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Anointing as a sort of "Last Rites"
Posted: Mon Nov 20, 2017 12:42 pm
by Neto
How wide spread is the attitude that calling the elders to conduct an anointing is a sort of "last rites", something to be done when the person either is, or feels that he or she is, near death, or in the last days or weeks of life?
I am not intending to start an Amish bashing thread, but that is where we have seen this attitude, and to some extent, in the Holmes County Beachy Amish Mennonite circles as well. Is this unique to this area?
Re: Anointing as a sort of "Last Rites"
Posted: Mon Nov 20, 2017 2:40 pm
by RZehr
I've only ever heard of Catholics doing that.
Re: Anointing as a sort of "Last Rites"
Posted: Mon Nov 20, 2017 2:49 pm
by MaxPC
Before Vatican 2 (1965), Catholics received Extreme Unction (familiarly called "Last Rites") when they were near death. After Vatican 2 it was expanded and became the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick in which anyone who was ill, facing medical procedures, or near death can request the anointing with blessed oils (oils that have been blessed by the Bishop or a designated priest.)
As far as knowing of Anabaptist practitioners of Last Rights, that's news to me.
Re: Anointing as a sort of "Last Rites"
Posted: Mon Nov 20, 2017 3:42 pm
by Josh
Neto wrote:How wide spread is the attitude that calling the elders to conduct an anointing is a sort of "last rites", something to be done when the person either is, or feels that he or she is, near death, or in the last days or weeks of life?
I am not intending to start an Amish bashing thread, but that is where we have seen this attitude, and to some extent, in the Holmes County Beachy Amish Mennonite circles as well. Is this unique to this area?
My understanding is that this is indeed an Amish thing, based on print articles I read that I cannot find references to now.
My guess is that it is a carryover from various Catholic rites that seeped into Anabaptist circles (much like the belief many Anabaptists have that only someone who is baptised may participate in communion - which aligns with Catholic belief certainly, but is not aligned at all with the New Testament.)
Re: Anointing as a sort of "Last Rites"
Posted: Mon Nov 20, 2017 4:34 pm
by Hats Off
Certainly in our circles, it is not a Last Rites type of thing and I highly doubt that most Old Order Amish would take that view.
Re: Anointing as a sort of "Last Rites"
Posted: Mon Nov 20, 2017 4:44 pm
by Hats Off
From Gameo - Anointing with Oil.
It is recorded in Mark 6:13 that the twelve apostles "anointed with oil many that were sick, and healed them." The Epistle of James (James 5:14-15) instructs the elder to pray over the sick man who requests help, "anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: and the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him." The only known Anabaptist mention of this anointing is the denial of its identity with the Roman Catholic sacrament of extreme unction (Martyrs Mirror, 423, 778, 779).
Since the Reformed Mennonites, who separated from the Lancaster Conference (Mennonite Church) in 1812, do not observe the practice, and since the Missionary Church and the Old Order Mennonite bodies, who separated from the Mennonite Church 1870-1880, do observe its practice, it is possible that the Old Order Amish and the Mennonites (MC) began to anoint with oil during the 19th century as a result of the renewed interest in Bible study which the brotherhood experienced in that era. There is no record of this practice among any of the Mennonites of Europe.
The administration of the rite in the Old Order Amish, Conservative Mennonite Conference, and Old Order Mennonite groups is usually reserved for the bishop or for the other ministers by his authorization.
In Patient Faith, Don Kraybill says that the Amish do practice anointing with oil similar to the Catholic Las Rites but says that the Amish do not connect the oil with forgiveness of sins as do some other traditions. I would feel our Mennonite practise is similar to what Don describes.
Re: Anointing as a sort of "Last Rites"
Posted: Mon Nov 20, 2017 5:31 pm
by Neto
Hats Off wrote:Certainly in our circles, it is not a Last Rites type of thing and I highly doubt that most Old Order Amish would take that view.
OK. I'll put it this way. Very few Amish here will call for anointing unless they feel the end is very near, or should I say, if they are told that a person is having the ministers come for an anointing, their response is: "Oh, I didn't know it was that bad." (I didn't observe this- the information comes from my wife's Amish relatives.) As such, it is viewed as a preparation for death, and not a preparation for healing. An elderly Beachy Amish Mennonite relative recently said that he had asked the ministers to come for an anointing; that he is ready to go, "and maybe it would even help <the health problem he is facing>".
Re: Anointing as a sort of "Last Rites"
Posted: Mon Nov 20, 2017 5:45 pm
by Josh
Neto wrote:Hats Off wrote:Certainly in our circles, it is not a Last Rites type of thing and I highly doubt that most Old Order Amish would take that view.
OK. I'll put it this way. Very few Amish here will call for anointing unless they feel the end is very near, or should I say, if they are told that a person is having the ministers come for an anointing, their response is: "Oh, I didn't know it was that bad." (I didn't observe this- the information comes from my wife's Amish relatives.) As such, it is viewed as a preparation for death, and not a preparation for healing. An elderly Beachy Amish Mennonite relative recently said that he had asked the ministers to come for an anointing; that he is ready to go, "and maybe it would even help <the health problem he is facing>".
That’s been my experience as well. When I asked about anointing a sick person, a minister once told me they didn’t think they were that close to death so not time for that yet.
Re: Anointing as a sort of "Last Rites"
Posted: Mon Nov 20, 2017 8:15 pm
by Hats Off
Okay, but I do find that surprising. My sister asked for anointing before she went into hospital to start a bone marrow transplant.
Re: Anointing as a sort of "Last Rites"
Posted: Mon Nov 20, 2017 8:58 pm
by ken_sylvania
A local minister I know well had some pain and went to the ER. Was sent to a specialist and was diagnosed with a very aggressive type of cancer - given max. six months to live (this was about a year or so ago IIRC). He was anointed and it seems the Lord has healed him. He has not returned to the specialist to be checked out further, as he believes that would be questioning the work of the Lord.
Another individual I know was recently anointed because of a worsening of what I understand to have been an ear/hearing ailment that was causing headaches.
Neither of these cases was anywhere close to "last rites."
"Anointing with oil" is taught in our circles as an ordinance of the church. The point is often made that the purpose of anointing is for the healing of the body, (subject to God's will) and we are warned not to treat this gift of God as a "last resort."