11 Difference between Amish and Mennonite (With Table)

There are various religions in the world. The main ones are Christians and Muslims. Christians are further divided into various groups such as Catholics and Protestants.

All these religions have different beliefs that they follow and practice. Some of the religions are found all over the world but some are found in a few countries.

Amish and Mennonite are Christian groups that separated and formed two different groups with different beliefs but they share the roots.

Both belong to the Anabaptists group where both believed in simplicity of faith. Their practices are retrieved from the Bible and this base is still followed by both groups.

So, what is the difference between Amish and Mennonite? Amish group was founded by Jacob Amman and he believed that any kind of sin needs a serious punishment while the Mennonite group followed the teachings of peaceful Anabaptists popularized by Frisian Menno Simons.

For more information about the difference between Amish and Mennonite groups in tabular form, continue reading the article. You will also get to learn of the similarities between the two.

You May Also Read: Difference between Alpha and Beta Glucose (With Table)

Comparison Table (Amish vs. Mennonite)

Basic Terms Amish Mennonite
Founder It was founded by Jacob Amman. It was founded by Frisian Menno Simons.
Punishment They believed that any kind of sin needs serious punishment. They followed peaceful teaching of Anabaptists.
Dressing Women wear solid-color dresses and men have full beards. Women wear flowered prints or plain fabrics while men do not have full beards.
Where to hold church services They hold it privately at home. They hold it in church.
Followers They strictly follow the church rules or be excommunicated. They allow people to make their own decisions.
Lifestyle They live in simple and in groups. They live like the normal population.
Technology They prohibit the use of modern technology. They moderately use modern technology.
Language used in church German or regular German dialect. They use English.
Transport They use scooters and buggies ie horse-drawn vehicles. They use modern automobiles such as cars, buses, trains.
Type of clothes They wear plain traditional attires. They wear modern attires.

Who are Amish?

Amish is a Christian religious group that separated from Anabaptists. It was founded by Jacob Amman who believed that anyone who committed sins needed to be punished seriously.

Anabaptists group belonged to the North American Christian group. Amish was founded in the 17th century. The group had laid rules of the religion and whoever did not follow was excommunicated.

They lived in close-knit communities that are separated from the rest of the world. They followed their own customs, rites, and behavior.

They strictly used German or German dialect or Pennsylvanian Dutch in their church services. They only used English for communication at home.

The church services were held at home in their close-knit communities and they had rotation. Their clothes are plain and are known as a nonconformist lifestyle.

The prohibited the use of modern technology and their mode of transport was horse-driven vehicles such as scooters and buggies.

Who Are Mennonite?

Mennonite is a Christian religious group that was formed as a result of the 16th-century reformation movement that came out from Anabaptists.

It was founded by Frisian Menno Simons and was named after him who tried to institutionalize the working of Anabaptists leaders.

They believed that the faith system works around human beings where they try to help the poor of any section. They live among the normal population.

They believe in belonging and are peacemakers among people. They majorly use the English language during their services and they hold their services in the church.

They believe religion and the rest of the world should not be mixed instead needs to be treated separately.

The religious practices which they follow strictly and emphasize discipline. They live a simple life with simple clothing and they embrace technology and use it moderately.

Main Difference between Amish and Mennonite

  1. Amish group was founded by Jacob Amman while the Mennonite group was founded by Frisian Menno Simons.
  2. Amish groups use German or German dialect in their services while Mennonite group use the English language.
  3. Amish group holds their services in close-knit communities while Mennonite group hold their services in the church.
  4. Amish groups live in close-knit communities while Mennonite groups live like the normal population.
  5. Amish groups prohibit the use of modern technology while Mennonite groups use modern technology moderately.
  6. Amish group use horse-driven vehicles for transport while Mennonite group use modern automobiles such as cars, buses, and trains.
  7. The Amish group believes that anyone who commits a sin should be punished seriously while the Mennonite group lives by the peaceful teachings of the Anabaptists.

Similarities between Amish and Mennonite

  1. They both stem from the same Christian movement.
  2. Both have their roots in Anabaptists.
  3. They both hold that belief must result in practice.

Conclusion

Amish Christian group and Mennonite Christian group came out of a Christian movement reformation in the 16th century.

Amish group separated from Mennonite and formed their own beliefs and practices that made it appear different from the original Anabaptist group which was Mennonite.

More Sources and References:

Leave a Comment