10 Interesting Facts about the Amish

One of these following facts about the Amish should give you much information about this religion. The Amish are a group of traditional Christian church fellowship, closely related to but distinct from Mennonite churches, with whom they share Swiss Anabaptist origins. The Amish are known for simple living, plain dress, and reluctance to adopt many conveniences of modern technology. The history of the Amish church began with a schism in Switzerland within a group of Swiss and Alsatian Anabaptism in 1693 led by Jakob Ammann. Those who followed Ammann became known as Amish. Furthermore, to get to know more about this church fellowship, here are some other facts about the Amish you might be interested in.

Facts about the Amish 1: Descendant

Today, the most traditional descendants of the Amish continue to speak Pennsylvania German, also known as “Pennsylvania Dutch”. However, a dialect of Swiss German predominates in some Old Order Amish communities, especially in the American state of Indiana.

Facts about the Amish 2: Baptism

Amish church membership begins with baptism, usually between the ages of 16 and 25. It is a requirement for marriage, and once a person has affiliated with the church, he or she may marry only within the faith. Church districts average between 20 and 40 families, and worship services are held every other Sunday in a member’s home.

Facts about the Amish 3: Congregation

The Amish congregations remaining in Europe slowly merged with the Mennonites. The last Amish congregation to merge was the Ixheim Amish congregation, which merged with the neighboring Mennonite Church in 1937.

Facts about the Amish 4: Bundling

Bundling is the rather odd practice of a young courting couple being bound in two separate blankets and laid together on a bed for intimacy that does not involve sexual contact. The practice has died out in most of the world (it was practiced by some non-Amish too) but in the Pennsylvania Amish communities it is still to be found.

Facts about the Amish 5: Ordnung

The Ordnung (order) is the set of rules for each Amish community. It contains both religious and civil rules. Because the Amish believe in a strictly literal interpretation of the Bible these rules are created in order to keep their members in line with the laws therein. Amish communities are not centrally governed so each group comes up with their own version of the rule.

Facts about the Amish 6: Religious Practices

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”.

Facts about the Amish 7: Cuisine

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.

Facts about the Amish 8: Ethnicity

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. Those who choose to affiliate with the church, or young children raised in Amish homes, but too young to yet be church members, are considered to be Amish.

Facts about the Amish 9: Amish Life in the Modern World

As time has passed, the Amish have felt pressures from the modern world. Issues such as taxation, education, law and its enforcement, and occasional discrimination and hostility, are areas of difficulty. The Amish way of life in general has increasingly diverged from that of modern society.

Facts about the Amish 10: Publishing

The Old Order Amish support an unofficial publishing house known as Pathway Publishing Company in LaGrange, Indiana, and Aylmer, Ontario. Pathway publishes a number of school text books, general reading books, and periodicals.

Hope you would find those Amish facts really interesting, useful and helpful for your additional reading.