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The Amish & The Practice of Shunning
But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of sexual immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler–not even to eat with such a one. For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Is it not those inside the church whom you are to judge? God judges those outside. "Purge the evil person from among you." (I Corinthians 5:11-13)
Every year my family tries to make it up to Lancaster County in Pennsylvania to visit “Amish country.” We love it. Not just the farm air either. We love just about everything about it. It is an early-rising, hard-working, simple lifestyle these folks are living, and it is appealing in so many ways. Every time we visit, usually staying in a cozy bed and breakfast, the discussion almost always comes up, and I get asked the question…again.
“Why can’t we become Amish?”
I’m sure if I thought about it long enough, I could come up with a biblically based, rational reason why we can’t. Like the fact that many Amish are not Christian. But I think the fact that my wife won’t let me grow a beard like that, and we can’t sing in German is a good place to start, don’t you? Besides, the last horse I was on was back in the ‘early ‘70’s, on a old dirt road in Arkansas, way back in the woods, racing my brother back to the farm. We’d just finished watching our favorite western TV series ‘Bonanza.’ I was Little Joe, of course, I can’t remember who he was. It’s a long, embarrassing story. Let’s just say I lost the reins and the horse made a bee-line down the middle of a busy highway back to the farm. It was not pretty.
Anyway, we have great memories of Lancaster county. Lord willing, we’ll make more in the future. One memorable moment I recall was trying to get a photo of some kids riding in the back of a buggy. We were following in our car, windows rolled down so we could hear the ‘clip-clop’ of horses hooves. As you know, the Amish are not partial to having their photo’s taken, something about graven images I do believe. Well, it was a picturesque moment, with the sun just beginning to set. We’re rolling along slowly behind the buggy, with the kids facing us. My wife slowly got her camera ready, waiting for just the right time. I mean, it’s not like the buggy was suddenly going to zoom off or anything.
Well, she kept hesitating to get the picture. She remembered they didn’t like to have their pictures taken. Would she be doing the wrong thing if she went for it? I kept urging her to take it. The picture would be perfect. Look at that landscape, the sun’s setting, those kids look adorable with their straw hats and prayer caps….just take the picture! I tried to encourage her to pull a Nike and ‘just do it’, so I blurted out repeatedly:
“Take the shot! Shoot ‘em! Shoot ‘em!”
Now remember, our windows are rolled down. I couldn’t tell what the kids were saying, but I’m pretty sure they thought we had a weapon. We got the shot. I just hope we didn’t scar the kids emotionally or anything.
Another great memory of our last Lancaster trip was the night we got shunned eating supper at a real (read non-tourist attraction) Amish home. I don’t know how many Baptist preacher’s have been shunned by the Amish before, but I’ve proudly joined those ranks if there are any.
Ok, it wasn’t a real shunning, but, here’s what happened.
Eli was the owner of the B&B we were staying at. He had graciously arranged for us to be able to visit and eat with an Amish family on their dairy farm. This would be wonderful! We arrived with a couple of other families and were seated by an Amish lady to our tables.
Now if you know anything about the Amish, you know the family eats at the ‘big’ table, and the small table is usually where the ‘shunned’ sit. Well, guess where I was placed? Right, the little table. I remember thinking, “That’s odd. Don’t they like Eli?” Of course, I knew we weren’t actually being shunned, but I did start thinking about the whole business of ‘shunning’ in the Amish community.
Fortunately, later that evening, one of the other guest actually asked about the practice. The hostess explained that basically it meant that the ones shunned did not eat with the rest of the family, and usually, ate at the small table.
Well, I couldn’t resist. I raised my hand and asked with a smile,
“Like this table? Are we being shunned?”
She laughed. Everyone laughed. I suppose you had to be there.
Which brings me to the reason of this post. Shunning. They still practice it in Amish country, and it is based on the passage of Scripture above, I Corinthians 5:11-13. There is such a thing as ecclesiastical jurisdiction which the state has no business sticking their noses in, and, I believe it to be a very sound biblical practice. After all, it’s Scriptural, but we rarely see it practiced in churches today do we? In fact, church discipline as a whole is largely missing altogether.
Matthew Henry said on this passage:
Christians are to avoid familiar converse with all who disgrace the Christian name. Such are only fit companions for their brethren in sin, and to such company they should be left, whenever it is possible to do so.
What are your thoughts on ‘shunning’? Not only in the Amish practice, but as a Christian discipline to be practiced in the church body?
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Hi Joel, Amazingly I was reading this morning The Discipline of Spiritual Discernment and he mentions the practice of Amish shunning. So I was wondering what reasons the Amish used to shun others, I just had not sat down to research it yet. But you laid it right out there for me, I Corinthians 5:11-13. So thanks so much for the help with that!
May God continue to bless you and yours.
Joel,
Do we use the practice of separation/shunning for discipline or social reasons? I was member where one person left, they were shunned as they had “left the body”.
Their sin was leaving, and once I left I was/am shunned by family, friends of over 30 years. This practice is much more common than one would surmise.
To withdraw for purposes of repentance from a christian brother is proper. Should I never socialize with unbelievers? How do I present gospel, only preaching? Jesus walked among the sinners and faithfully confronted their need of salvation. The key is are we going to faithful to present truth and knowingly offend for the sake of Christ? I have unfortunately failed in this regard.
Separation from a brother should be a serious and pray laden event when undertaken.
I loved reading about your adventures in Amish country.
It’s interesting that you brought this up Joel because there was a news report that recently brought this practice of ‘shunning’ that the Amish participate in into the light of public scrutiny.
“Four Amish leaders have been charged with failing to report suspected child abuse after they chose to shun an accused child molester in their community rather than turn him in to authorities.”
Here is the rest of the report here:
http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/news/faith/2009/11/amish_sexual_abuse.html
I guess my thoughts on the way that the Amish perform “shunning” is not the same in my mind as this way the Bible text from 1 Corinthians is written. It says, “Purge the evil person from among you.” That doesn’t sound like merely have them eat at a smaller table. It sounds more like, “you just got kicked off the island, now leave!”
The form of “shunning” that the Amish use looks more like what the text in 2 Thessalonians 3:6-15 talks about which is shame through socially avoiding the offender. The text in 1 Corinthians appears to me to be a text that is talking about expelling someone from continued association with the body, until which time they repent, confess their sin to the body and are restored. The way that I have personally seen this done in the past, an individual has had ample opportunity to confess their sin and repent of it. The individual completely rejected any form of correction and was expelled and I never saw them again.
Funny for me to read because I used to live in Lanc Co and have now moved far, far away. You will find that the Amish often live under whatever the Bishop (or is it some other title, I don’t know) of their particular community says. If he says phones in the barn, it’s okay, if he says you may have buttons on your pants, sew them on… But usually he’ll stick to the no-button rule. I’m not sure that all Amish are Christians, because their particular blend of life and religion can confuse the truth of the matter, but I have met Amish people that do seem to be Christians. However, to be a Christian in the Amish community seems to go against the grain of the legalistic bent (yep, here we go with legalism again Joel!!!) In this case, to call the Amish people just a tad legalistic is justified.
In fact, the longer you stay in Amish country, the more you appreciate the old-fashioned goodness of the people, but the more they remind you of Shakers and Old Quakers, and other sects like that. Scared to leave because of the condemnation in the next life and shunning in this life. However, many of the proud grandparents cannot sustain shunning when they see their new baby grandchildren, and often the family can partially reunite over the good of the family in this regard.
A note about the Biblical basis for shunning… We are supposed to cast out the ‘Brothers’ in our church who pay lip service to Christianity but are willingly and unapologetically steeping themselves in sin. It’s the deceitfulness that causes us to need to break ties with them. Shunning a family member when they choose not to join a particular church, whilst no deceit on their part, wouldn’t fall under this. How else would we ever witness to others in the world, sinners or not, if we had to shun them all?
Very timely post. I won’t offer details, but it is an issue I am currently struggling with (& loosing sleep over). I would appreciate prayers for peace, wisdom, discernment & strength.