The Amish

A plantation in So. Louisiana.

I only saw the last bit of the PBS special on the uniqueness of the Lancaster PA Amish community. The Pauline passage, "come out from among them and be ye separate" spawned quite a history of similar groups and attempts like the Monks and Abbeys, the Christian communes and various other separatist groups.

The other tradition emphasized church purity but a willingness to enter society and its structures for the purpose of witness and compassion. In the world but not of the world.

The role of faith, values, religion in our present political season and the distinct sense that we are confused about church state relationships and the loss of religious freedoms is underlining my interest in this debate.

I still feel that the underlying legalism that created the Amish would probably play a role in those who desire to leave, but the recent tragedy of the murder of children in a school and the forgiveness offered to the offender was praise worthy.