Old Order Mennonite

Old Order Mennonite
Name	Old Order Mennonite
Main classification	Anabaptist
Orientation	Conservative Anabaptist
Polity	Congregationalist
Founded date	Late 19th century
Founded place	North America
Separations	Old Order Amish, Conservative Mennonites
Members	~ 100,000

Old Order Mennonite. Old Order Mennonites are a theologically and culturally conservative branch of the Anabaptist tradition, originating from schisms within the larger Mennonite church in the late 19th century. They are distinguished by their commitment to plain dress, separation from the world, and a cautious approach to modern technology, forming tight-knit agricultural communities primarily across North America. While sharing some similarities with the Old Order Amish, they maintain distinct theological emphases and organizational structures, often utilizing horse-and-buggy transportation but generally being more accepting of certain technologies like telephones and tractors.

History

The Old Order movement emerged from a series of divisions within mainstream Mennonite conferences, most notably the Mennonite Church, during the 1870s and 1880s. Key events included the 1866 Mennonite General Conference in Ontario and subsequent conferences in Pennsylvania, where debates over innovations like Sunday schools, revival meetings, and increasingly fashionable dress created deep rifts. Influential leaders such as Bishop Jacob Wisler of Elkhart County and Bishop Jonas Martin of Lancaster County led conservative factions that rejected these changes, seeking to preserve older forms of worship and community discipline. These schisms, occurring in places like the Mennonite Church in Wayne County, solidified the separate identity of Old Order groups, who saw themselves as upholding the teachings of early Anabaptist leaders like Menno Simons and the principles of the Dordrecht Confession of Faith.

Beliefs and practices

Theological foundations are rooted in the core Anabaptist tenets of adult believer's baptism, nonresistance, and the separation of church and state, as articulated in the Schleitheim Confession. Central to their practice is the concept of *Gelassenheit* (yieldedness), emphasizing humility, obedience, and community over individualism. Distinctive outward practices include plain, uniform dress (often with cape dresses and head coverings for women and broadfall trousers for men), the use of Pennsylvania German or Plautdietsch in worship and home, and a strong emphasis on communal mutual aid. Worship services are held bi-weekly in members' homes or simple meetinghouses, featuring a cappella singing from the Ausbund hymnal, scripture reading, and sermons. They practice strict church discipline, including the use of shunning in some subgroups, to maintain doctrinal and behavioral purity.

Subgroups and affiliations

The Old Order Mennonite world is not monolithic but consists of numerous fellowships and affiliations, often defined by regional traditions and minor variations in practice. Major groupings include the Wisler Mennonites (or Indiana-Michigan Conference), the Martin Mennonites centered in Lancaster County, and the Reidenbach and Stauffer Mennonites also in Pennsylvania. In Canada, significant communities exist in Ontario regions like Waterloo Region and Perth County, including groups like the Markham-Waterloo Conference. Other notable affiliations are the Nebraska Mennonites and the Tampico-Illinois communities. While doctrinally aligned, these groups maintain their own ordination lines and may differ on specifics of technology use, dress patterns, or interaction with other Conservative Mennonite bodies.

Demographics and distribution

The total population is estimated at approximately 100,000 adherents, with a high birth rate contributing to steady growth. The largest and most well-known settlements are in the United States, particularly in Pennsylvania (Lancaster County and Mifflin County), Ohio (Holmes County), Indiana (Elkhart County and Lagrange County), and Virginia (Rockingham County). In Canada, the primary population centers are in Southern Ontario, notably in the Waterloo Region, and in Manitoba. Smaller communities and daughter settlements have also been established in states like New York, Kentucky, Missouri, and Tennessee, as well as in provinces like Prince Edward Island, often as a result of land scarcity in traditional heartlands.

Lifestyle and community

Life is predominantly agrarian, with most families operating diversified family farms, a practice seen as integral to maintaining a self-sufficient and separate community. Economic activities also include carpentry, small-scale manufacturing (such as sheds or furniture), and retail businesses like bakeries and harness shops. The community is the central social unit, organized around the church district and reinforced through practices like frolics (communal work bees), shared meals, and visiting. Education typically ends at the eighth grade in one-room parochial schools operated by the church, emphasizing practical skills and reinforcing community values over higher academic or secular pursuits. Disputes are resolved within the church, avoiding involvement with external legal systems like the Supreme Court of the United States.

Relationship with technology

Adherence to the principle of separation from the world governs a cautious, selective approach to technology, evaluated based on its perceived impact on family and community integrity. Horse-and-buggy transportation remains a widespread, symbolic practice, though some groups may permit tractors for farming if they are steel-wheeled to limit mobility for road travel. Telephones are commonly accepted but often kept in outbuildings to regulate use, while electricity from the public grid is frequently rejected in favor of alternative sources like batteries, propane, or diesel generators. Radios, television, and personal internet access are almost universally prohibited as sources of worldly influence. This regulated adoption creates a distinct technological profile, differing from both the Old Order Amish and more assimilated groups like the Mennonite Church USA.

Category:Anabaptism Category:Mennonite denominations in North America Category:Religious organizations established in the 19th century