Comparing and Contrasting Cultures: Amish vs. Mennonite
Megan E. Gallimore
SOC 1001
11/25/14
Professor Edelen
South University
Frequently, Amish and Mennonite cultures are considered confusing. With both the Amish and Mennonite coming from common historical roots, they still have their similarities and differences. Amish and Mennonites (2013) states that both groups grew out of the Anabaptist movement which arose in 1525 in opposition to the Roman Catholic Church as well as the Protestant Reformation movement brought on by Martin Luther. (Amish and Mennonite, 2013). With once being considered one, they still share some of the same qualities. This paper will discuss the differences and similarities between both the Amish and Mennonite cultures, including their material objects, beliefs, behaviors, and symbols.
Having migrated to North America in the eighteenth century, the Amish and Mennonites have found their homeland mostly in Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Indiana. The
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Amish and Mennonites have very strict rules that must be followed. Daniel Christopher-Smith (2009) explains “During the annual gathering of Amish ministers from around the country in 1865, tradition-oriented ministers presented a position paper that outlined a number of rules that they agreed to maintain, and that they posed as a challenge to the larger body of ministers.” (p. 32). Among the rules the Amish are to follow include wearing plain clothing, there will be no displaying photographs of people, they must attend fairs, they must drive carriages, they must take out insurance on their property, no electricity or technology, and they must introduce the horse and the donkey to produce a mule were just a few of the strict rules expected of the Amish (Christopher-Smith, 2009, p.32). The Mennonites on the other hand are allowed to use technology to their benefit and accept the outside world as is; they see this as being a way to strengthen their education and strengthen their beliefs. With still having to dress somewhat traditional, the Mennonite women wear a cap or bonnet on their head. The men on the other hand, Amish men have to stop shaving after marriage and a Mennonite man grows no beard. “Mennonite and Amish beliefs are based upon the same simplicity of faith and practice as lived by the early Christian church. ” (Amish and Mennonite, 2013). The Amish have many values that they cherish throughout their lives. Diana Kendall (2013) explains “Their core values include the joy of work, the primacy of the home, faithfulness, thriftiness, tradition, and humility” (p. 79). They also expect woman to live how it was in the old days, remaining at home and having babies. Many of the Amish who go by such strict rules are considered the Old Order Amish. They like to separate themselves completely from society, thinking it will help strengthen their religion daily. Unlike the Old Order Amish, the Mennonites have their boundaries and rules but aren’t as strict as the Old Order Amish. The Mennonites and Amish have different ways of worshiping but somewhat similar. The Mennonites tend to worship in the church that is used mainly for worship but “Amish services are held in the homes of the congregation and are conducted by members who improvise the sermons without any advance preparation whatsoever” (p.79). The Amish will shun anyone who doesn’t obey the strict Amish faith. As for Mennonites, they don’t believe in shunning and are a little more lenient with their beliefs. This is one of the main differences between the two, how they worship and their beliefs. Christopher-Smith (2009) found that “Throughout the twentieth century the Amish have also considered innovations related to their organized religious life, the most significant being the adoption of Sunday schools and mission programs” (p. 34). The Mennonite community influenced this. It is sometimes hard for someone to distinguish between the Amish and Mennonite individuals, especially with both coming from similar backgrounds and beliefs.
I can personally say when I recently visited Ohio I could see some differences but I didn’t know who was who. I noticed some drove a car but others rode in a horse and buggy. I couldn’t imagine the life they live, especially with having had everything I ever needed growing up. It’s as if they have their own world and they try their best to keep today’s evil out of their world. With having explained the differences and similarities of the Amish and Mennonites, it should be easier to distinguish the two. This paper discussed the differences and similarities between both the Amish and Mennonite cultures, including their material objects, beliefs, behaviors, and symbols. It is hoped now when one comes in contact with someone from the Amish or Mennonite community it will be a little easier to know whom you are talking
to. References Amish and Mennonites. (2013, January 1). Retrieved November 23, 2014, from http://www.welcome-to-lancaster-county.com/amish-and-mennonites.html Kendall, D. (2013). Sociology in Our Times (10th ed.). Stamford, CT: Cengage Learning. Smith-Christopher, D. L. (2009). Battleground Religion. Westport, Conn: Greenwood Press.
The Muckleshoot are a Native American tribe are a part of the Coast Salish people. their territory can be found located in Washington. They are recognized as the Muckleshoot Tribe, they are composed of generations of different tribal groups who inherited Puget Sound areas and occupied river drainages from the rivers confluence in Auburn to their reservations in the Cascades.
Developed from the Radical Reformation in the 1300’s, a group was formed called the Anabaptists. These Anabaptists were a joint group between the Mennonites, the Hutterites, and the Amish. The Amish people came from a split in the Swiss Mennonites in 1693 when a man named Jacob Amman and his supporters left their church to begin their own. Jacob Amman was born in Switzerland as an Anabaptist in 1644, and is considered the founder of the Amish religion.
The role of the longhouse in Iroquois society goes beyond the physical structure of the household. To understand the affects and underlying causes of longhouse structural change, one must understand the societal and cultural significance of the built environment in Iroquois everyday life. The longhouse was a category of material culture with which one’s role in the society was produced (Birch 2012). The structure of everyday life, including kin relationships, inheritance, prestige, and even political power were symbolically embodied in the longhouse (O’Gorman 2010). Some postulate that the significance of the longhouse was so integral to structuring Iroquois society that it was essential to the interactions and boundary-forming practices that
...n, A. M. ( 1995, Spring) The Amish Struggle with Modernity. Virginia Quarterly Review. Vol. 71, Issue 2
The family provides a dense web of social support from cradle to grave. […] Family members help each other during an emergency, a fire or flood, and, of course, at a death”. The Amish community would not have withstood the drastically shifting eras had it not been for their foundation built on solid family and community relationships. Within Amish homes, bonds between siblings, parents and their children, as well as potentially extended families ties including aging grandparents or other relatives, are of utmost importance. Importantly, these interrelationships are not left within the household as the Amish community holds an interconnectedness inclusive to the community that creates an additional support network. This patchwork community of benevolence is not a gift, but a reward. There are expectations and consequences, as the BBC reports “[…] Members are expected to believe the same things and follow the same code of behaviour (called the Ordnung). The purpose of the ordnung is to help the community lead a godly life. […] If a person breaks the rules they may be 'shunned', which means that no-one (including their family) will eat with them or talk to them”. Expectations must be met for an Amish individual to earn and maintain their spot within the community. Despite guidelines wavering depending on each community and their location, the Amish are expected to follow God and seek salvation in a preset and dictated manner. Punishments for breaking the ordnung are strictly enforced and the insubordinate individual is completely excommunicated as a result of their disobedience. Since family connectedness is universally valued amongst Amish communities, if an individual is shunned, they will lose not only their community status but communications will be severed between immediate family members. When applied to education, if prohibited by that particular Ordnung, pursing a higher
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Wise, Stephan. "How the Amish Work." How Stuff Works.com. Amish America, 19 Sept. 2002. Web. 23 Mar. 2014.
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