#32 To Shun or Not To Shun Amish Romance Novels?

We're venturing back into Amish-landia with a deep dive into the book that started it all, The Shunning by Beverly Lewis. We learned some things in this episode, dear listener. So buckle into the buggy seats, this road is long and twisting.Thoughts? Feelings? Opinions? Want to tell us that we're completely off base? Email us at [email protected]!Terms:kapp - The white or black head covering Amish females wear is known as a kapp or prayer covering. This is different from the larger black bonnet women may wear over the kapp. (Pike, 2015)Ordnung -The origins of the word “Ordnung” hail from the German language, the meaning being: “it’s all good," and refers in general to a behavioral guide. There are in actual fact 2 different types of Ordnung. One deals with all of the important official decisions that have taken place since the beginning of the movement and this one is written down. The other (and the one which is not written down) is the behavioral code. It is this which determines exactly what it is to be Amish (Dimmitt, 2013)Old Order - The Old Order Amish separated from the Mennonites in 1693 are are thee single largest faction of Amish groups. In general, the Old Order Amish refrain from most forms of technology and do not use indoor plumbing or any kind of machinery that has a motor. They practice traditional faith practices as adapted by the Church in 1623, and are generally more conservative in their clothing and mannerisms (Amish Furniture Factory, 2016) New Order - New Order Amish split from the Old Order in Pennsylvania in the 1960's, and in general can be described as more progressive than the other faction (Amish America)"Anabaptist Escalator" - movement of an individual from low-church, world-rejecting plainness to higher floor of progressive, world-accommodating Anabaptist churches and beyond (Weaver-Zercher, 38)Shunning - This is a longstanding practice in which church members isolate, ignore, or otherwise punish someone for breaking community rules. Amish excommunication is a complicated process that occurs when someone does something that goes against the church's values (Wisiti, 2018)Books/Authors we mentioned:The Shunning by Beverly LewisMelody CarlsonAmish Heart by Miranda Rush (spicy!)The Shunning by Susan Joseph (spicy and dubcon)Sadly, though, I can't find a copy of it anywhere :(Articles/resources:Thrill of the Chaste by Valerie Weaver-Zercher"Why Amish romance novels are such a big hit for Harlequin" (Donaldson, 2020)"The Amish don't believe in insurance. Here's how they help pay everybody's medical bills" (Newman, 2018)Amish Studies; The Young Center"The Amish and Adoption" (Yoder, 2016)"The Gentle People" (Labi, 2005)Content Warning: discussions of Sexual Assault of a minor"Investigation Into Child Sex Abuse In Amish Communities" (Martin/McClure, 2020)Content warning: Discussions of Sexual Assault"The Amish Keep to Themselves. And They’re Hiding a Horrifying Secret" (McClure, 2020)Content Warning: Discussions of Sexual Assault and miscarriageThis is the same article as was published in Cosmo, only free to access