Retracing the Blurred Boundaries of the Twentieth-Century ‘Amish Mennonite’ Identity
Mennonite Quarterly Review
Anderson, Cory. 2011.
85(3):361-412.
Of Process, Practice, and Belief: What Can We Learn about Old Amish Church History and Polity from this Special Issue’s Source Documents
Journal of Amish and Plain Anabaptist Studies
Anderson, Cory. 2019.
7(2):101-08.
Research Points
- This introduction to a special issue—which includes translations of Amish German documents—provides context for the history and divisions of the “Old Amish Church” from around 1865-1955. These documents represent hopes to preserve the “Old Amish Church project,” which aimed to maintain Old Amish unity. Ultimately, several schisms occurred, ending the project.
- In Holmes County, Ohio, stricter groups—namely Sam Yoder (“Swartzentruber”) / Stutzman- Troyer and Andy Weaver (“Dan”)—broke with the larger “South churches”—which maintained institutional continuity—after failed attempts to maintain a unified Old Amish Church through Ordnungs Briefen statements [i.e. shared church rules].
- This article’s centerpiece is a flowchart diagram developed from this issue’s historical documents. It illustrates varied ritualized recourses Amish employ to achieve unity which, when fully exhausted, result in schism.
- The flowchart demonstrates how individuals can engage decision-making processes and contest agreements in the Amish system. Prior research incorrectly treats “the Amish” as a collective entity when explaining schisms, when this issue’s documents demonstrate contestation by individual members and coalitions of members.
- The issues’ historic documents showcase how Amish schisms unfold gradually, not as momentous events. Terminology evolves as members discuss the other sides of a schism, from “disobedient members” to eventually recognizing a full denominational schism.
Access Related Content From The Project: "Identities, Ideologies, and Institutions: The Perpetual Destabilization of Ethnic Sectarianism"
Congregation or Conference? The Development of Beachy Amish Polity and Identity
Mennonite Historical Bulletin
Anderson, Cory. 2011.
72(1):12-15.
The Amish-Mennonites of North America: A Portrait of Our People
Amish-Mennonite Heritage Series Vol. 1.
Anderson, Cory. 2012.
Who Are the Plain Anabaptists? What Are the Plain Anabaptists?
Journal of Amish and Plain Anabaptist Studies
Anderson, Cory. 2013.
1(1):26-71.
An Evangelical Reorientation: The Contribution of Beachy Amish-Mennonite Mothers
Mothering Mennonite
Anderson, Cory. 2013.
Pp. 236-55
A Socio-Religious Introduction to the Apostolic Churches in North America
Journal of Amish and Plain Anabaptist Studies
Anderson, Cory. 2018.
6(1):26-60.
Can a New Layer of Leadership Save Sectarian Practice? A Decentralized Denomination’s Experiment with a Central Committee
Journal of Amish and Plain Anabaptist Studies
Anderson, Cory. 2019.
7(1):54-99.
© 2024 • Cory Anderson • All Rights Reserved