Australia, Community, History & Traditions

Quakers or Amish? They’re all the same, aren’t they?

Have you ever wondered  about:

the Quakers?

There seems to be so very few in this movement, more correctly called the Religious Society of Friends in Australia, so I wanted to know who they are and what they represented? Here is what I found:

Quakers are not Amish, Amish aren’t Quakers, Amish are usually Pennsylvania Dutch, and Pennsylvania Dutch can be Amish. Got it?



Quakers are unusual among Christians in that they worship without any form of priest or pastor. They believe that anyone can communicate with God, hence meetings for Worship consists of sitting in silence together, with individuals speaking when they feel so moved.

Quakers are pacifists and believe in simplicity, humility and equality, so their places of worship  are quite plain.

They wear ordinary clothes, unlike the Amish. Quakers are indistinguishable (on the outside) from other people.

Still confused?

The following passage may clarify:





  • The Religious Society of Friends, or Quakers, wanted to break out of the English brand of Puritanism. From their foundation in the 1650s, the Quakers were persecuted in the British Isles and the New England colonies. The term “Quaker” stems from a patronizing jibe on the part of an English judge that the Friends “tremble at the word of God.” The Friends turned it around and started using the term themselves, although their formal name has always remained the same. Quaker core beliefs include “testifying” to four ideals in everyday life: pacifism, simplicity, equality and honesty.


  • Menno Simons

    The Mennonites are named for their founder Menno Simons. They evolved from the Anabaptist movement of Holland and Germany during the Reformation and Counter-Reformation. Despite all Mennonites taking their name from this one figure, from the very beginning of the Mennonite faith, the movement was split between Dutch and Swiss-German groups, and later fragmented further still. Mennonites are pacifists, and are practitioners of the 3-fold Believer’s Baptism: baptism by spirit, baptism by water and baptism by blood (martyrdom or ascetic lifestyle). Also, the Lord’s Supper (Communion) is understood as a memorial instead of as a sacrament.


  • The Amish are the heirs of Jacob Amman, a reformer who tried to convince the larger German Mennonite faith to embrace certain changes. Among other things, he wanted to strengthen the discipline of the church to include excommunication and ostracism. This lead to a severe split in the Swiss Mennonite community in particular. It is widely believed that the Amish are anti-technology or regard it as sinful, which is a gross over-simplification and largely untrue. Instead, they have adopted certain practices in keeping with their communitarian values and to shun people from outside their community. The attitude of different Amish communities towards modern devices can vary markedly.

Read more :




Both these groups, though they differ in some key aspects, are united in their belief in non-violence. Even on the national level, these churches believe that any form of violence, including war, is going against Christian morality. Both groups are part of the Peace Churches.

Something to Ponder about……

8 thoughts on “Quakers or Amish? They’re all the same, aren’t they?”

  1. Interesting post. I have driven through Pennsylvania Dutch country many times. The Amish do live a very different lifestyle. They still travel the roads with a horse and buggy.

    In the U.S., there have been several “reality” shows dedicated to the Amish. One followed young people on their year of Rumspringa. There was one Mennonite among them on the t.v. show. Another show was called the Amish Mafia. There were Mennonites on that show, too. I don’t think the Amish people on that show were part of the Amish community and church, even though they dressed the part and lived in Lancaster County. They drove cars and didn’t seem like true pacifists.

    When I lived in Philadelphia, there was a Friends Meeting House for Quakers. It is the oldest one in use in Philly and the largest one in the world. I never visited it, although I walked past it almost every day.


    1. I went to reply to this comment, Robin, but lost parts of it, so forgive me if I repeat. Thank you for this informative comment. I do recall parts of that show and wondered about the show’s authenticity? I like the idea of the community, that is central to the Amish beliefs, but the ostracism seems cruel and contrary to pacifism. There have also been reports of Amish people doing it for the tourist dollar??? I do not know whether that is true, or not, but I do find the concept of a different religious concept dedicated to peace interesting.

      Liked by 1 person

      1. It is surprising more religions aren’t dedicated tho peace. Although not in the Christian realm, I believe Buddhism is also dedicated to peace.


  2. Bloody fascinating post, Amanda ! – facts of which I was entirely unaware, having been so ignorant as to bundle them all together. Is my face red …?


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