HE Access Week 3: Amish Culture

Comparing & Contrasting CulturesThe Amish

HE Access - Sociological Perspectives: Comparison of Culture: The Amish

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The Amish Culture

Roles, norms, values & beliefs

Be not conformed… The Amish society has little, if any, desire to

participate in our modern world, doing so only when necessary.

Avoiding technology Preserving traditions Maintaining strict and clearly defined gender

roles …


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A very religious people The Amish dress in a

particular way: With ‘traditional’ plain

dress clothes (passed down through generations)

With hats for men and headdress for women


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This presentation will set out to start to examine their culture:

Focusing on some of the Amish roles, norms and beliefs in more depth,

In doing this, we can then compare the Amish culture to more contemporary westernised / consumer culture.


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Some of their core beliefs are:

The church is a covenant community ‘Errant’ members are excluded from communion

(and in extreme cases, the community) They follow a strict and literal obedience to the

teachings of Christ They reject violence (and therefore war)


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Amish Culture

The Amish belief system rules, religion & lifestyle

Amish Religious Life Amish are Christians, with all traditional

Christian beliefs in the Divinity of Christ, the Trinity, salvation, etc.

The Ordnung, roughly translated it means order, is a set of oral laws which regulate all aspects of Amish society, from religion to family life.

It is not something written down, instead all Amish verbally pass it on


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Examples of Practices Prescribed by the Ordnung: color and style of clothing hat styles for men order of the worship service kneeling for prayer in worship marriage within the church use of horses for fieldwork use of Pennsylvania German steel wheels on machinery


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air transportation central heating in homes electricity from public power lines entering military service jewelry, including wedding rings and wrist watches joining worldly (public) organizations owning computers, televisions, radios using tractors for fieldwork wall-to-wall carpeting (Kraybill 116)

Examples of things prohibited by the Ordnung


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Yielding or submission … Within the Amish community, a term is often

used to describe their life style. This word is Gelassenheit. It means, roughly translated, a yielding or submission, and it signifies the Amish life.

Gelassenheit involves submission to the family, submission to the community, submission to tradition, submission to the Ordnung, submission to the church, and, submission to God.


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Old Order Amish

Old Order Amish ‘roles, values or beliefs’?

Old Order Amish It is the picture of the

Old Order Amish with their plain clothes and buggies that usually springs to mind, when considering the Amish.

Old Order Amish communities have deviated little from the ‘regulations’ established by Jakob Amman over 300 years ago.

Old Order Amish at a horse auction


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The Old Order still dress plainly; they do not use electricity; they do not own or drive cars, do not have telephones in their homes, and forbid the use of most modern farm equipment, including air-filled tires.

In Old Order Amish homes, all lighting is supplied by candle or oil and gas lamp.

However, bottle-gas appliances are acceptable under the Ordnung, (the verbal standards or rules that the Amish live by).


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The Old Order: Some Characteristics


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Strict clothing regulations: Men wear black suits without lapels or buttons, white or blue shirts, black braces, black shoes or boots broad-brimmed hats in black felt or natural straw. Old Order women wear a frock type dress of mid-calf to ankle

length with black stockings, an apron, black shoes or boots, black cape, and either a white

"prayer cap" (if baptized) or a black hood. The idea behind the dress code is not only that it sets

them apart from the world, but that is also eliminates pride and envy.

The Old Order: Roles, Values, Norms?


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Men crop their hair, and wear beards, if married, but not mustaches as they are associated with the military.

Women do not cut their hair but wear it tied in a bun on their head, which is always covered once she is baptized.

The Old Order: Roles, Values, Norms?


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The Old Order Amish make their own clothes, although they do purchase the fabric. Hats, braces, and shoes can be bought ready-made.

The buggies they drive vary according to purpose. The “family” buggy will always be covered. Young people drive open buggies, such as the one in the photo above.


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New Order AmishSimilarities and differences to Old Order Amish Different ‘roles, values or beliefs’?

New Order Amish

The important thing to remember when studying the Amish is that there are many variations within the culture. Some are more strict then others in matters of religion and society codes. Adherence varies from affiliation to affiliation: some allow one thing while banning another.


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New Order Amish For example, New Order Amish vary greatly from

the Old Order in daily life, but not in religious practice.

New Order Amish are more progressive than the Old Order but still restrictive in the use of modern items.

They use telephones in their homes, allow air operated equipment, electrical generators, bicycles, and gas pressurized lights. They also allow the use of rubber air-filled tires. However, horses are still mandated for field work and transportation. They do not own or drive cars.


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Amish Culture

The essential and pivotal role of the Family

Families are a cornerstone of the Amish community, and as such, marriage is an important part of life.

Nine out of every ten adult Amish are married. HE Access - Sociological Perspectives:

Comparison of Culture: The Amish23

Amish and The Family Most couples meet at “singings,” which are similar

to country dances. Both must be members of the church to marry.

The Amish believe large families are a blessing from God, so contraception is not practiced. The typical Amish family has 8.5 children.

By the age of forty-five, an Amish woman has probably given birth to seven children.

Under the Ordnung, divorce is not allowed


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Amish and The Family Children are usually born at

home and attend school only through the eighth grade (12-14).

Amish children walk to school, which are usually one room buildings.

After this age, children are schooled at home, learning and working alongside their family until they marry and start a family of their own.


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In Amish society, woman are viewed as equal partners in the marriage, but it is the man who holds authority in the family and the church.

Wives are expected to submit to their husbands. All women help with all aspects of family

chores, although men seldom help with household type work.

Amish, the Family & Women


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Amish Culture

The role of the Collaboration & Community

Amish Collaboration & Community Amish ‘barn rising’ is

another aspect of their culture that most people know about.

The barn is started in the morning and finished by that night.

All of the community comes together …


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During one day work/social events, like the barn raising, hundreds of people come together

This is the way that schools are built, fields are planted

Women may gather to help clean a house or make a quilt.

Women also hold Sisters’ Day, where all the sisters in a family gather one day a month to visit and chat.

Amish Collaboration & Community


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Amish Culture

Youth Culture & ‘Gangs’

The Rumspringa is a time of life for Amish that typically begins at the age of sixteen and lasts until they are married. It loosely translates as “sowing wild oats.”

During this time, a young person will join a “gang” with whom they run around with on the weekends.

During this period of their lives, the youth are viewed as falling between the authority of their parents and the church because they are not yet baptized.

Youth Culture: Amish Gangs


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While some gangs are reserved and do no more wild behavior than hold a dance on Saturday night or a volleyball game, others may hold parties where beer kegs will be present, modern music played by live bands with electric instruments, and all attendees dress in secular clothing.

Some gangs place fancy reflective tape on their buggies, which may have a radio or CD player hidden inside.

Youth Culture: Amish Gangs


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Amish Culture

Conclusion

The Amish today face increasing pressure to conform to the world. Until now they have managed to meld modernity with their beliefs without much social upheaval.

Only time will tell if they can continue to do so successfully.


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Education

HE Access Week 3: Amish Culture