Amish Mennonite Categorization

[Elmer]

Stephen Scott wrote An Introduction to Old Order and Conservative Mennonite Groups. This book categories conservative Swiss American Mennonites into Ultra-conservative, Intermediate-conservative, Moderate-conservative, Fundamental-conservative (Ernie terms them Progressive-conservative), and Theological Conservative.

How would the different Amish-Mennonite Groups be identified/categorized?

Old/Midwest Beachy (German?)
Little Flock (Tennessee Churches)
Berea
Tampico (Sleeping Preacher)
Mennonite Christian Fellowship
Ambassadors
Maranatha
Beachy
Anabaptist Disciples of Christ
"highest Amish" (Cory Anderson's term) (tobacco permitted)

[Josh]

Here are a few additional data points for you:

The Beachy church in Minerva, Ohio is one of the most conservative in the main Beachy fellowship. From a conversation I had a week ago, they would say they feel more comfortable caucusing* with Maranatha.

The Beachy church in Hartville, Ohio feels more comfortable caucusing with moderate-conservative Mennonites.

*By "caucusing with", I mean asking for revival preachers from a community, sending their youth to another community to work a job there, and so forth.

[Josh]

Amish-Mennonites do not cleanly map to these groups necessarily. In Cory Anderson's database, the Beachy fellowship has classifications ranging from ultra-, intermediate-, moderate-, and fundamental-. Due to the rapid change in Beachy groups, his database is probably already out of date.

The theological-conservative classification is also important and encompasses groups that are similar to the CMC/RNoC.

Back when I had any interaction with these groups, which was a few years ago, here is where they would be at.

Old/Midwest Beachy (German?) - ultra-conservative
Little Flock (Tennessee Churches) - ultra-conservative (black cars, etc.) - this crowd is picking up lots of ex-Old Order or ex-Amish type of people and is rapidly transitioning to being less conservative.
Berea - ultra-conservative?
Tampico (Sleeping Preacher) - ultra-conservative but they are a unique group that is not like Nationwide, Eastern, etc.
Mennonite Christian Fellowship - ultra-conservative
Ambassadors - was ultra-conservative. I don't know where it is now.
Maranatha - becoming intermediate-conservative. Still does not have musical instruments.
Beachy - intermediate-, moderate-, fundamental-, or theological-conservative (the group in Middlefield, Ohio is now theological-conservative)
Anabaptist Disciples of Christ - fundamental-conservative or moderate-conservative. (Allows the radio.)
"highest Amish" (Cory Anderson's term) (tobacco permitted) - ultra-conservative

However, the above description doesn't really proper describe the gradients between the different Beachy groups. I do not remember off the top of my head the exact lineage, but I know (for example) Mennonite Christian Fellowship would be the most conservative on the scale that Ambassadors, Maranatha, Berea, and mainstream Beachy sit on.

As a general rule, Amish-Mennonites are transitional. Sometimes an entire fellowship transitions to being less conservative, and other ones stay the same, but people are constantly joining them from stricter groups and leaving them for less strict groups.

[Ernie]

I'd say...
MCF and Ambassadors are intermediate-conservative
Maranatha is moderate-conservative

[Ernie]

(the group in Middlefield, Ohio is now theological-conservative)

What makes you say so? I have friends there who are moderate. I get the idea from them that some are fundamental (progressive)

[joshuabgood]

I would put ADC as progressive conservative.

[Josh]

(the group in Middlefield, Ohio is now theological-conservative)

What makes you say so? I have friends there who are moderate. I get the idea from them that some are fundamental (progressive)

My understanding is that the covering is up to personal conviction now, somewhat similar to how the Charity church in Finger runs things. Some people wear it, some don't. Unless there was a big change within the last ~ 1 year.

[Valerie]

What is the purpose of doing this, really? Is there a beneficial reason?

[Elmer]

"highest Amish" (Cory Anderson's term) (tobacco permitted) - ultra-conservative

My understanding was that high Amish are progressive/liberal while low Amish are traditional/conservative. The "highest Amish" would have been progressive/fundamental conservative or Theological Conservative not ultra conservative. (Maybe we are referring to different churches?)

Here is the list of churches I see Cory Anderson has listed as highest Amish:
Zion Amish Mennonite & Fairhaven Amish Mennonite (Daviess County, IN)
Pine Haven Amish Mennonite& Mornington Amish Mennonite (Ontario)
Spring Garden Church & Harvest View Church (Lancaster County, PA)
Vicksburg Amish Mennonite (Buffalo Valley Area)
Caanan Amish Mennonite (Daviess County, IN)
Fairview Amish Mennonite (Nappanee, IN)
Morning View Amish Mennonite (Ontario)
Maple Grove Amish Mennonite (Hadley, PA)
Ridgeview Amish Mennonite (Allen County, IN)

[Josh]

I'd say...
MCF and Ambassadors are intermediate-conservative
Maranatha is moderate-conservative

Times have certainly changed! Do they all have Internet now?