Old Order Anabaptism
Old Order Anabaptism is a group of communities that keep to the old ways of the Anabaptist faith and simple living. It began in the late 1800s among the Amish and Mennonites of South German and Swiss roots, and also the Schwarzenau Brethren and River Brethren in the United States and Canada. The Hutterites are often included because they live communally.
Between 1845 and 1901, the Old Order split from mainstream Anabaptist groups, creating several divisions. After 1901, new Old Order groups formed from existing ones or from people moving between groups.
In 1989, Sandra L. Cronk wrote that the Old Order Amish and Old Order Mennonites are not relics of a bygone era. The Old Order movement is a deliberate effort to maintain a Christian life based on values different from those of the wider society.
By the end of the 20th century, there were more than 250,000 Old Order Anabaptists in North America. They have rich spiritual and community life, and many people want to join. They do not train pastors in seminaries or develop highly formal theology.
Many practices come from the idea of not conforming to the world. They avoid certain technologies to protect community life. A technology is rejected if it would harm the community, but rules are not absolute. If there is a real need, a member may ride in a car or use modern transport. They may have electricity in places like the milking barn to keep milk cool, but not in their homes.
Plain dress is an important sign of humility. It says that a person’s worth comes from their spirit, not their clothes or appearance. The plain dress follows the New Testament teaching against outward adornment.
Nonresistance and loving one’s enemies are shared beliefs.
Common practices include plain dress, often resembling old Pennsylvania Quaker dress. Differences come from each group’s origins. Amish men often wear coats with standing collars reflecting Bavarian, Austrian, and Swiss roots.
Old Order Amish always use horse and buggy; some Old Order Mennonites and Schwarzenau Brethren also use horse and buggy, while Old Order River Brethren mostly drive cars (a small subgroup still uses horses). The Old Order German Baptist Brethren in Ohio still use horses and buggies and do not have electricity in their homes. Hutterite groups use cars.
Most Old Order Amish speak a German dialect at home (Pennsylvania German or Alemannic). Hutterites speak Hutterite German. Many Old Order Mennonites who drive horses and buggies also speak Pennsylvania German, especially outside Virginia. The groups that moved from German to English did so mainly in the late 20th century.
There are about 350,000 Old Order Amish, 60,000–80,000 Old Order Mennonites, about 7,000 Old Order Brethren, about 350 Old Order River Brethren, and around 50,000 Hutterites. Growth rates are about 3–5% per year for the Amish and Mennonites (roughly 3.7%), while Schwarzenau and River Brethren Old Orders grew more slowly and some years shrank. English-speaking Old Order groups tend to grow more slowly than German-speaking ones.
The Old Order Anabaptists include the Amish, Old Order Mennonites, Old Order Schwarzenau Brethren, Old Order River Brethren, Old Order German Baptist Brethren, and Hutterites.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 13:09 (CET).