The Amish Voice
Warning! Before you read the following art-
cle, I would like to say a few things:
A few will read the this artcle and be-
come upset, possibly even angry.
Others will read this with an open
mind, consider what is being said and
possibly even be blessed by it.
Having said that, can I urge you to consider
two very important thoughts before you re-
act?
I could very well be wrong on some
interpretatons of Scripture and am
willing to be challenged with your
views and understanding of excommu-
nicaton and shunning.
Let’s not forget that in the end, God
has the last word — not me or you.
And because God has the last word, we
will be much further ahead IF we base
our views and understanding of excom-
municaton and shunning on His Word;
not ours.
Excommunicaton and shunning, as most of
us know, was one of the main reasons why
Jacob Amman split away from the Mennon-
ites in late 1600’s. In fact, let’s visit parts of
that history before we get into our main
study today.
Division between
Jacob Amman and Hans Reist
The year was 1690, and two men, who were
leaders in the Mennonite Church, began to
struggle over some religious practices that
were taking place in the church. Their
names were Hans Reist and Jacob Amman.
In 1693, Amman, in a confrontation with
Reist's followers, excommunicated Reist and
his leaders, causing a shock throughout all
of the Mennonite communities in Western
Europe. Jacob Amman was causing divisions
within the Mennonite church.
Afer years of banning and excommuni-
catng nearly half of all Mennonites, some
calmer heads began to reason with Jacob
Amman. Afer much soul searching, and
considering of the consequences that he had
caused within the Mennonite church, Jacob
Amman and some of his leaders decided to
try to rejoin the mainstream Mennonite
church.
In order to show repentance, Jacob Amman
excommunicated himself and his leaders. In
1699, and again in 1700, Amman tried to
rejoin the Mennonites. The Mennonites felt
it was not possible, since there would al-
ways be diferences and separaton by doc-
trine and interpretaton of scripture and
traditons.
Some Facts On Jacob Amman
Jacob Amman had excommunicated
over half of the Mennonites.
The Mennonites excommunicated
Jacob Amman
And finally, Jacob Amman excommu-
nicated himself from his own group.
Jacob Amman, spiritual leader and
founder of the Amish faith, died while
he was still excommunicated from the
Mennonites.
PO Box 128, 575 State Route 250 N, Savannah OH 44874 Office: (419) 962-1515
January 2011
Excommunication and Shunning Members of the Church
—Joe Keim