Old Order Amish Mennonites
"Old Order Amish, a segment of the Amish Mennonites distinguished by their nonconformist attitudes and resistance to social change, and characterized by worship in private homes, a strictly rural way of life, a horse-and-buggy culture, the use of a dialect of the German language, and "plain" dress resembling that of European peoples two centuries ago. They have no meetinghouses (with minor exceptions), and oppose not only higher education, but most forms of organized church activity, formal missionary work, evangelistic services, and many modern inventions including the ownership of automobiles and telephones and the use of electricity, and in some communities the use of tractors for farming. These attitudes and practices distinguish them from all Mennonite and other Amish bodies, although the Old Order Mennonites, the Old Colony Mennonites, and the Hutterites to varying degrees share these attitudes and practices.
"Old Order" Amish is strictly an American term which came into usage as some Amish Mennonite congregations resisted "new" methods of church work as well as "new" forms of social organization and technology. One cannot properly speak of "Old Order" before 1850, and its usage came gradually after about 1870, or following the Amish Ministers' Conferences 1862-78, called Diener Versammlungen, which finally crystallized the differences between the more progressive Amish and the Old Order groups. Since the Old Order Amish worship in private homes they are sometimes called "House Amish," to distinguish them from the "Church Amish," who worship in meetinghouses."
"In theology the Amish have retained the basic doctrines of their forefathers, but have certain characteristic emphases. One of these is the denial of assurance of salvation; they commonly hold that one can only hope to be saved, that it is pride to claim certainty of salvation. There is also little teaching or preaching of conversion, and no pietistic type of piety. There is a strong emphasis on living a righteous life, being and doing good, and obeying the rules of the church."
"The Old Order Amish subscribe to the Dordrecht Confession of Faith of 1632 and in formal doctrine differ little from the other Mennonite groups of Swiss descent. They however practice the strict interpretation of avoidance or shunning (Meidung) of excommunicated members. At communion time in the spring and autumn they also practice feetwashing. Women wear the prayer cap at all times, and small girls begin to wear the cap as soon as they can walk. The youth are admitted to the church at the age of about 17-20, with baptism, usually once a year in the spring after a period of formal instruction by the ministers."
(Source: http://www.gameo.org/encyclopedia/contents/O54.html )
"Old Order Amish, a segment of the Amish Mennonites distinguished by their nonconformist attitudes and resistance to social change, and characterized by worship in private homes, a strictly rural way of life, a horse-and-buggy culture, the use of a dialect of the German language, and "plain" dress resembling that of European peoples two centuries ago. They have no meetinghouses (with minor exceptions), and oppose not only higher education, but most forms of organized church activity, formal missionary work, evangelistic services, and many modern inventions including the ownership of automobiles and telephones and the use of electricity, and in some communities the use of tractors for farming. These attitudes and practices distinguish them from all Mennonite and other Amish bodies, although the Old Order Mennonites, the Old Colony Mennonites, and the Hutterites to varying degrees share these attitudes and practices.
"Old Order" Amish is strictly an American term which came into usage as some Amish Mennonite congregations resisted "new" methods of church work as well as "new" forms of social organization and technology. One cannot properly speak of "Old Order" before 1850, and its usage came gradually after about 1870, or following the Amish Ministers' Conferences 1862-78, called Diener Versammlungen, which finally crystallized the differences between the more progressive Amish and the Old Order groups. Since the Old Order Amish worship in private homes they are sometimes called "House Amish," to distinguish them from the "Church Amish," who worship in meetinghouses."
"In theology the Amish have retained the basic doctrines of their forefathers, but have certain characteristic emphases. One of these is the denial of assurance of salvation; they commonly hold that one can only hope to be saved, that it is pride to claim certainty of salvation. There is also little teaching or preaching of conversion, and no pietistic type of piety. There is a strong emphasis on living a righteous life, being and doing good, and obeying the rules of the church."
"The Old Order Amish subscribe to the Dordrecht Confession of Faith of 1632 and in formal doctrine differ little from the other Mennonite groups of Swiss descent. They however practice the strict interpretation of avoidance or shunning (Meidung) of excommunicated members. At communion time in the spring and autumn they also practice feetwashing. Women wear the prayer cap at all times, and small girls begin to wear the cap as soon as they can walk. The youth are admitted to the church at the age of about 17-20, with baptism, usually once a year in the spring after a period of formal instruction by the ministers."
(Source: http://www.gameo.org/encyclopedia/contents/O54.html )