The Amish Way (9 page)
Authors: Donald B. Kraybill,Steven M. Nolt,David L. Weaver-Zercher
Baptisms usually take place in the spring or fall. Teens who plan to take that step tell their parents and their bishop, and the bishop announces it to the
Gmay
. On Sunday mornings during the months leading up to the baptism ceremony, the bishop and the ministers meet with the baptismal candidates for about thirty minutes during the beginning of the service while the rest of the congregation is singing.They gather in a separate room and review the Dordrecht Confession of Faith, known as the “Eighteen Articles,” which summarizes core Amish beliefs.
Gmay
. On Sunday mornings during the months leading up to the baptism ceremony, the bishop and the ministers meet with the baptismal candidates for about thirty minutes during the beginning of the service while the rest of the congregation is singing.They gather in a separate room and review the Dordrecht Confession of Faith, known as the “Eighteen Articles,” which summarizes core Amish beliefs.
Baptism takes place during a Sunday-morning worship service. At the close of a lengthy prayer, all the candidates kneel. The bishop then asks each one several questions:
“Can you
confess
. . . ‘Yes, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God’?
confess
. . . ‘Yes, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God’?
“Do you also recognize this to be a Christian order, church, and fellowship under which you now
submit
yourselves?
submit
yourselves?
“Do you
renounce
the world, the devil with all his subtle ways, as well as your own flesh and blood, and desire to serve Jesus Christ alone, who died on the cross for you?
renounce
the world, the devil with all his subtle ways, as well as your own flesh and blood, and desire to serve Jesus Christ alone, who died on the cross for you?
“Do you also
promise
before God and His church that you will support these teachings and regulations with the Lord’s help, faithfully attend the services of the church and help to counsel and work in it, and not to forsake it, whether it leads you to life or to death?”
4
promise
before God and His church that you will support these teachings and regulations with the Lord’s help, faithfully attend the services of the church and help to counsel and work in it, and not to forsake it, whether it leads you to life or to death?”
4
After the candidates say yes to each question, the bishop cups his hands over the head of the first one, and a minister or deacon pours water into the bishop’s hands. As the water trickles down over the applicant’s head, the bishop says the person’s name and “They that believe and are baptized shall be saved.” He then pronounces the person baptized in the name of God the Father, Jesus Christ the Son, and the Holy Spirit. After all the baptisms have been completed, the bishop offers each candidate his hand, invites him or her to rise, and welcomes the new member into the church with a handshake and the “holy kiss of peace,” a rite of fellowship mentioned in the New Testament. The bishop gives the kiss only to the men; his wife kisses the women.
After they’ve been baptized, the young adults enter into the life of the church in a new and fuller way. Their birthright community becomes their chosen community, one they cannot leave without severe consequences. Upon baptism, they are bound by the regulations of the church, and they have a voice and a vote in Members Meetings. They also have a role—though only a partial one—in selecting their ministers.
For young men, undergoing baptism entails another commitment: a promise to serve as bishop, minister, or deacon if chosen for such a position. There are no Amish seminaries or leadership training programs. Leaders come from the
Gmay
’s male membership and are selected by drawing lots, which minimizes human choice, and accents submission to God and the community. Our friend Reuben talked a bit about this divine drama in Chapter One.
Gmay
’s male membership and are selected by drawing lots, which minimizes human choice, and accents submission to God and the community. Our friend Reuben talked a bit about this divine drama in Chapter One.
The selection process begins when a leader dies, moves, or requests help due to age or chronic illness, or when a growing
Gmay
divides and the new district needs its own set of leaders. Ordinations typically take place at the end of a spring or fall communion service. Two weeks prior, the district’s bishop or a visiting bishop preaches a sermon on the biblical qualifications for ministry. The bishop asks the church to pray for “men who are sound in the faith, preside well over their households, and have good order in their own homes.”
5
These are the most important qualifications for ministry—not public speaking ability, administrative talent, or counseling skills. What matters is readiness to model the Amish way in daily habits, attitudes, and disposition.
Gmay
divides and the new district needs its own set of leaders. Ordinations typically take place at the end of a spring or fall communion service. Two weeks prior, the district’s bishop or a visiting bishop preaches a sermon on the biblical qualifications for ministry. The bishop asks the church to pray for “men who are sound in the faith, preside well over their households, and have good order in their own homes.”
5
These are the most important qualifications for ministry—not public speaking ability, administrative talent, or counseling skills. What matters is readiness to model the Amish way in daily habits, attitudes, and disposition.
The
Gmay
reassembles two Sundays later for a full day that reaches an emotional climax in late afternoon. After a period of silent prayer, the leaders go to a designated room in the house to receive nominations for the vacant position. One by one, each member—both male and female—files by the room and nominates a man for the role by whispering his name to a leader. Most members offer one name, though some might not nominate anyone. No man nominates himself. In fact, anyone putting himself forward would certainly be disqualified as too proud.
Gmay
reassembles two Sundays later for a full day that reaches an emotional climax in late afternoon. After a period of silent prayer, the leaders go to a designated room in the house to receive nominations for the vacant position. One by one, each member—both male and female—files by the room and nominates a man for the role by whispering his name to a leader. Most members offer one name, though some might not nominate anyone. No man nominates himself. In fact, anyone putting himself forward would certainly be disqualified as too proud.
After the nominations have been tallied, the bishop and other leaders return to the main room and announce the names of those with at least three nominations.
g
The tension in the room rises as the bishop asks the nominees to come forward—and there is no backing out when the church summons.
g
The tension in the room rises as the bishop asks the nominees to come forward—and there is no backing out when the church summons.
The bishop places identical hymnbooks, one per candidate, on a table in front of the nominees. One of the books, which have been shuffled in another room, contains a slip of paper that reads, “The lot is cast into the lap; but the whole disposing thereof is of the Lord” (Proverbs 16:33). Whoever chooses the hymnal containing the paper will be ordained. After a scripture reading, there is another long prayer, during which the entire
Gmay
kneels and silently pleads for God’s intervention. Then everyone returns to her or his bench and the bishop says, “Now this is as far as humans can take it. The rest we let up to the Lord.”
Gmay
kneels and silently pleads for God’s intervention. Then everyone returns to her or his bench and the bishop says, “Now this is as far as humans can take it. The rest we let up to the Lord.”
In breathtaking silence, each candidate selects a book. Then the bishop moves slowly from one man to the next, opening the hymnals and looking for the slip of paper to see on whom “the lot fell.” When the bishop finds the paper, he asks the candidate to stand. Using words from a customary formula, the bishop ordains the new leader to a lifelong position for which he received no formal training and will receive no salary.
“It’s a weighty time,” explained a man who had gone through the lot. “There are no congratulations. You realize that your life is now changed forever and you’ve now gotten an additional set of responsibilities that . . . you can only carry with the Lord’s help.”
Americans sometimes speak of “nonpracticing” Catholics and “nonobservant” Jews, but such adjectives don’t fit Amish life. To be Amish is to observe all things Amish: to practice the Amish way. Although leaders bear a special responsibility to uphold the rules and regulations of the church, the other members are expected to embrace them as well. Baptism obliges each member to submit to the
Gmay
’s regulations in matters large and small. “You are either in the church or you are outside; there is no happy medium,” said one minister.
6
Gmay
’s regulations in matters large and small. “You are either in the church or you are outside; there is no happy medium,” said one minister.
6
The Amish use the German word
Ordnung
for the collective regulations, prohibitions, and expectations for an Amish lifestyle.
Ordnung
literally means “order,” but the concept has broader connotations. It is the accumulated wisdom, the corporate guidelines that specify expectations for members.
Ordnung
for the collective regulations, prohibitions, and expectations for an Amish lifestyle.
Ordnung
literally means “order,” but the concept has broader connotations. It is the accumulated wisdom, the corporate guidelines that specify expectations for members.
The
Ordnung
, which members ratify twice a year, does not replace or supersede such obvious biblical commands as prohibitions against murder, adultery, and lying. Rather, the
Ordnung
seeks to apply biblical principles of humility, obedience, and nonresistance to everyday issues that the Bible doesn’t directly address. Amish people do not equate the
Ordnung
with the Bible, but because the
Ordnung
is the church’s application of scriptural principles, it’s not optional. Members are expected to adhere to the guidelines as much as possible.
Ordnung
, which members ratify twice a year, does not replace or supersede such obvious biblical commands as prohibitions against murder, adultery, and lying. Rather, the
Ordnung
seeks to apply biblical principles of humility, obedience, and nonresistance to everyday issues that the Bible doesn’t directly address. Amish people do not equate the
Ordnung
with the Bible, but because the
Ordnung
is the church’s application of scriptural principles, it’s not optional. Members are expected to adhere to the guidelines as much as possible.
In this sense, the
Ordnung
is akin to the specific uniform worn by members of a sports team. No athlete believes that donning the uniform is the essence of the game or that it can substitute for skillful play. But wearing a uniform is required to play on the team, and wearing it certainly helps one’s teammates win. If a team member asked to wear the opposing team’s colors, the coach would certainly say no. In fact, simply asking such a question would show that the player misunderstands the game or else is not committed to the team. Of course, teams may modify their uniforms from time to time; but that’s a team decision, not one that individual players can make on their own.
Ordnung
is akin to the specific uniform worn by members of a sports team. No athlete believes that donning the uniform is the essence of the game or that it can substitute for skillful play. But wearing a uniform is required to play on the team, and wearing it certainly helps one’s teammates win. If a team member asked to wear the opposing team’s colors, the coach would certainly say no. In fact, simply asking such a question would show that the player misunderstands the game or else is not committed to the team. Of course, teams may modify their uniforms from time to time; but that’s a team decision, not one that individual players can make on their own.
Every religious group has at least some expectations of its members. What is distinct about the Amish religious imagination is that it includes all of life, every day. To continue the sports team analogy: for the Amish, the game is never over, and all the rules matter. It’s never time to leave the field or take off the uniform. Sunday-morning church attendance is a religious practice, but so too are Thursday-afternoon decisions about using electricity or driving a car. From this perspective, it makes perfect sense to the Amish that the
Ordnung
would spell out mundane matters such as the dimensions of a bonnet or the length of a beard.
Ordnung
would spell out mundane matters such as the dimensions of a bonnet or the length of a beard.
The
Ordnung
is not identical across Amish communities or even from one
Gmay
to the next in the same geographical area. The
Ordnung
in one community may dictate gray buggies, whereas those in other communities may mandate black or white ones. Some
Gmay
s permit businesses to use hydraulic power, while others, just a few miles down the road, do not. Because the
Ordnung
is rooted in church tradition, it respects and preserves local custom and tends to resist innovation.
Ordnung
is not identical across Amish communities or even from one
Gmay
to the next in the same geographical area. The
Ordnung
in one community may dictate gray buggies, whereas those in other communities may mandate black or white ones. Some
Gmay
s permit businesses to use hydraulic power, while others, just a few miles down the road, do not. Because the
Ordnung
is rooted in church tradition, it respects and preserves local custom and tends to resist innovation.
The
Ordnung
can be highly detailed, as in the rules governing buggies in one southern Indiana community: “Buggies can be made with plywood and covered with black vinyl. Doors can be snap or slide, for single-seated buggies a door on each side and on back, for two seated buggies two sets of doors on side and/or on back, plain rearview mirror for safety, head lights and tail lights on one or both sides. Triangle and reflector tape, not for luxury, but for safety.” There are instructions, too, for newly baptized members who must adapt their buggies to meet church standards: “On tops already made, all window frames must be painted black, lining must be black. All colored lining must be changed. . . . Tape players, radios, CBs, etc. must be removed. No tinted windows.”
7
Ordnung
can be highly detailed, as in the rules governing buggies in one southern Indiana community: “Buggies can be made with plywood and covered with black vinyl. Doors can be snap or slide, for single-seated buggies a door on each side and on back, for two seated buggies two sets of doors on side and/or on back, plain rearview mirror for safety, head lights and tail lights on one or both sides. Triangle and reflector tape, not for luxury, but for safety.” There are instructions, too, for newly baptized members who must adapt their buggies to meet church standards: “On tops already made, all window frames must be painted black, lining must be black. All colored lining must be changed. . . . Tape players, radios, CBs, etc. must be removed. No tinted windows.”
7
This example is unusual only because it was written down. The
Ordnung
typically takes the form of oral tradition, communicated through lived example. Amish people know the
Ordnung
—it’s not ambiguous—but most would be hard-pressed to recite all its dos and don’ts. Because the
Ordnung
deals with the details of daily life, it is “caught” more than it is taught. It is simply absorbed in the course of everyday life.Thus mothers and fathers play a much larger role in transmitting the
Ordnung
than do bishops and ministers.
Ordnung
typically takes the form of oral tradition, communicated through lived example. Amish people know the
Ordnung
—it’s not ambiguous—but most would be hard-pressed to recite all its dos and don’ts. Because the
Ordnung
deals with the details of daily life, it is “caught” more than it is taught. It is simply absorbed in the course of everyday life.Thus mothers and fathers play a much larger role in transmitting the
Ordnung
than do bishops and ministers.
One mother uses the analogy of typing to explain the role of parents in cultivating obedience to the
Ordnung
. “When I was learning to touch type, it soon became apparent that the key to success was to repeat and to keep on repeating the exercises,” she explains. “Over and over and over, the same words, the same keys, the same combinations of letters,” all became habitual. “Thus the fingers learn to fly to the right keys without any conscious thought. Such repetition ‘planted’ something into the fingers, a skill that would remain for life.”
8
In the same way, daily household routines instill in children the virtues of the
Ordnung
without relying on lectures, sermons, or written lists of rules.
Ordnung
. “When I was learning to touch type, it soon became apparent that the key to success was to repeat and to keep on repeating the exercises,” she explains. “Over and over and over, the same words, the same keys, the same combinations of letters,” all became habitual. “Thus the fingers learn to fly to the right keys without any conscious thought. Such repetition ‘planted’ something into the fingers, a skill that would remain for life.”
8
In the same way, daily household routines instill in children the virtues of the
Ordnung
without relying on lectures, sermons, or written lists of rules.
The
Ordnung
changes slowly, usually after lengthy discussion, discernment, and the endorsement of members, both men and women. The bishop plays an important role in these changes, working to maintain consensus and deal with dissent. But because his authority is also governed by the
Ordnung
, he cannot simply dictate rules. “This did not come on overnight,” a Pennsylvania minister emphasizes when explaining how the
Ordnung
functions, “nor did it come through rash or harsh commands of our bishops. . . . The bishops and ministers do not make the
Ordnung
, nor do they draw the line; they only attempt to hold the line.”
9
Ordnung
changes slowly, usually after lengthy discussion, discernment, and the endorsement of members, both men and women. The bishop plays an important role in these changes, working to maintain consensus and deal with dissent. But because his authority is also governed by the
Ordnung
, he cannot simply dictate rules. “This did not come on overnight,” a Pennsylvania minister emphasizes when explaining how the
Ordnung
functions, “nor did it come through rash or harsh commands of our bishops. . . . The bishops and ministers do not make the
Ordnung
, nor do they draw the line; they only attempt to hold the line.”
9
“Holding the line” reveals a good deal about Amish spirituality. Theologically, the
Ordnung
is rooted in a belief that God created an orderly natural world and that human life is best lived in harmony with and in submission to God’s will. To discern this sort of orderly life, the Amish rely on scripture and tradition as wise guides. Noted Amish minister Joseph F. Beiler points to Jesus’ parable of the wise man who built his house on rock (Matthew 7:24-27) to explain the purpose of the
Ordnung
. The house on a solid foundation survived the storms, Jesus said, while the one built on sand collapsed. Both houses initially looked alike, but time proved otherwise.
Ordnung
is rooted in a belief that God created an orderly natural world and that human life is best lived in harmony with and in submission to God’s will. To discern this sort of orderly life, the Amish rely on scripture and tradition as wise guides. Noted Amish minister Joseph F. Beiler points to Jesus’ parable of the wise man who built his house on rock (Matthew 7:24-27) to explain the purpose of the
Ordnung
. The house on a solid foundation survived the storms, Jesus said, while the one built on sand collapsed. Both houses initially looked alike, but time proved otherwise.
For Beiler, history reveals which foundations the church can trust, and he cautions against carelessly discarding proven tradition. “Over the centuries this [Amish] house of God has stood the storms of persecution,” he points out. Other denominations “use the same Bible faithfully; they have hymnbooks, creeds, the best devotional materials ever available at any time since the beginning,” but many have not endured. “There must be another element that played a role in the house that stands,” Beiler concludes. He believes that this missing element was a patient respect for tradition, one that refused to grant new ideas superiority over those of the past.
Other books
The Ugly American by Eugene Burdick, William J. Lederer
The Lost Colony by Eoin Colfer
A Signal Victory by David Stacton
Jaguar Pride by Terry Spear
One Night with Sole Regret 04 Touch Me by Olivia Cunning
Aprendiz de Jedi ed. esp. 1 Traiciones by Jude Watson
The Misty Harbour by Georges Simenon
Taking What He Wants by Jordan Silver
Flaming Hearts (Beyond Reality Book 2) by Stoker, Susan