Originally published on October 25, 2021 (Episode 230)
Introduction
When people speak of “the Amish,” they often use the term as if it described a single, uniform way of life. In reality, it conceals rather than reveals. There are over forty different affiliations or subgroups, each with distinctive practices—from clothing and carriages to technological and cultural choices. And within those forty affiliations lie more than 2,600 church districts, each with its own religious and social rhythms.
Yet amidst this remarkable diversity, many shared beliefs, rituals, and commitments still allow us to speak of “the Amish” as a recognizable whole. In his new book What the Amish Teach Us: Plain Living in a Busy World, Donald Kraybill explains what we might learn from Amish choices about community, simplicity, and values in an age of distraction and hyperconnection.
About the Guest
Donald B. Kraybill is Distinguished College Professor at Elizabethtown College, where he also serves as Senior Fellow of the Young Center for Anabaptist and Pietist Studies. A leading scholar of the Amish and related Anabaptist groups, he is the author or editor of more than two dozen books, including The Amish, The Riddle of Amish Culture, and Horse-and-Buggy Mennonites.
For Further Investigation
Donald Kraybill, What the Amish Teach Us: Plain Living in a Busy World (Johns Hopkins University Press, 2021)
Donald Kraybill, The Riddle of Amish Culture (Johns Hopkins University Press, 2010)
Donald Kraybill, Karen M. Johnson-Weiner, and Steven M. Nolt, The Amish (Johns Hopkins University Press, 2013)
The Young Center for Anabaptist and Pietist Studies, Elizabethtown College
💬 Listen & Discuss
What lessons can a 21st-century world of speed and screens take from the plain living of Amish communities? And does this relate to history, at all? Share your reflections in the comments — and consider forwarding this episode to a friend who might enjoy the conversation.
