Ok, let’s chat about the Andy Weaver Amish, or the “Dan church,” which puts them under the Amish umbrella. These folks hail from Holmes County, Ohio, and with around 30 church districts, they find themselves wedged between the Old Order and Swartzentruber Amish communities.
So how do these Andy Weaver folks differ from the usual Old Order Amish? Well, they’re extra strict when it comes to tech stuff – big examples include limitations on farming, business, and home technologies. And that’s not all they’re tough on – the act of shunning is practiced way strictly among Andy Weaver Amish. And they aren’t lenient with their young ones either – no cars at home, period.
Now, here’s an interesting one. Despite them being tight on tech and other rules, they are a bit relaxed when it comes to booze and tobacco!
Let’s travel back in time to 1952 when the Andy Weaver Amish community was born. They splintered off from a congregation due to a fierce disagreement over strict shunning. While half the church veered away, the remaining half held its ground on shunning matters, despite some tense times with mediation efforts.
By mid-50s, these church districts found themselves drawn to a more conservative view, with young leader Andy Weaver at the helm. With help from ministers outside the church district, they finally ordained their own ministers, aligning with a majority of the Old Order Amish churches.
These days, expect to find around 30 Andy Weaver districts in Holmes County, and a few scattered here and there outside the county, like in Ashland County, Ohio or upstate New York.
Surprisingly, though the group had formed due to reasons indirectly related to technology, these guys are known for a rather restrained take on tech. They’ve held back from using tech like milking machines, tractors, portable generators, hydraulic power, and balers which the Old Order adopted, along with resisting everyday utilities like bicycles, power lawnmowers, garden tillers, or rental freezers.
But get this – these Andy Weaver Amish, as tech-averse as they may be, are actually in good terms with the Old Order Amish in Lancaster County, a group that embraces a way higher level of technology but sees eye-to-eye when it comes to strict shunning!
Another fascinating tidbit about Andy Weaver Amish is their impressive retention rate. Yep, they manage to keep their community tight and engaged with an estimated retention rate of 97%! But hold on, the farming rates among Andy Weaver Amish have taken a hit, with a mere 6% involved in farming, perhaps because competing with their limited dairy technology has gotten tougher.
Quite the tale, isn’t it?
