🐴 Amish

Who Are the Amish?

The Amish are a Christian group descended from Swiss-German Anabaptists who broke away from the Mennonites in 1693 under the leadership of Jakob Ammann. Facing persecution in Europe, they migrated to North America in the 18th and 19th centuries, settling primarily in Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Indiana. Today, over 370,000 Amish live in 32 U.S. states and Ontario, Canada.

Known for their distinctive plain dress, horse-and-buggy transportation, and rejection of many modern technologies, the Amish maintain one of the most deliberately counter-cultural lifestyles in the developed world. Their communities represent a living experiment in sustainable, low-technology living based on religious principles of humility, simplicity, and separation from the outside world.

Gelassenheit and the Ordnung

The core Amish value is gelassenheit—a German term meaning yielding to God's will, humility, and submission to community. This principle shapes all aspects of Amish life, from clothing to technology choices. Individual desires must yield to community welfare; pride and self-assertion are considered spiritually dangerous.

Each church district (typically 20-40 families) maintains its own Ordnung—an unwritten code governing daily life. The Ordnung specifies acceptable clothing, permitted technologies, and behavioral expectations. Because these rules are decided locally by consensus, practices vary significantly between communities. Some permit cell phones for business; others forbid rubber tires on tractors.

Technology and Separation

The Amish do not reject technology wholesale but evaluate each innovation for its potential impact on family, community, and faith. Automobiles are forbidden because they would allow people to easily leave the community, undermining social bonds. Electricity from public grids would connect households to the outside world; instead, many Amish use pneumatic tools powered by diesel compressors.

This deliberate approach to technology adoption represents a conscious choice about what kind of community they want to build. The horse-and-buggy slows the pace of life, keeps families close, and maintains visible separation from mainstream society. Each technology is evaluated: Does it build up the community or tear it apart?

Rumspringa and Choice

Around age 16, Amish youth enter rumspringa ("running around"), a period of relative freedom before they must choose whether to be baptized into the church. During rumspringa, young people may experiment with forbidden activities—driving cars, wearing mainstream clothes, using electronics. This period allows informed choice rather than coerced conformity.

Despite exposure to modern life, approximately 85-90% of Amish youth choose baptism and remain in the community. Those who leave after baptism face shunning (meidung), though practices vary. The high retention rate, combined with large families (average 6-7 children), means Amish population doubles every 20-22 years.

Economy and Adaptation

As farmland becomes scarce and expensive, many Amish have shifted to small business ownership. Amish-owned enterprises include furniture manufacturing, construction, food processing, and craft production. The reputation for quality craftsmanship commands premium prices. Some communities have developed significant tourism industries, though reactions to tourism vary.

The Amish represent a successful alternative economic model—small-scale, locally owned businesses; minimal debt; strong work ethic; and community mutual aid replacing insurance and government programs. Studies show Amish communities have among the lowest rates of poverty and unemployment in America.

References

• Kraybill, D.B. et al. (2013). "The Amish"
• Hostetler, J.A. (1993). "Amish Society"
• Nolt, S.M. (2016). "A History of the Amish"
• Kraybill, D.B. (2001). "The Riddle of Amish Culture"