Standing For Truth

by James Paul Valle

Horse-and-buggy Mennonites, like the more readily identified Amish, live a purposely simple lifestyle. They do this because their beliefs, which are based on biblical principles, guide them. Supposedly.Like so much of the Evangelical community, the foundation of their faith hinges on biblical texts, understood as being the Word of God. As in other fundamentally Christian denominations, certain texts are emphasized more than others, and these distinctions become expressed in their worldview and sometimes in their ways of living.Regardless of how the details of their understanding and lifestyle are expressed, the notion of truth-perhaps God's truth-would presumably undergird what is of most value.But the devil is in the details regarding that assumption.The details (actions taken and the failure to act) provide a better understanding of how complex the lives are of these horse-and-buggy Mennonites-a group known for their simple lifestyle.My findings suggest that their lives are far from simple.