New Order Amish

The New Order Amish are an Amish group that split from the Old Order Amish Church in 1966 in favor of a more liberal church.

The beliefs that the group disagreed with were the shunning (ex-communication of members who behave badly or in disaccordance with the "Ordnung"), only being able to hope for salvation and not using electricity. In 1966, around one hundred families split with the Old Order Amish in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, and created two new congregations, naming themselves "New Order Amish."

The doctrine of shunning was an important part of the Old Order Amish faith: to reject that was to reject their Amish heritage, since the whole Amish movement came out of the doctrine of shunning. Jakob Ammann split with the Mennonites since he believed that they were too liberal in their shunning policy. He advocated strict shunning to any baptized member who did not follow the Ordnung, or who left the faith to join another denomination or religion.

Some things the New Order Amish use that are forbidden by Old Order Amish are motorized tractors with rubber tires and telephones in the home.

While the Old Order Amish are allowed to use tobacco, the New Order Amish forbid its use.

References

* [http://www.religioustolerance.org/amish2.htm religioustolerance.org]