Much of the counsel sermon and admonitions emphasize positive examples of how to live. The bishop also presents the church’s position on issues that are “making trouble at the time,” or things that “the bishops are not allowing yet.”18 The dress code is reaffirmed, and questionable social practices—cell phones, credit cards, the Internet—are discouraged. “We are asked to work against these troubles,” a young minister explained, “and clean ourselves of them, and then we expect a testimony from each member to see if he is in agreement with that counseling.” A member explained the procedure: “Two of the ministers go around, one with the men and one with the women, and they go around and ask each one, ‘Are you agreed?’ and everyone says, ‘I’m agreed.’ And you’d better be, too! Or have some grounds for it, which is right. This is done in front of the entire congregation.” If they disagree, members are asked to come to a front bench and explain their position.
If a serious impasse cannot be resolved, communion may be postponed until the congregation is “at peace”—meaning that all members concur with the Ordnung. The Counsel Meeting is a critical moment for purging sins of selfishness, pride, self-will—any moral decay that might erode the common life. The Counsel Meeting is a special moment when the moral order, the Ordnung, is reaffirmed and the collective will prevails. It is especially moving if a repentant offender rejoins the fellowship. If harmony emerges in the Counsel Meeting, communion follows in two weeks. The results of the local Counsel Meetings are reported at the respective Ministers’ Meetings in the settlement. A day of fasting normally occurs between the Counsel Meeting and communion.
Although somber in mood, the communion service is a celebration of unity within the body. The observance of communion begins about 8:00 a.m. and continues until 4:00 p.m. without a formal break. During the lunch hour, people quietly leave the main worship area in small clusters to eat in an adjoining room. The service peaks as the minister retells the suffering of Christ and the congregation shares the bread and wine. Some ministers pace their sermons so that the passion story occurs about 3:00 P.M., to coincide with the supposed moment of Christ’s death.
The bishop breaks bread to each member. The congregation drinks grape wine from a single cup that is passed around to commemorate the suffering and death of Jesus Christ. The sacrifice and bitter suffering of Christ are emphasized and held up as models for members. When speaking of the wine and bread, the bishop stresses the importance of individual members being crushed like a grain of wheat and pressed like a small berry to make a single drink. A bishop explained: “If one grain remains unbroken and whole, it can have no part in the whole . . . if one single berry remains whole, it has no share in the whole . . . and no fellowship with the rest.”19 These metaphors legitimize the importance of individuals yielding their wills for the welfare of the larger body.
The service culminates in footwashing, as the congregation sings. Segregated by sex and arranged in pairs, members dip, wash, and dry each other’s feet. Several tubs of warm water and towels are placed throughout the rooms. Symbolizing extreme humility, the washer stoops rather than kneels to wash the foot of a brother or sister. One bishop reminds his members that they are “stooping to the needs of their brother.” The ritual of humility concludes with a “holy kiss” and an exchange of blessing between the two partners. At the end of the footwashing, alms are handed to the deacon for the poor fund, the only offering ever taken in an Amish service. Having affirmed the moral order, the purified community is rejuvenated for another six months of life together.
ORDINATION: DIVINE LOTTERY
The ordination of leaders is the emotional high point in the ritual life of the community. The customary practice of leadership selection mirrors Amish values and stands in sharp contrast to the selection of professional pastors.20 Only married men who are members of the local church district are eligible for ministerial office. The personal lifestyle of candidates is valued far above training or competence. There is no pay, training, or career path associated with the role of minister. It is considered haughty and arrogant to aspire for the office. Ministers are called by the congregation in a biblical procedure known as “the casting of lots,” in which they yield to the mysteries of divine selection. The term of office is for life. If a vacancy arises because of illness, death, or the formation of a new church district, a unanimous congregational vote is required to proceed.
The ordination service is typically held at the end of a communion service, often on a weekday. Male and female members proceed to a room in the house and whisper the name of a candidate to the deacon, who passes it on to the bishop. Men who receive three or more votes are placed in the lot. Typically, about a half dozen men receive enough votes. At the last instruction class before baptism, young men pledge to serve as leaders if called upon by the church. Thus, personal reasons for being excused from the lot are unacceptable. Those in the lot are asked if they are “in harmony with the ordinances of the church and the articles of faith.” If they answer yes, they kneel for prayer, asking God to show which one he has chosen.21
Members of a church district gather at a home for a worship service.
The lot “falls” on the new minister without warning. A slip of paper bearing a Bible verse is placed in a song book. The book is randomly mixed with other song books, equaling the number of candidates. Seated around a table, each candidate selects a book. The bishop in charge says: “Lord of all generations, show us which one you have chosen among these brethren.” The presiding bishop then opens each book, one by one, looking for the fateful paper that says the lot “falls on the man as the Lord decrees.”22 The service is packed with tears and emotion. Like a bolt of lightning, the lot strikes the new minister’s family with the stunning realization that he is about to assume a high and heavy calling for the rest of his life.
In the spirit of Gelassenheit, the “winner” receives neither applause nor congratulations. Rather, tears, silence, sympathy, and quiet words of support are extended to the new leader and his family, who must now bear the heavy burden of servanthood for the rest of their lives as they give themselves up to the church. This is the holiest of moments in Amish life because in a mere second, Almighty God reaches down from the highest heavens and selects a shepherd for the flock.
The simple ritual, based on biblical precedent, is an astute mechanism for leadership selection.23 Once again, personal desires are surrendered to the common welfare. The leader and his family yield to the community by “giving themselves up” for the larger cause. No perks, prestige, financial gain, career goals, or personal objectives drive the selection or accrue to the officeholder. In fact, just the opposite. Members of the congregation quietly speculate what the newly ordained couple will have to give up as they more fully “give themselves under” the authority of the church. In addition to wearing plainer clothing, they may have to put away some borderline items—fancy curtains or machinery—to better comply with the Ordnung and exemplify faithful behavior for the rest of the flock.
Core values of Amish culture are reaffirmed in the ritual, for only local, untrained men are acceptable candidates. The congregation can nominate the brightest and best who have lived among them for many years. Although it would be haughty to seek ordination, some individuals may privately hope for the office or at least enjoy the rewards of respect if ordained. The permanency of the choice underscores the durability of commitment and community. The entire ritual is a cogent reminder that leadership rests on the bedrock of Gelassenheit.
Unlike many Protestant denominations, the Amish rarely have a leadership crisis. Although to the outsider the simple ritual may resemble a divine lottery, it has profound social consequences. The abrupt “falling of the lot” prevents “campaigning” beforehand. All members may nominate candidates, but in the final analysis the leader is “chosen by the decree of the Lord.” In a critical moment that will shape its life for years, the community also yields because it must accept “the shepherd that the Lord selects.” Bei
ng selected by divine choice is quite different from being invited to serve a congregation with a sixty-to-forty vote. The minister may not be the first choice of some members, but his authority comes by divine mandate unequaled by charisma, seminary training, or theological degrees. Members who are unhappy with the choice can quarrel with God, not a faulty political process or a power play by a search committee. Furthermore, only God fires Amish ministers. It is, in short, an ingenious solution to leadership selection that in a plain and simple manner confers stability, authority, and unity to community life.
CONFESSION: AMISH THERAPY
Communion is a sacred rite that revitalizes the moral order, but it is not enough to preserve the Ordnung. The Amish, like other people, forget, rebel, and, for a variety of reasons, stray into deviance. Formal social controls swing into action when informal ones fail. Rituals of confession help to punish deviance and reunite backsliders into full fellowship. Confessions diminish self-will by reminding members of the supreme value of submission. A few deviants may play the confessional role with little remorse, but most confessions are cathartic moments when the power of the corporate body unites with divine presence to purge the cancerous growth of individualism.24
In general, transgressions against the moral order are redeemed by two types of confessions: free will or requested. Free-will, or “open and willing” confessions are initiated by the offender. By contrast, requested confessions are initiated by church leaders to deal with deviant members. Depending on the circumstances and severity of the issue, the confession may take four forms: private, sitting, kneeling, and kneeling followed by a six-week ban.
In a free-will confession, a member may feel guilty for having a fault (fehla). The guilt might arise from various violations of the Ordnung—having some banned technology, inadvertently riding with someone under the ban, premarital sexual relations, cheating in a business transaction, or flying in an airplane. The person goes to the deacon or minister and confesses the fault. In some cases the deacon may offer loving counsel and close the issue in private. In other cases a public form of confession may be required. Free-will confessions involve few complications because the wayward person is cooperative and penitent.
The process becomes more strained when violators do not take the initiative. Through personal observation or reports of members, ordained leaders become aware of a transgression. A member may have used a tractor in the field, installed a silo unloader, joined a township planning commission, filed a lawsuit, attended a dance, participated in a non-Amish Bible study group, or installed a computer in their business.
Following the procedures for dealing with an offending person outlined in Matthew 18, the bishop typically asks the deacon and a minister to visit the wayward member. If the offense is a minor matter that has drawn little attention in the church, and if the member displays an attitude of contrition, the issue may be dropped at this stage. Minor issues solved in the privacy of barns and homes do not require public confession. The errant member simply acknowledges the fault and promises to stop the insulting behavior or to “put away” the offensive item. The deacon reports the outcome of the private confession to the bishop.
Serious matters that draw public attention require public confessions. The offender will be asked to make a confession at a Members’ Meeting before the entire congregation. Depending on circumstances, it may be a sitting, kneeling, or kneeling and ban confession, representing levels two, three, and four respectively. Confessions are handled in a Members’ Meeting, known as the sitting church or sitz gma, which follows a Sunday worship service. Children, nonmembers, and visitors are excused. The frequency of Members’ Meetings varies according to the press of issues in each district.
In the case of a sitting confession, the bishop explains what happened, and the member remains seated wherever he or she is and then says, “I want to confess that I have failed. I want to make peace and continue in patience with God and the church and in the future to take better care.” For a kneeling confession, the bishop invites the wayward member to come forward and kneel near the ministers in the midst of the congregation. The bishop asks the person several questions about the offense and if they are willing to stop it. The person may be sobbing with remorse. Defendants may also be given time to explain their side of the story. After answering the questions, the person leaves the area and the bishop explains a possible punishment.
If the hearing does not produce new information, the bishop presents the congregation with a punishment proposed by the ministers earlier in the morning. Members are asked if they agree with the proposed sanction. A member said: “The congregation usually agrees with the bishop’s layout, except if they know things that the ministers don’t, then they may have to recounsel the whole thing again.” A vote (der Rat) is taken by asking each member if they support the proposed punishment. Sometimes there will be disagreement or discussion at this point, but generally the congregation affirms the action proposed by the bishop. The unanimous consent of the congregation is sought before the individual returns to hear the verdict. The confessor is then invited back to the meeting and asked: “Are you willing to take on the discipline of the church?” Depending on the circumstances, the person is then reinstated or informed that a six-week ban will be enacted.
A Lancaster bishop testifies before a government committee.
The most severe form of punishment (level four) is a six-week ban.25 This, in effect, is a temporary excommunication. If penitent, the offender is eventually restored to full fellowship. Offenders come to the three church services during the six-week period and meet with the ministers for admonition during the congregational singing. The offender enters the service after everyone else has been seated and sits near the ministers in the center. As a sign of remorse, he or she sits bent over with a hand over the face during the service. The offender leaves immediately after the worship service without shaking hands or participating in the meal and fellowship. The six-week exile allows them time to reflect on the seriousness of their transgression and to taste the stigma of shunning. Other members often visit them during this time to show their love and support.
At the end of the ban, offenders are invited to make a kneeling confession in a Members’ Meeting. They are also asked two questions: Do you believe the punishment was deserved? Do you believe your sins have been forgiven through the blood of Jesus Christ? Those who confess their sin and promise to “work with the church” are reinstated into it. The bishop offers offenders the hand of fellowship, pulls them up from their knees, and gives them a kiss of peace. In the case of women, the bishop’s wife gives the kiss. The meeting concludes with some fitting words of comfort.26 Many times this is a beautiful moment of catharsis and healing in the life of the church.
For the “headstrong” who will not submit or confess to the church, the six-week probation leads to full excommunication. Errant members are invited to come to church. “If they don’t come,” explains a member, “then the church, you might say, subpoenas them; they must be there in two weeks, and if they don’t come then they lose their membership.” This places the burden of responsibility on the offender.
In each situation there is considerable freedom to improvise. Ministers try hard to “work with the church” and mediate conflicts in peaceful ways. There is, however, a firm resolve to seek solutions that will maintain harmony and save the integrity of the Ordnung as well as the authority of leaders. The entire process hinges on an attitude of submission—of Gelassenheit. Individuals who display an attitude of contrition are quickly forgiven and reinstated into the fellowship.
The obstinate who challenge the authority of leaders will feel the harsh judgment of the church. A petty, tit-for-tat syndrome, fueled by envy, sometimes sours the confessional process. In one case, a member pressed for action against a bishop’s son who was attending films and flaunting a car. In due time, the bishop sought his revenge by threatening to excommunicate the member for installing a telephone in his barn. In gener
al, senior bishops counsel younger bishops and ministers to “work with their people,” to try to persuade them to cooperate through gentle discussion.
The ritual of confession is filled with humility and healing as well as shame. A member sketched the sequence after young church members attended a wild party hosted by Amish youth who had not joined the church:
They go before the church and they must make a confession depending on the severity of what happened, and they may even lose their membership. They hardly ever refuse to make a confession. Can you picture this, after the church service, after these long sermons, we have a song, and then all the nonmembers go out quiet as a mouse, and can you imagine yourself, a young boy or girl, and you have to get off your seat and walk up and sit right in front of the ministers, and you’re supposed to talk so that the whole church hears you and you get questioned about this thing. Can you imagine not giving up? [emphasis added]. That’s pretty impressive, it gets pretty strong.
The social pressure to confess is strong, but some confessions also become moments of healing that unite the congregation. A young couple, married for several years, asked the church to exclude them for six weeks because they felt guilty about their premarital behavior. A member described the experience: “They asked to be expelled, and so there was this six-week period of repentance. When they were reinstated as members it was such a sensational thing, and everybody felt that this couple really wanted to expose themselves and let the church know that they were sorry for what they had done and wanted to lead a better life. Everybody felt so good about it. It was really a healthy thing for the church. It was really a good feeling.”
The Riddle of Amish Culture Page 15
