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Amish Amazing Grace On October 2, 2006, a tragedy occurred in a one-room schoolhouse in the small community of Nickel Mines, Lancaster County, PA. Turning a tranquil schoolhouse into a house of violence, Charles Roberts shot ten young girls, killing five immediately and seriously wounding five others. He then turned the gun on himself. The event shocked our nation and, indeed, the world. How could an event so violent strike such peace-loving people? In many respects, Amish country represented the safest place that most of us could imagine. The story captured the attention of the media worldwide. Reporters in droves arrived into the area within hours. But they faced some serious difficulties as they tried to cover the tragedy. The Amish are very private people. No lawyers or community spokespersons represented the grieving Amish parents or provided statements to the media. The Amish declined to talk with reporters or appear on camera. Their aversion to publicity is grounded in their religious beliefs and cultural traditions. Donald Kraybill, a Senior Fellow at the Young Center of Elizabethtown College and author of numerous books about the Amish, was at the scene within hours of the shooting. He, together with two other historians, Steven Nott and David Weaver-Zercher, both of whom had spent time in this community researching and interviewing the Amish, acted as liaisons between the Amish and the media. Within days of the tragedy, it became apparent that the real story had to do with the Amish response of forgiveness in the face of the slaughter of their innocent children. Even as outsiders were responding with great compassion for the Amish community, the Amish themselves were beginning the difficult task of forgiveness. The Amish quickly realized that Charles Roberts’ widow and children were also victims in the tragedy. They had lost a husband and father; his parents had lost their son. Within hours of the shooting, some of the Amish were reaching out to the killer’s family. One of the most striking expressions of forgiveness occurred at Charles Roberts’ burial, just five days after the shooting. Roberts was buried in a cemetery about a mile from the schoolhouse. Over half of the people in attendance were Amish. They spontaneously decided to attend. Some had just buried their own daughters the day before. After the burial of Roberts, they embraced the widow and parents of Roberts. Some sent meals and flowers to Mrs. Roberts. What led the Amish to forgive Charles Roberts? How could the Amish forgive so quickly? To discover the answers to these and many other questions, Kraybill and his two colleagues interviewed some three dozen Amish people. These interviews form the basis of the book on which all three collaborated: Amish Grace How Forgiveness Transcended Tragedy. The book is divided into three parts: ►
Part I recounts the events themselves: the shooting, its
aftermath and the reactions of both the Amish and the entire country. ►
Part II provides a look at Amish history, theology and culture and describes how forgiveness is
central to the Amish way of life. ►
Part III explores more deeply the meaning of forgiveness
as contrasted with the concepts of pardon and reconciliation. When asked why they forgave Charles Roberts, over and over the Amish referred to the teachings of Jesus, most especially the Sermon on the Mount in the Gospel of Matthew. One young man, who works in a print shop, when interviewed, said, “When you start looking in the New Testament, forgiveness is everywhere, that’s what the Bible is all about: forgiveness. It says we’re to take up our cross and follow Jesus. No matter what happens, we must follow Him. Look at the Sermon on the Mount. It’s filled with forgiveness.” Another Amish man, a carpenter, referred the authors to Matthew 18: 21-22 as his basis for understanding forgiveness. In the short passage, the Apostle Peter asks Jesus whether forgiving an offense seven times is sufficient, to which Jesus responds that seventy times seven times would be closer to the mark. After answering “seventy times seven,” Jesus launches into a story about a king and a servant who owes the king a huge sum of money. When the debt-ridden servant begs the king to forgive his massive debt, the king graciously agrees. Immediately, the forgiven servant collars one of his fellow servants who owes him a small debt. He refuses to forgive his fellow servant. The story ends with a warning: if you don’t forgive, you won’t be forgiven. The authors remind us that Amish preachers expound on these texts to encourage their members to forgive each other so that they can celebrate the unity of their community in Holy Communion. As the Amish understand it, God’s mercy and forgiveness are poured out on them in great abundance; and they, in turn, must work at extending that mercy and forgiveness to one another. Over and over, the Amish people referred to the Lord’s Prayer (Matthew 6), “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.” It’s as clear as it can be, say the Amish, that if they balk at forgiving others, they may jeopardize their own relationship with God. The Lord’s Prayer is the central liturgical prayer for them; it’s repeated over and over in their homes and during the community gatherings. The perfect prayer, they call it. One newspaper columnist, quoted in the book, observed that the Amish are much like musicians. All great musicians have certain musical pieces that they have learned well; they have practiced those pieces for many years and, should they be asked to play something, on short notice, without time to practice, they can easily play something from their repertoire, and play it well. For the Amish, commented this writer, forgiveness and mercy are their repertoire!!! After the school shootings, they did not need to consult with one another; they did not need to gather; they did not need time to decide how they would respond. They knew what their response must be: mercy, forgiveness. Unquestioning forgiveness. One Amish minister spoke for all when he said: “Poor Charlie. I don’t know what evil thoughts got hold of him to make him do such a terrible thing. I can only hope for him what I hope for myself, that God will be a merciful and loving judge. We’re simply doing what every follower of Jesus would do: we are trying our best to forgive. It isn’t easy, but we know we must.” What we learn from this book about the Amish is that their response to this tragedy was culturally formed. Their religious beliefs and practices provided them with immediate guidance on what to do, what to say and how to live on with hope. Those of us who read this book will face the challenge of confronting our own beliefs and world view. How do we reconcile the tenets of our Christian faith with how we live in the world? The Amish have created a culture that encourages and nourishes forgiveness. How might we use our own resources to influence our culture that so vehemently emphasizes revenge and retaliation? I encourage you to read this book; it is both inspiring and challenging. Joanne Ennis |