The Amish
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legal issues, 18–19, 100–102; and child labor, 56; and conscientious objection, 18, 22, 24–25, 99–100; and education, 2, 75–76; and Social Security, 8–9, 88
leisure, 7, 35, 59–61, 66–67, 96
Letterman, David, 112
libraries, 42
literature, popular fiction, 107–8
litigation, 102
Lord’s Prayer, 30
Lord’s Supper. See communion
Louis XIV, 19
low-context culture, 43
Luddites, 4
Luther, Martin, 13, 69
Lutheran Church, 18
Maine, 6
marriage, 49, 63–65, 71–72
martyrdom, 12–14, 29
Martyrs Mirror (Braght), 12, 14
Maryland, University of, 106
McGillis, Kelly, 110
McKusick, Victor A., 105
media, popular, 112–13
Medicare, 24, 42, 88
medicine. See health care
Meidung (shunning), 17–18, 50–52, 55
Mennonite Central Committee (MCC), 97–98
Mennonite Disaster Service (MDS), 98
Mennonites, 14, 41, 122; Dutch, 17; and European Amish, 21; merging of Amish with, 21, 23; Old Order, 122, 126n16
Menno Simons, 14
mental health, 104–5
Mexico, 96
Michigan, 6, 83. See also particular locations
Middlefield, Ohio, 105
midwives, 104
Mifflin County, Pennsylvania, 21
military service, 21–22; and conscientious objection, 18, 24–25, 116; and National Amish Steering Committee, 100
ministers, 35, 37, 45, 47; meetings of, 22–23; selection of, 48
Minnesota, 96
Mishnah, 35
Missouri, 6. See also particular locations
mobile phones, 4, 61, 86
modernity, 2, 24, 27–29, 41–43, 79, 109, 115, 117–18; and medicine, 103–5
Montana, 6
Moravians, 123
Morton, D. Holmes, 106
Mount Eaton Care Center (Ohio), 104
Mount Hope, Ohio, 82
multiculturalism, 9, 113, 116
music. See singing
mutual aid, 41–42, 73
Nappanee, Indiana, 82, 84
National Amish Steering Committee, 100
negotiation. See adaptation; modernity
Netherlands, The, 13–14
New Brunswick, Canada, 11
New Order affiliation, 38–39, 60–61
New York, 6–7, 64, 96
New York Times, 108–9
Nickel Mines school shooting, 30–31
nonconformity. See world, separation from
nonresistance, 22, 24–25, 29, 35, 48, 88, 116
obedience, 29, 57; and government, 99–102
Ohio, 6–7. See also particular locations
old age, 36, 73–74
Old German Baptist Brethren, 123
Old Order Amish, 23–25
Old Order River Brethren, 123
Ontario, Canada, 11, 21, 25
oral tradition, 23, 35
ordination, 48
Ordnung, the, 33–39, 41, 48–49; diversity of, 37–39; flexibility of, 35–36; and technology, 82, 88–89, 91, 93
organizations, Amish, 41–43
outsiders, 2, 11, 75; and Amish origins, 15–17; interaction with adolescents, 56, 61; local relations with, 7–8, 96–99; work with, 88, 93. See also tourism
pacifism. See conscientious objection; military service; nonresistance
parents, Amish, 69; and education, 1–2, 75–79; and Ordnung, 35; and Rumspringa, 54–56, 58, 60–61, 115
Pathway Readers, 77–78
Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (2010), 100, 116
patriarchy, 70–72
patriotism, 22, 29, 75, 117
peer groups, 57–61
Pennsylvania, 6, 20–21. See also particular locations
Pennsylvania Dutch, 68–69, 77; and Swiss German, 128n2
Philadelphia, 20
photographs, 44, 61, 63, 68
Pietism, 18, 123
Pinecraft, Florida, 36
Plain and Fancy (musical), 109–10
plainness, 23
politics, 99–100
population growth, Amish, 4, 6–7, 10, 25, 51
postmodern, the, 118. See also modernity
prayer, 30, 45
preaching, 45
pride, 42, 50
Protestants, 10, 13–14, 22–23, 38
public image, Amish, 107–18. See also Amish brand
publishing: about the Amish, 107–8; and Amish periodicals, 43–44; and Amish schoolbooks, 77
Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, 1–2, 9
“puppy mills,” 99
Quakers, 123
quilts, 110, 114
rationality, 27–28
recreation, 7, 35, 59–61, 66–67, 96
Reformation (Protestant), 8, 13
Reformed Church, 18
Reist, Hans, 18
religion, 8; and Amish culture, 29–36; and Amish diversity, 37–39; and Amish schools, 78–79; and business, 87; and European heritage, 13–15; and family, 45; freedom of, 2, 22, 116; and government, 100–101; and health care, 103; and old order identity, 22–25. See also baptism; church; communion; footwashing; ordination
remarriage, 72
responsibility, 56, 69
Rest Haven (Indiana), 104
retention, 6–7, 49, 52, 57–58
retirement, 36, 73
reunions, 42
revivalism, Protestant, 22
Richter, Charles, 23
rituals. See baptism; communion; footwashing; ordination
romance novels, 107–8
“Rules of a Godly Life” (Lust-Gärtlein), 119–21
Rumspringa, 54–56; activities of, 58–61; definition of, 54–56; myths regarding, 54–55; and parental supervision, 115
Runner’s World (publication), 59
Sainte-Marie-aux-Mines (Alsace), 16, 18–19
Salem, Arkansas, 87
Sarasota, Florida, 36, 88
schooling, conflict with the state, 75–76, 102, 109
schools, Amish, 1–2, 33, 41, 69–70, 76–79; curriculum of, 77–79; origins of, 75; and religion, 78; and teachers, 2, 75–76; and technology, 91, 93. See also education
schools, public, 33, 75–76, 99; consolidation of, 2, 27, 75. See also education
scripture. See Bible
self-denial, 29–33
separateness. See world, separation from
settlements, 10–11
Sex Drive (film), 112
sex education, 75
Shakers, 123
Shipshewana, Indiana, 55
shunning (Meidung), 17–18, 50–52, 55. See also excommunication (Bann)
Simons, Menno. See Menno Simons
simplicity, 22–23, 41; American search for, 110
singing, 14, 45, 49, 59, 78
single status (unmarried), 72
slow-moving vehicle (SMV) emblem, 101
slow pace, 24, 29, 45. See also transportation: horse-drawn
small scale, 7, 23–24, 32, 41–43; and Amish businesses, 87–88; and farming, 82–83
Smart, Gil, 53
smartphones, 28, 61
social change (19th century), 21–22
social life, 43, 59, 66–67, 95–96. See also Rumspringa
social media. See Facebook; Instagram
social organization, 10–11, 41–43
Social Security, 8–9, 24, 88, 99, 116
social structure, 10–11, 41–43, 47–48
solar power, 34, 91
spirituality, 31–33, 74, 119–21
sports, 59
state. See government
Steering Committee, National Amish, 100
Stein, Joseph, 109
Stevick, Richard, 57
Stüdler, Verena, 16
Study Time Mathem
atics, 77
submission. See Gelassenheit
Sugarcreek Budget (newspaper), 43–44
Supreme Court, U.S., 2, 76, 110
Swartzentruber Amish affiliation, 38, 67, 69, 79, 101
Swiss Amish affiliation, 106
Swiss German (language), 128n2
Switzerland, 13–18
taxes, 9, 24
taxi service, 2, 9, 33, 86, 96, 113
teachers, 2, 67, 75–77
technology, 27, 38–39, 52, 69; and adaptation, 33–34, 80–81, 93; Amish evaluation of, 89–91; and family, 67, 93; and farming, 80–81; and Ordnung, 34; and other Plain groups, 122–23; and ownership vs. access, 33, 90–91; and schools, 91; and the workplace, 85–86, 88, 93. See also particular items
teenagers. See youth, Amish (die Youngie)
telephones, 24, 27–28, 38, 40, 93. See also cell phones
television, 53–54; and Amish reality shows, 2, 54, 112
Texas, 8
theology. See beliefs
Thirty Years War, 15
Tobit, 64
Tompkins, Doug, 110
tourism, 2, 9, 62, 108–11; Amish participation in, 87, 114–15
tractors, 82
transportation: horse-drawn, 2, 24, 32–33, 38, 113; non-Amish taxi, 2, 9, 33, 86, 95, 113; public, 95–96
travel, 7, 95–96
Twitter, 44
values, Amish, 29–33, 39, 78–79, 117–18. See also culture, Amish; particular values
values, U.S., 9, 28–29, 39, 118
Vietnam War, 100
visiting, 42, 65, 73
voting, 99–100
Wang, Heng, 105
Wayne County, Ohio, 38
Weaver-Zercher, David, 112
Weaver-Zercher, Valerie, 108
weddings, 63–65, 93
Weir, Peter, 111
White Horse Machine Company, 81
Whitney Museum of American Art, 110
Wildcat Ridge Gears, 81
Wilson, Charles, 26
Wisconsin, 6. See also particular locations
Wisconsin v. Yoder et al., 2, 76
Witness (film), 110
women, Amish, 44, 69–72; as midwives, 103; as teachers, 76; and work, 70. See also gender
work: and adolescents, 56; in construction, 86; in factories, 7, 84–86; and family, 86–88, 93; and higher education, 103; in home-based and small businesses, 7, 86–89; and technology, 89–94; and women, 70. See also businesses, Amish; farming
workers’ compensation, 88, 99
world, separation from, 14–15, 17–18, 75, 100
World War I, 24
World War II, 82
World Wide Web. See Internet
Yoder, Harvey, 40–41
Yoder, Vernon and Lizzie Ann, 80
youth, Amish (die Youngie), 39, 55, 58–61. See also adolescence; Rumspringa
YouTube, 44
About the Author
Steven M. Nolt is Professor of History and Senior Scholar at the Young Center for Anabaptist and Pietist Studies at Elizabethtown College. Recognized for his scholarship on Anabaptist groups, he is the author or co-author of a dozen books, including the award-wining Amish Grace: How Forgiveness Transcended Tragedy (with Donald Kraybill and David Weaver-Zercher) and The Amish (with Donald Kraybill and Karen Johnson-Weiner), which describes the diversity of Amish culture in contemporary North America.