Amish vs. Mennonite: What’s The Difference Between Amish And Mennonite?

What are the key differences between Amish and Mennonite communities? Read on to learn about the similarities and differences between these two groups, as well as the pros and cons of each.
Amish vs. Mennonite: 7 Key Differences, Pros & Cons, Similarities

Amish vs. Mennonite: There are many different religions in the world, which have other practices and beliefs they follow. Muslims and Christians are one of those main religions. Christians are further divided into many groups. Amish and Mennonite are Christian groups that Separated to form groups with different beliefs. The main difference between the Amish and Mennonites is their different practices and beliefs. Amish live in a group with their own people, while the Mennonites live like a normal population with everyone else.

Let’s take a closer look at Mennonite versus Amish

GroupBoth belong to the anabaptists group
FounderThe founder of the Amish is Jacob Amman, while Mennonite is Frisian Menno Simons.
LivingAmish lives in groups while Mennonites live like normal population
ModrenMennonite are more modern than Amish

Who are the Amish?

Who are the Amish? If we look at Amish meaning: it is one of the groups of the Christian religion which has separated from Anabaptist. If we look at the Amish definition, it is a group of the Christian religion in which the sinners have to be punished. This religious group was founded by Jacob Amman, who believes that anyone who commits sins should be punished seriously. This group was founded in the 17th century. And according to the rules of its religion, if anyone does not follow them, he will be excommunicated. The Amish lived in groups or close communities, as they were separated from the rest of the world. They also followed their specific customs, principles and behaviors. The church services are also held at home in close-knit communities. Moreover, they also prohibited the usage of modern technologies, and their mode of transport was horse-driven vehicles like buggies and scooters.

If we look at Amish meaning: it is one of the groups of the Christian religion which has separated from Anabaptist. If we look at the Amish definition, it is a group of the Christian religion in which the sinners have to be punished. This religious group was founded by Jacob Amman, who believes that anyone who commits sins should be punished seriously. This group was founded in the 17th century. And according to the rules of its religion, if anyone does not follow them, he will be excommunicated. The Amish lived in groups or close communities, as they were separated from the rest of the world. They also followed their specific customs, principles and behaviors. The church services are also held at home in close-knit communities. Moreover, they also prohibited the usage of modern technologies, and their mode of transport was horse-driven vehicles like buggies and scooters.

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Who are Mennonites?

Who are Mennonites? If we look at Mennonite meaning: It is another group of the Christian religion which was formed as the result of the reformation movement that came out from Anabaptists in the 16th century. It was founded by Frisian Menno Simons. This group of religions believes that the system of faith works around human beings in which; they try to help the poor. They also live like a normal population. They are like the peacemakers among the people. The majority use the English language even in the services they hold in their church. They believe that religion and the world should not be mixed and even needs to be treated separately. They follow their religious practices strictly and also emphasize discipline. They live a simple life like other people and use modern technologies. Unlike the Amish, they do not look much different from others. They wear normal clothes like women wear printed, floral or plain prints according to their choice, and men do not have to possess a full beard.

If we look at Mennonite meaning: It is another group of the Christian religion which was formed as the result of the reformation movement that came out from Anabaptists in the 16th century. It was founded by Frisian Menno Simons. This group of religions believes that the system of faith works around human beings in which; they try to help the poor. They also live like a normal population. They are like the peacemakers among the people. The majority use the English language even in the services they hold in their church. They believe that religion and the world should not be mixed and even needs to be treated separately. They follow their religious practices strictly and also emphasize discipline. They live a simple life like other people and use modern technologies. Unlike the Amish, they do not look much different from others. They wear normal clothes like women wear printed, floral or plain prints according to their choice, and men do not have to possess a full beard.

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7 Key Differences Between Amish and Mennonite

ComponentsAmishMennonite
FoundationAmish was founded in the 16th century by Jacob AdamsMennonite was founded in the 16th century by Frisian Menno Simons
BeliefThey believe if anyone has done a sin, he needs to be punished seriouslyThey followed the peaceful teaching of Anabaptists and believed in helping others
DressingMen and women wear dresses with solid colors. Men also have full beardsWomen wear flowered prints or plain fabric according to their taste, and men do not have a full beard
FollowersThey are very strict about following church rules, and if one does not follow them, he will be excommunicated.They are not as strict as the Amish about their church services and allow people to make their own decisions.
Church ServicesChurch services are held privately at homes. They use German or regular German dialect language during services.The services are held in the church with other people, and the English language is used during the services.
LifestyleThey live in simple but only in groupsThey live like a normal population
TechnologyThey prohibit the use of any kind of the modern technologyThey wear modern attires and use modern technologies

Amish vs. Mennonite Similarities 

  • Whether it is Amish or Mennonite,both have their roots in Anabaptists, who believe in the simplicity of faith.
  • Both of these groups follow the practices retrieved from the Bible.
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Amish vs. Mennonite Examples

Amish Examples

  • Lancaster
  • Holmes Old Order
  • Elkhart-LaGrange

Mennonite Examples

  • Conference Mennonites
  • Conservative Mennonites
  • Old Order Mennonites.

Amish vs. Mennonite Pros and Cons

Amish Pros and Cons

Amish Pros and Cons

Pros of Amish

  • Almost all of the Amish have ownership of automobiles as their primary form of locomotion.
  • The Amish are very concerned about their principles and rules, which keep discipline in their group.
  • The Amish have some unique appearances, like women with solid dresses and men with full beards, which makes them distinct from others. And they can easily recognize their friends from other places.

Cons of Amish

  • The Amish believe that anyone who commits a crime must be punished seriously.
  • Amish are not into modern technologies, and they prohibit the usage of these.

Mennonite Pros and Cons

Mennonite Pros and Cons

Pros of Mennonite

  • Mennonites are like the peacemakers among the people; they believe in helping the poor
  • Mennonites use English in their church services and some modern practices as well, like audiovisual tools and worship teams.
  • Mennonite are not strict with their people about following rules and don’t have any specific appearance; they can wear whatever they like.

Cons of Mennonite

  • Mennonites live like the normal population, making it difficult for others to differentiate them from others.
  • Mennonites are not very strict about their services or principles, which sometimes results in disciplinary issues during services.

Comparison Chart

What are the key differences between Amish and Mennonite communities? Read on to learn about the similarities and differences between these two groups, as well as the pros and cons of each.

Comparison Video

Amish vs. Mennonites: What’s the difference?

Conclusion

There are various religions in the world. Muslims and Christians are the main two of them. Amish and Mennonite are two of the groups of the Christian religion. Jacob Aman founded the Amish group in the 17th century, while the Mennonite was founded in the 16th century by Frisian Menno Simons. If we look at the Amish Vs. Mennonite differences, both have different beliefs and behavior. The Amish believe that the one who commits sin must be punished seriously, while the Mennonites follow the peaceful teaching and do not believe in violating. Moreover, if we talk about the Amish versus Mennonite lifestyle, the Mennonites use all the modern technologies with modern attires, while the Amish prohibit all the modern technologies. The Amish also don’t like to live like normal people; their women wear solid-colored dresses, and men have full beards, while Mennonites give their people a choice of what they want to wear and do not force them to keep a full beard. 

Alex Stantor
Alex Stantor

Alex Stantor is a Sorbonne University (Paris, France) graduate in Philosophy and Data Analysis. Currently, he is an Author and Researcher at Difference 101, he writes articles/blog posts on topics such as "thinking differently" and "the importance of difference". Alex is a passionate advocate of diversity in the workplace and in companies, and diversity and inclusion in corporate communications. He currently lives in Brooklyn.

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