ordnung and the Bible will give them the strength to lives worthy of salvation". The New Order Amish, on the other hand, affirm that a believer can have assurance —"that one can know
6588-405: The Old Order contain either gravel or paving to keep out the mud. The roofs of the houses and outbuildings are often made of tin. The clothing differs from that of the other Old Order Amish in subtle ways: all colors are dark and somber rather than the bright blues and mauves; more common is navy, dark burgundy, and even gray. The dresses of the women, rather than reaching mid-calf, usually reach to
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#17328523724086696-695: The Old Order in the 19th century in Mifflin County, Pennsylvania, a major split among the Old Orders took until World War I . At that time, two very conservative affiliations emerged – the Swartzentruber Amish in Holmes County, Ohio , and the Buchanan Amish in Iowa. The Buchanan Amish soon were joined by like-minded congregations all over the country. With Germany's aggression toward the US in World War I came
6804-523: The Pennsylvania German dialect, and practice home worship. As with other Amish, technological restrictions include prohibitions on the internet , television , and radio . Some New Order Amish allow electricity around the home, and some groups permit telephones in the home as well. New Order Amish may be more lenient in the practice of shunning and may be more permissive of photography than lower-order groups. New Order Amish prohibit alcohol and tobacco use (seen in some Old Order groups), an important factor in
6912-558: The Swartzentruber Amish had 64 church districts, 3,165 members, and a total population of 7,101 in 12 states with 33 districts in Ohio alone. As of 2011 the Swartzentruber Amish had 119 church districts in 15 states. The Buchanan Amish affiliation was formed in 1914 in Buchanan County, Iowa . It is among the most conservative in the entire Amish world. It is the fourth largest of all Amish affiliation, having almost as many church districts as
7020-533: The Swartzentruber and Kenton Amish (very conservative), Andy Weaver Amish (conservative) and Michigan Amish Churches of Amish, which still use horse-drawn carriages, but are considered by many to be relatively liberal. Amish convert and independent scholar Christopher Petrovich has challenged Kraybill, Johnson-Weiner, and Nolt's definitions of an affiliation on the grounds that their delineations of affiliations rests on somewhat arbitrary grounds, that they conflate
7128-716: The United States, of whom 73,609 were church members. The Amish are among the fastest-growing populations in the world, with an average of seven children per family in the 1970s and a total fertility rate of 5.3 in the 2010s. In 2010, a few religious bodies, including the Amish, changed the way their adherents were reported to better match the standards of the Association of Statisticians of American Religious Bodies. When looking at all Amish adherents and not solely Old Order Amish, about 241,000 Amish adherents were in 28 U.S. states in 2010. The Amish added 100,000 more adherents in just 9 years, reaching 401,000 in 2024 in comparison with
7236-650: The auspices of living what they interpret to be God's word. Members who do not conform to these community expectations and who cannot be convinced to repent face excommunication and shunning . The modes of shunning vary between different communities. On average, about 85 percent of Amish youth choose to be baptized and join the church. During an adolescent period of rumspringa ( lit. ' running around ' , from Pennsylvania German rumschpringe ' to run around; to gad; to be wild ' ; compare Standard German herum-, rumspringen ' to jump around ' ) in some communities, nonconforming behavior that would result in
7344-541: The car, broke away from the mainstream and organized under the name Beachy Amish . During the Second World War , the old question of military service for the Amish came up again. Because Amish young men in general refused military service, they ended up in the Civilian Public Service (CPS), where they worked mainly in forestry and hospitals. The fact that many young men worked in hospitals, where they had
7452-471: The church, including Sunday school and mission work. In 1966, around one hundred families split with the Old Order Amish in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania , and created two new congregations, and have since taken on the name "New Order Amish." A separate movement developed in Ohio at around the same time. Like Old Order groups, New Order Amish drive horses for transportation, wear plain clothing, speak
7560-474: The church, or young children raised in Amish homes, but too young to yet be church members, are considered to be Amish. Certain Mennonite churches have a high number of people who were formerly from Amish congregations. Although more Amish immigrated to North America in the 19th century than during the 18th century, most of today's Amish descend from 18th-century immigrants. The latter tended to emphasize tradition to
7668-451: The church, the Ordnung , which differs to some extent between different districts, are reviewed twice a year by all members of the church. The Ordnung must be observed by every member and covers many aspects of Old Order Amish day-to-day living, including prohibitions or limitations on the use of power-line electricity, telephones, and automobiles, as well as regulations on clothing. Generally,
7776-456: The concept of a settlement and religious affiliation, that their imposition of a 20-year minimum of shared history to count as an affiliation is not only arbitrary but is inconsistently applied, and that their fragmenting of the Amish world into tiny factions not only ignores the reality of Amish religious relations but is useless to researchers looking for an ordinal scale of affiliations. Petrovich proposes that Amish affiliations be sorted along
7884-404: The different local Ordnungen (Orders) in different Amish settlements, e.g. Lancaster Amish, Elkhart-LaGrange Amish or Holmes Old Order Amish, even though there are also other differences. Other affiliations are the result of splits over major questions such as shunning, and reflect Ordnungen that are either more conservative or more progressive than the Old Order mainstream. Examples for this are
7992-624: The diffusion of shoofly pie are common subject matter for studies of American cuisine , food anthropologists point out that the culinary practices of Pennsylvania Dutch and Amish are innovative and dynamic, evolving across time and geographic spaces, and that not all the Pennsylvania Dutch are Amish, and not all Amish live in Pennsylvania. Distinguishing local myths from culinary fact is accomplished by dedicated anthropological field studies in combination with studies of literary sources, usually newspaper archives, diaries, and household records. The Amish fall into three main subgroups—the Old Order Amish,
8100-610: The division after 1862 formed the Conservative Amish Mennonite Conference in 1910, but dropped the word "Amish" from their name in 1957; in the year 2000 many congregations left to organize the Biblical Mennonite Alliance in order to continue the practice of traditional Anabaptist ordinances, such as headcovering . Because no division occurred in Europe, the Amish congregations remaining there took
8208-402: The exception of diet, and their per-person emissions has been estimated to be less than one quarter that of the wider society. Most Old Order Amish, New Order Amish and the Old Beachy Amish speak Pennsylvania Dutch, and refer to non-Amish people as "English", regardless of ethnicity. Two Amish subgroups – called Swiss Amish – whose ancestors migrated to the United States in the 1850s speak
8316-411: The faith. Church districts have between 20 and 40 families and worship services are held every other Sunday in a member's home or barn . The district is led by a bishop and several ministers and deacons who are chosen by a combination of election and cleromancy (lot). The rules of the church, the so-called Ordnung , which differs to some extent between different districts, is reviewed twice
8424-454: The fastest-growing populations in the world. Old Order Amish groups include the Byler group, Nebraska Amish in Mifflin County, Pennsylvania , the Reno group, and the Swartzentruber Amish in Holmes County, Ohio . Old Order Amish subscribe to the Dordrecht Confession of Faith , a Dutch Mennonite Confession of Faith adopted in 1632. Doctrinally they are similar to other Swiss Mennonites but show
8532-454: The following variables: (1) Shared identity arising from historic breaches in fellowship (2) Disciplinary procedures (3) Technology allowances and prohibitions (4) Theological beliefs (5) Community practices From these criteria, he identifies six Amish religious affiliations: (1) Swartzentruber (2) Kenton (3) Andy Weaver (4) Old Order-mainstream (5) New Order-traditional (6) New New Order Kraybill et al.'s original scheme critiqued by Petrovich
8640-474: The following, subgroups of Old Order Amish are listed from conservative to progressive: The Nebraska Amish are perhaps the most conservative group of Old Order Amish. They live mostly in Pennsylvania but they also have one small settlement in Ohio . Around 1880, Bishop Yost H. Yoder led nine families from Juniata County, Pennsylvania , to Gosper County in south-central Nebraska , founding an Old Order settlement that would last until 1904. Yoder went back to
8748-520: The group, became known by the name Amish Mennonite, and eventually united with the Mennonite Church , and other Mennonite denominations, mostly in the early 20th century. The more traditionally minded groups became known as the Old Order Amish. The Egli Amish had already started to withdraw from the Amish church in 1858. They soon drifted away from the old ways and changed their name to "Defenseless Mennonite" in 1908. Congregations who took no side in
8856-673: The influence of the Dutch Mennonites. They practice shunning of excommunicated members, and emphasize that a person can only hope to be saved and that it is a form of pride to claim the assurance of salvation. Feet washing is observed twice annually, in connection with the Communion . Non-resistance , including refusal of military service in any form, is a standard practice. Almost all Old Order Amish do not build church houses but meet for service in private homes every other Sunday. Because of this, they are sometimes called "House Amish". In
8964-405: The larger ones, farmers are now a minority. Approximately 12,000 of the 40,000 dairy farms in the United States are Amish-owned as of 2018. Until the early 20th century, Old Order Amish identity was not linked to the limited use of technologies, as the Old Order Amish and their rural neighbors used the same farm and household technologies. Questions about the use of technologies also did not play
9072-452: The local language of the area in which they reside (with exception of the Old Beachy Amish who continue to use Pennsylvania German). Both the New Order Amish and the Beachy Amish emphasize the New Birth , evangelize to seek converts, and have Sunday Schools . Over the years, the Amish churches have divided many times mostly over questions concerning the Ordnung, but also over doctrinal disputes, mainly about shunning. The largest group,
9180-580: The loss of identity of many Amish congregations occurred in the third quarter of the 19th century. The forming of factions worked its way out at different times at different places. The process was rather a "sorting out" than a split. Amish people are free to join another Amish congregation at another place that fits them best. In the years after 1850, tensions rose within individual Amish congregations and between different Amish congregations. Between 1862 and 1878, yearly Dienerversammlungen (ministerial conferences) were held at different places, concerning how
9288-567: The need for hard work. Machines such as automatic floor cleaners in barns have historically been rejected as this provides young farmhands with too much free time. Amish communities are known for traveling by horse and buggy because they feel horse-drawn vehicles promote a slow pace of life. Many Amish communities do also allow riding in motor vehicles , such as buses and cars. They also are allowed to travel by train . In recent years many Amish people have taken to using electric bicycles as they are faster than either walking or harnessing up
9396-412: The original division. There are several different fellowships which are referred to as being "New Order." New Order Amish communities can be found in around a dozen states, with the largest population in the Holmes County, Ohio settlement. Even though called "Amish", the Beachy Amish lack several typical features associated with the Amish, like horse-drawn transportation, the worship in private homes and
9504-440: The other, so as not to appear like the tail lights of a vehicle. There have been several court cases across the country where the state and county challenged the local Swartzentruber group to use the regulation orange triangle . So far, even as far as the federal Supreme Court , the Amish have prevailed, although statistics suggest that in areas where these groups exist, accidents involving buggies are more prevalent. As of 2000,
9612-536: The preservation of the German language (with exception of Old Beachy Amish ). They can be grouped with the Amish Mennonites , with which they share many features. The Beachy Amish Mennonite constituency is a loose association of Anabaptist churches without a central governing body. Because of the loose structure, few common characteristics are shared by all Beachy congregations. Some similarities include adhering to
9720-478: The previous year. Pennsylvania has the largest population (92.7 thousand), followed by Ohio (86 thousand) and Indiana (65.5 thousand), as of June 2024 . The largest Amish settlements are in Lancaster County in southeastern Pennsylvania (43.6 thousand), Holmes County and adjacent counties in northeastern Ohio (40.4 thousand), and Elkhart and LaGrange counties in northeastern Indiana (29.2 thousand), as of June 2024 . The highest concentration of Amish in
9828-630: The region that became Berks County, Pennsylvania , but later moved, motivated by land issues and by security concerns tied to the French and Indian War . Many eventually settled in Lancaster County . A second wave of around 1,500 arrived around the mid-19th century and settled mostly in Ohio, Illinois, Iowa and southern Ontario. Most of these late immigrants eventually did not join the Old Order Amish but more liberal groups. Most Amish communities that were established in North America did not ultimately retain their Amish identity. The major division that resulted in
9936-558: The same way as the change-minded Amish Mennonites in North America and slowly merged with the Mennonites . The last Amish congregation in Germany to merge was the Ixheim Amish congregation, which merged with the neighboring Mennonite Church in 1937. Some Mennonite congregations, including most in Alsace , are descended directly from former Amish congregations. Although splits happened among
10044-639: The settlement. The Elkhart-LaGrange Amish affiliation is the second largest Old Order Amish affiliation. Its origin and main settlement lies in Elkhart and LaGrange counties in Indiana . It is quite liberal compared to other Amish affiliations concerning the use of technology. Regulations of the Ordnung may vary considerably from district to neighboring district. It was present in 3 states in 9 settlements with 177 church districts in 2011. The Lancaster Amish affiliation
10152-511: The shunning of an adult who had made the permanent commitment of baptism, may be met with a degree of forbearance. Amish lifestyle is regulated by the Ordnung ("rules") which differs slightly from community to community and from district to district within a community. There is no central Amish governing authority . Each Amish community makes its own decisions, and what is acceptable in one community may be unacceptable in another. The Ordnung
10260-694: The spring of 1942, Troyer bishop, Abe Troyer moved to close the door between sects by excommunicating those who joined another sect of Amish outside of the fellowship and when the dust settled, the excommunicated families, led by Tobe Hochstetler, were called the Tobe church. The Tobe church remained mainly in Wayne County, although they split into Old Order Tobe and New Order Tobe . The Michigan Amish Churches or Michigan related Amish are an affiliation of Old Order Amish , that emerged in 1970 in Michigan . This affiliation
10368-474: The state of his soul while on earth". Until about 1950, almost all Amish children attended small, rural, non-Amish schools, but then school consolidation and mandatory schooling beyond eighth grade caused Amish opposition. Amish communities opened their own Amish schools. In 1972, the United States Supreme Court exempted Amish pupils from compulsory education past eighth grade . By the end of
10476-451: The three largest affiliations but also represent the mainstream among the Old Order Amish. The most conservative affiliations are at the top, the most modern ones at the bottom. Technologies used by very few are on the left; the ones used by most are on the right. The percentage of all Amish who use a technology is also indicated approximately. The Old Order Amish culture involves lower greenhouse gas emissions in all sectors and activities with
10584-504: The three largest affiliations, they also represent the Old Order mainstream among the Amish. The most conservative affiliations are above, the most modern ones below. Technologies used by very few are on the left, the ones used by most are on the right. The percentage of all Amish, who use a technology is also indicated approximately. * Natural gas allowed Old Order Amish are the main group of Amish who resisted innovations both in society and in church work. A series of conferences held in
10692-445: The top of the shoes. The tack on the horses and buggies is often all black, rather than brown leather. Swartzentruber Amish use reflective tape on the back of their buggies , in place of bright triangular slow moving signs for road travel, which they regard as too worldly. These buggies will also use lanterns , rather than battery -operated lights, or reflectors. The lanterns are also often staggered, one side slightly higher than
10800-463: The use of technology than the majority of the Amish. Characteristic of the Swiss Amish is the use of open buggies only and the marking of graves with plain wooden stakes bearing only the initials of the deceased. The Swiss Amish are notable for their yodeling which they took from their Swiss homeland. Yodeling is an important symbol of their particular Swiss Amish identity. In Holmes County, Ohio ,
10908-441: The women do not wear bonnets (wearing black kerchiefs and flat straw hats instead). Other differences include the fact that they do not place screens on their doors or windows, men only wear white shirts, curtains are not used in homes, buggy tops must be white, men's hair must be shoulder length, no lawn mowers are allowed and houses must not have projecting roofs. As of 2000, the Nebraska Amish had 14 districts, 775 members,
11016-564: The world is in the Holmes County community; nearly 50 percent of the entire population of Holmes County is Amish as of 2010. Subgroups of Amish Over the years, as Amish churches have divided many times over doctrinal disputes, subgroups have developed. The "Old Order Amish", a conservative faction that withdrew in the 1860s from fellowship with the wider body of Amish, are those that have most emphasized traditional practices and beliefs. There are many different subgroups of Amish with most belonging, in ascending order of conservatism, to
11124-421: The years from 1862 to 1878 resulted in a clearer separation between the conservatives who later became known as "Old Order Amish" and the progressives who then referred to themselves as "Amish Mennonites". The Old Order Amish are distinguished from less conservative groups of Amish by their strict adherence to the practice of forbidding automobile ownership and their traditional manner of dress. The Old Order Amish
11232-602: Was actually the culmination of mounting tensions over several issues and led to more conservatism in this branch. In 1881 the Nebraska Amish , the most conservative group of Old Order Amish, split from the Byler Amish, led by Bishop Yost H. Yoder. Byler Amish men wear only one suspender, like the Renno Amish , but shirts in different colors. Women wear brown bonnets. The use of tractors is allowed for belt power, but not for field work. In their homes, screens on doors and half-length curtains are allowed, while carpets are not. In 1956
11340-649: Was also allowed without penalty in the Troyer Church. The Troyer church eventually moved to numerous locations in Pennsylvania , New York , Michigan and Canada as did the Swartzentruber Church. As of 2011 the Troyer Amish had 53 church districts in 6 states. The Byler Amish were formed in 1849 in Mifflin County, Pennsylvania . Byler Amish buggies have yellow tops in contrast to normally black (Ohio, Indiana), gray (Pennsylvania) or brown tops. As of 2000,
11448-483: Was applied later, named after bishop Samuel Swartzentruber who succeeded him. There are nineteen districts of Swartzentruber in Holmes County and Wayne County , where the subgroup originated. Now there are groups of Swartzentruber Amish settled in 15 other states, with the largest group in the U.S. located in the Holmes/Wayne County settlement. Swartzentruber Amish speak Pennsylvania German , and are considered
11556-466: Was present in 8 states in 37 settlements with 291 church districts. It represents about 15 percent of the Old Order Amish population, that is about 45,000 out of about 300,000 in 2015. The Tobe Amish, or Tobe church, was a splinter group from the Troyer Amish , formed in the 1940s. Eventually, they returned to the main Old Order body, but retaining some distinctive pattern of dress and buggy style. In
11664-537: Was recorded in the 17th century between Oberländer s ( those living in the hills ) and Emmentalers (those living in the Emmental ). The Oberländer s were a more extreme congregation; their zeal pushed them into more remote areas. Swiss Anabaptism developed, from this point, in two parallel streams, most clearly marked by disagreement over the preferred treatment of "fallen" believers. The Emmentalers (sometimes referred to as Reistians, after bishop Hans Reist ,
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