The Amish Mennonites & Anabaptists -- one group of a large swath of religious conservatives.
Drive along the country roads of Pennsylvania and you will probably pass the familiar horse and buggy of the Amish. Large billboards will confirm in bright letters that you have most certainly entered Amish country and arrows will direct you to the nearest country store serving up homemade jams, pies, fruits, nuts and just about everything Amish. But although the Amish might have a monopoly on the affection of tourists in this country, they are not the only "˜plain people' living within the United States. The Amish are actually an offshoot of the Mennonites -- one group of a large swath of religious conservatives collectively known as the Anabaptists.
The Anabaptists first formed in Europe during the Reformation of the 16th century. Their radical beliefs in strict discipleship and the emulation of Christ's purity in everyday life were viewed suspiciously by the Catholics and Protestants. And the Anabaptist's distaste for violence in the bloody world of 16th century religion made them enemies of both. Like many other religious groups, the Anabaptists finally fled their German homelands to settle in a more peaceful America. But like any religious organization, various interpretations of the scriptures led to the formation of distinct Anabaptist groups that now include the Church of the Brethren, Brethren in Christ, Hutterites, the Amish, and the Mennonites. All of these groups are well represented in the States with the Mennonites being particularly strong in the farmlands stretching from Pennsylvania to Iowa.
Today the Mennonites are divided into three general categories: the Old Order Mennonites, the conservatives, and the contemporaries. The Old Order Mennonites are similar in appearance to the well-known Amish. Men, women, and children dress modestly in dark colors (usually black and blue) and seek to avoid any form of vanity. Men wear no neckties or buttons on their clothes. Women wear long skirts and small bonnets, and tie their hair in buns. Neither men nor women wear wedding rings or jewelry of any sort. Old Order Mennonites are strongly attached to the land, most being in the dairy and farming business. Despite their restricted modes of transportation (horse and buggy or bicycle), they employ rather modern techniques on their dairy farms. Mechanical pumps and state-of-the-art medicines are all utilized. Children do not attend school past the eighth grade with continuing religious and agricultural education left to the community elders.
Conservative Mennonites have shed many of the restrictions of the Old Order. Women still dress modestly in skirts and bonnets, but they are allowed to wear colors freely. Transportation is not limited to horse and buggy, and some own cars although only in subdued colors of gray or white. Restricted access to modern electric equipment such as radios and televisions is also eased, but video games, movies, and high-speed Internet searches are not popular. Most conservative Mennonites are still connected to the agricultural industry, and are usually those responsible for running country stores where Mennonite goods are sold.
Contemporary Mennonites are difficult to distinguish from your average American. These Mennonites have no restrictions on clothes, and live with the comforts of television, radios and computers. Mennonites in this category do not discourage their children from continuing their education, and erect few, if any, religious barriers that would keep them from interacting freely with mainstream society. The members of this group are those in charge of Mennonite universities throughout the United States.
Despite the differences between the three orders of Mennonites, these particular Anabaptists still maintain a strong sense of spiritual brotherhood among themselves. All three groups firmly attest that living the faith is more important than simply believing it and they all share certain ecclesiastical convictions. Marlin E. Miller, professor of theology at Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminaries in Elkhart, Indiana writes in his article "America's Anabaptists: What They Believe", that believing in Jesus Christ, emulating Christ in everyday life, and rejecting all forms of violence are the most important pinnacles of faith for all Mennonites.
American Mennonites are particularly active in missionary work around the world, and count many converts among Africans. But despite the many differences among the Mennonite communities, they still draw on their sense of brotherhood to strengthen their sense of solidarity. Both the owner of the Ford Explorer and driver of the horse and buggy stopped at that Pennsylvanian country will consider themselves Mennonites, despite their radically diverse outlooks.
