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The Simple Life: Amish in America
In the gently rolling hills of farm country in northern Indiana, one finds the town of Shipshewana. Not only are there beautiful landscapes with picturesque farms and windmills, but it is also located in the heart of Amish country. It's interesting that this area in Indiana has the third largest Amish population in America. Lancaster, Pennsylvania has the largest Amish population, followed by several communities in northwestern Ohio. Just for the record, our home state of Wisconsin has the 4th largest number of Amish communities in the U.S., with the majority in the north central part of the state.
Another revelation that piqued my curiosity about the Amish stems from a misconception about the Amish that I have carried with me since I was a young girl growing up in Iowa. In Iowa there is a large religious community that shares many similar concepts and life style choices of the Amish and the Mennonites, yet have many differences: the residents of The Amana Colonies. I always thought the Amana Colonies were home to the Amish people, but my recent trip to Indiana was an eye opening one for me. Apparently the Amanas are one of the longest-living communal societies: their history dates back to 1714 in Germany. The religious movement that stemmed from Pietism was eventually to be the group that settled the Amana Colonies. The group was founded with the desire to reestablish focus on the spiritual needs of the congregation, rather than intellectual debate and formalized worship. They called their new faith “The Community of True Inspiration.” In 1855, the Inspirationists, in need of more farmland, moved to Iowa and named their village “Amana,” or “remain true,” So it was one of those "Ah-Ha" moments for this Iowa girl: I wanted to find out more about the Amish and why the folks in the Amana Colonies were not considered Amish.
After several discussions with shop keepers in Shipshewana, I wanted to find out more about the lives of the Amish. So many times we who are on the outside looking in, just take just a few generalizations and leave it at that. Yet, I wanted to dig deeper than the surface observations of: they use horse and buggies instead of cars and they wear plain clothing. Also, there was that surprising revelation that I found about the Amanas that kept me asking questions.
So a very friendly shop keeper (whom I presumed was Amish by her clothing and head dress) told me there was a very helpful place right across the street to help me find answers. It was called the Menno-Hof building. I found out later that the word Hof used in both German and Dutch means homestead or farmyard.
So I went to the huge red barn across the street with multiple presentations and displays to dive into the topic of learning more about the Amish. In addition to the Amish, the center gave me a better understanding of several communities including the Mennonites, Brethren and Hutterites. Frankly, I have to confess, until this point in time I had never even heard of Hutterites. I absorbed as much as I could about these branches of the Christian faith, then came home with 2 books to read on the subject. (Guess I have added to my reading list once again!)
So without too much detail, but perhaps just enough to spark your interest, let me give you a brief history lesson on how these groups evolved. In 1517, the tides of change and the floodgates of the Protestant revolution started by Martin Luther's posting the 95 theses to the church door in Wittenberg, Germany. Some of the reforms that Luther promoted were parallel to some of the other reformers, yet many were impatient with the pace of change. In 1525, the Anabaptist movement began and became a critical point of defining their faith. Anabaptists believe in "rebaptism" as an adult. They believe that only young adults, who can make a voluntary decision to follow Jesus, should be baptized. Most youth in all of these groups are baptized between the ages of 12 and 16.
In addition to similar beliefs about baptism, these communities of faith have more similarities than differences.
New Testament. They believe in the New Testament authority. They believe firmly in the teaching of Jesus and feel this should have more authority over church doctrine.
Discipleship The Anabaptist generally focuses on practice rather than creed. on daily discipleship instead of doctrine.
Church Community The concept of the church is more a cultural community and fellowship of believers. They are accountable to one another and wish to live accordingly in following the Gospel of Christ. Sometimes this creates a voluntary separation from the larger society by distinctive forms of dress and social restrictions.
Peacemaking The history of the Anabaptist has included pacifism.
So even after understanding the Amish/Anabaptists background, sometimes it is hard to understand some of their lifestyles that are frequently so different than our own. Many of the conveniences of modern life, such as electricity, television, automobiles and telephones are considered by the Amish to be temptations. These could cause vanity, create inequality, or lead the Amish away from their close-knit community and, as such, are not encouraged or accepted in most orders. When I think of some of the problems we non-Amish people have with these items I gain a true understanding and respect for some of their decisions. I personally am not willing to give up many of those things, but just thinking about a simpler life in that regard brings a better perspective. It makes me want to turn off the TV, put away my phone and read a good book and enjoy a cup of tea with a handmade quilt on my lap. I'm also reminiscent of a hymn we sang in my childhood church:
'Tis the gift to be simple, 'tis the gift to be free,
'Tis the gift to come down where I ought to be;
And when we find ourselves in the place just right,
'Twill be in the valley of love and delight.
So gaining a better understanding of the Amish lifestyles and beliefs was a wonderful opportunity, but Shipshewana is also a destination for many additional reasons. The shopping was also fun! Beautiful handcrafted furniture, a bevy of beautiful quilts and quilt shops, and numerous restaurants offering delightful homecooked cuisine. An incredible amount of homemade fudge and other sweets were to be found on every corner. My sister and brother in law enjoyed the huge antique show that always is a big draw. Shipshewana truly is a place with so much to explore and a unique American Destination. Yet, as a perpetual student I thought the most interesting part was the opportunity to learn more about something I previously had very little knowledge of. I believe I have a better understanding and appreciation for the lives of the Amish people.
Julie E. Smith
