Mennonite Communities Research Articles

Genetic disease amongst the Plain community.

The purpose of this review is to highlight recent genetic studies of the Amish and Mennonite (Plain) communities. For decades, the study of genetically isolated populations has improved our understanding and management of genetic diseases that affect all populations. Major themes of current genetic research of the Amish and Mennonites include new causative gene and new candidate gene discovery, phenotype expansion of previously identified genetic disease, and a target for AAV9-mediated gene therapy. Additionally, several genome-wide association studies (GWAS) examining complex traits such as dementia, cardiometabolic disease, and age-related macular degeneration have been conducted. Finally, clinically relevant studies of attitudes of the Plain community towards genetic testing and telemedicine, as well as reviews of and management suggestions for the Amish variants of propionic acidemia and APOB-associated familial hypercholesterolemia have been recently published. Recent genetic studies of the Plain community continue to highlight the value of studying isolated populations to propel genetic disease discovery and treatment. Additionally, population-specific polygenic risk scores are needed for underrepresented and minority populations, to avoid exacerbating disparities in medical genetics care. Finally, it is important for clinicians to develop management guidelines for variants common in this rapidly growing population, such as propionic acidemia.

Breast Cancer Knowledge Among Amish and Mennonite Women.

Breast cancer is the most common cancer diagnosis for women in the USA and ranks second in cancer-related deaths. Disproportionately higher breast cancer rates can be found in rural and Appalachian regions due to several social drivers of health, including poverty, access to healthcare, and lack of culturally sensitive health education. Amish and Mennonite communities, religious groups with distinct cultural practices and beliefs, experience lower mammography screening and higher breast cancer mortality rates (among Amish women). This study focuses on knowledge about breast cancer and causes of cancer among Amish and Mennonite women. A total of 473 women participated in the study at 26 separate women's health clinics throughout Ohio, consisting of 348 Amish and 121 Mennonite women, the largest study conducted on breast cancer knowledge spanning dozens of communities. Statistically significant differences were found in total knowledge scores between Amish and Mennonite women (rpb = .178, n = 466, p = .007), with Amish women having lower scores and stronger beliefs in myths associated with breast cancer cause and symptoms (χ(1) = 7.558, p = .006). Both groups often provided scientifically accurate descriptions of cancer etiology. The majority of participants underestimated breast cancer risk, highlighting the need for culturally appropriate health education programs that consider numeracy and health literacy. By implementing targeted interventions and fostering partnerships with community stakeholders using a multifaceted approach that incorporates cultural sensitivity, community engagement, and collaboration, significant progress can be made towards reducing breast cancer disparities and improving health outcomes.

Land Distribution in German and Mennonite Colonies During the NEP Period. Expectations and Reality

The article is devoted to the study of the relationship between the Soviet authorities and the German, as well as Mennonite communities, regarding land issues during the NEP period. It is based on the analysis of the official reports, memoirs and documents. The author studies the complex relationships between the central government, the regional level of authorities (provincial and district) and Mennonites. The land distribution in Mennonite colonies, as well as the cause and-effects of the process are analyzed. In the whirlwind of the internal and foreign political processes, the newly created Soviet state found itself on the edge of socio- economic conflicts. In order to solve urgent economic issues and curb mob violence, a number of economic reforms were adopted, which are known in history as the New Economic Policy. Most of the projects of the Soviet government were based on communist ideology at the initial stage. Those advanced farms’ lands, which used to belong to the Mennonites and Germans, were redistributed. Unemployed / recent employed people who had received some land, were not skilled and did not have a knack for agriculture. Therefore, they gradually abandoned their lands. That strategy undermined the land system and, as a result, became another pushing motivation for emigration and agricultural problems in the countryside. As a result of the Bolshevik government’s land program, the Mennonite community became embroiled in complex multilevel problems: a) intra- community land tensions caused by demographic processes and the resettlement of fellow refugees from starving regions of Soviet Russia to the colonies; b) conflicts with the population of neighboring villages and poor peasant committees, which often forced the issue of redistribution of Mennonite lands in their favor; c) failure of provincial and district executive committees to enforce resolutions of the supreme power to settle the land issue of the Mennonite community; d) ineffectiveness of the national minority committee; e) the perception by some Mennonites of new communist ideas – social equality. These reasons became important pushing factors for а large-scale wave of emigration of this ethno- confessional group to North America.

Development and assessment of educational materials for spinal muscular atrophy carrier screening in the Plain community.

Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) has been reported in both Amish and Mennonite (Plain) communities, and a higher incidence has been observed in certain Mennonite communities compared to the general population. There are several therapies for SMA, but all are most effective in pre-symptomatic newborns. To identify couples from the Wisconsin Plain community who are most likely to have a child with SMA, carrier screening is offered via mailed kits with at-home specimen collection. Our survey data about Plain families' perspectives on genetic testing suggest educational materials are needed for individuals providing informed consent with at-home specimen collection. We therefore developed a Plain population-specific educational trifold brochure about SMA carrier screening by incorporating existing medical education strategies and feedback from Plain community members and their health care providers. Along with the brochure, surveys were included in the kits to assess baseline knowledge about SMA carrier screening ("pre-education") as well as improvement in knowledge after reviewing the brochure and cultural appropriateness of the brochure ("post-education"). Fifty-five testing kits were distributed, and 26 survey pairs (pre- and post-education) were returned and analyzed (response rate 47%). Respondents had high baseline knowledge with an average of 5 of 7 questions (71%) answered correctly on the pre-education survey. Knowledge improved after reviewing the brochure as the average score increased to 6.5 of 7 questions (93%) answered correctly. Questions about risks of having an affected child after positive or negative carrier screening showed the most improvement from the pre-education to post-education surveys. Most respondents indicated the brochure was helpful, was easy to understand, and contained the right amount of information. Overall, incorporating elements of existing medical education strategies with feedback from the target population and stakeholders about appropriate language seems to be an effective method for creating beneficial, culturally responsive educational materials for the Plain population.

Oil Therapy Massage as Complementary Care of Burns and Wounds

Oil therapy massage is a part of the care of burns and wounds done by plain, lay caregivers in Amish and Mennonite communities across the United States and Canada. Oil therapy massage is used to manage scarring and to improve joint functionality and skin and tissue integrity. The purpose of this article is to describe oil therapy massage as a complementary part of after-burn care in the context of sociocultural values of plain populations in which caregivers are a part of the B&W movement. This article includes a brief description of the caring and sharing culture of plain peoples; a short history of the B&W movement; an account of the development of after-burn care; an abbreviated explanation of the oil therapy massage procedure; and details of several cases of people who were cared for with oil therapy massage. [Abstract by authors.]

Cross-sectional survey on genetic testing utilization and perceptions in Wisconsin Amish and Mennonite communities.

Amish and Mennonite (Plain) communities have increased prevalence of many recessively inherited disorders due to founder variants that can be identified using next-generation sequencing (NGS). We assessed newborn screening (NBS) utilization, prior genetic testing, and perceptions of genetic testing among Wisconsin Plain communities to guide implementation and utilization of a population-specific NGS gene panel testing. A mailed paper survey (N = 959) of demographics, NBS utilization, prior genetic testing, and preferences for categorical genetic disorder and defined clinical context testing was developed. Overall response rate was 39% (N = 378; 183 Amish, 193 Mennonite; 2 not Amish/Mennonite). Mennonites were more likely to respond in favor of carrier screening for metabolic disorders and other surgical conditions and less likely to respond in favor of asymptomatic testing for neurologic disorders and lethal disorders compared to Amish. Reported utilization of NBS was positively associated with stated interest in genetic testing for an asymptomatic child. Reported prior genetic testing was positively associated with stated interest in carrier screening and negatively associated with testing a symptomatic child. Although Plain community members share many common outward characteristics, our survey responses suggest diversity in their views of genetic testing and support laboratory methods that can be flexible to varied needs of individuals.

Queering Mennonite Literature: Archives, Activism, and the Search for Community

Queering Mennonite Literature: Archives, Activism, and the Search for Community

Rituals of Contagion in Closed Religious Communities: A Case Study of Amish and Mennonite Communities in the USA During the Beginning of the COVID-19 Pandemic.

At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, government and medical guidelines emphasized social distancing to limit exposure. These guidelines significantly impacted closed religious communities, particularly those opposed to modern technologies, such as Amish and Mennonite communities. How did these religious communities respond to COVID-19 policies in the USA? We draw data from Ohio and Pennsylvania scribe entries published in an Amish/Mennonite correspondence newspaper. While some of these communities altered church rituals to comply with government directives, others maintained communal worship without disruption. Mennonite communities were more likely to conform to guidelines.

Telemedicine in the Amish and Mennonite communities of Wisconsin.

The Plain Community (PC) is a medically underserved group found predominantly in the northeastern and midwestern USA. Due to the community's founder population with few converts and infrequent outside marriage, metabolic and genetic disorders are more prevalent. Individuals in the PC experience geographic, financial, and cultural barriers when accessing healthcare. In Wisconsin, a collaboration between clinicians at a rural community health clinic and the academic medical clinic established an outreach clinic for medical genetics located in a rural location closer to a Wisconsin PC which consists of both Amish and Mennonite communities. However, patients with acute medical concerns requiring more urgent genetics care must travel to the academic center. Telemedicine (TM) is a technology that increases access to healthcare, often reducing financial and travel barriers. Using survey tools, we explored whether TM could be used to provide genetic services to individuals in the Wisconsin PC at an outreach clinic. Results indicated that 36% of survey participants responded favorably to receiving services by TM at a clinic designed for the PC. Members of the Mennonite community are significantly more likely to consider receiving services via TM than those of the Amish community. The results of the surveys indicate potential utility of TM at the outreach clinic as alternative way to improve access to genetic and other subspecialty services for the PC.

Kentucky Anabaptists' Knowledge of Newborn Screening

The Plain Anabaptist population in Kentucky is growing, with the Amish population alone expected to double about every 20 years. Anabaptists in Kentucky are largely composed of Amish (both Old Order and New Order) and Old Order and Conservative Mennonites. All Anabaptists experience an increased incidence of recessive genetic disorders. Newborn screening (NBS) is a state-regulated program that identifies inherited and congenital disorders and conditions. The purpose of this study is to determine the knowledge of Kentucky Amish and Mennonite communities regarding NBS. A researcher-adapted questionnaire was mailed to Kentucky Amish and Mennonite households, and 292 respondents returned the questionnaire. The majority (85.2%) reported at least "a little" knowledge of NBS; however, only 6.8% reported "a lot" of knowledge. Respondents identified the midwife as the most common source of information related to NBS; however, 18% reported NBS was not offered by any provider. There was a statistically significant relationship between knowledge of NBS and children receiving NBS, indicating that knowledge of NBS increased participation in NBS. As the midwife is the most common source of NBS knowledge, an educational program for midwives as well as the Anabaptist communities throughout Kentucky is planned.

Діяльність «Союзу нащадків голландських вихідців» крізь призму офіційних доку- ментів (1922-1927 рр.)

The purpose of the study is to show how the activities of the Mennonite closed cooperative “Union of the Descendants of the Dutch” (UDD) were refl ected in the offi cial reports of Soviet offi cials; to analyze the importance of the organization for the consolidation of the ethno-confessional community of Mennonites in Ukraine. The research methodology: the general scientifi c (method of system analysis) and special historical (historical-comparative, historical-genetic, problem-chronological) methods are used. Scientifi c novelty: the study notes the importance of the “Union of the Descendants of the Dutch” in reviving and preserving the moral and ethical principles of the ethno-confessional group, and shows the organization’s infl uence on protecting the rights of national minorities in the Soviet state. Conclusions. In the conditions of the early Soviet rule, the economic decline of the region, the location of the Mennonite colonies, and the demoralization of the ethno-confessional community, the “Union” served to coordinate the life and preserve the traditions of the Mennonite communities. The fact that the organization was built on ethnic principles, existed with the help of foreign Mennonite centres (Germany, the Netherlands, the United States, Canada), and abandoned atheistic principles, caused great concern on the part of party, and administrative authorities. Feeling unable to adapt to new political conditions, the UDD led the Mennonite emigration movement of 1923–1926, which gained international notoriety and created a negative image of the Soviet state. The activities of the “Union” were under the supervision of the authorities since 1924. As the totalitarian systemin the USSR and increasing pressure on dissent, the authorities found an offi cial reason for the dissolution of the organization, which took place even in the policy of indigenization. As a result of the liquidation of the organization, the Mennonite population of the USSR found itself vulnerable to pressure from the authorities and shared the fate of the entire Ukrainian peasantry.

Newborn Pulse Oximetry for Infants Born Out-of-Hospital.

Conventional timing of newborn pulse oximetry screening is not ideal for infants born out-of-hospital. We implemented a newborn pulse oximetry screen to align with typical midwifery care and measure its efficacy at detecting critical congenital heart disease. Cohort study of expectant mothers and infants mainly from the Amish and Mennonite (Plain) communities with limited prenatal ultrasound use. Newborns were screened at 1 to 4 hours of life ("early screen") and 24 to 48 hours of life ("late screen"). Newborns were followed up to 6 weeks after delivery to report outcomes. Early screen, late screen, and combined results were analyzed on the basis of strict algorithm interpretation ("algorithm") and the midwife's interpretation in the field ("field") because these did not correspond in all cases. Pulse oximetry screening in 3019 newborns (85% Plain; 50% male; 43% with a prenatal ultrasound) detected critical congenital heart disease in 3 infants. Sensitivity of combined early and late screen was 66.7% (95% confidence interval [CI] 9.4% to 99.2%) for algorithm interpretation and 100% (95% CI 29.2% to 100%) for field interpretation. Positive predictive value was similar for the field interpretation (8.8%; 95% CI 1.9% to 23.7%) and algorithm interpretation (5.4%; 95% CI 0.7% to 18.2%). False-positive rates were ≤1.2% for both algorithm and field interpretations. Other pathologies (noncritical congenital heart disease, pulmonary issues, or infection) were reported in 12 of the false-positive cases. Newborn pulse oximetry can be adapted to the out-of-hospital setting without compromising sensitivity or prohibitively increasing false-positive rates.

Addressing Sexual Violence in Mennonite Communities: The Case of John Howard Yoder

This article names the fact of long-standing sexual violence in Mennonite communities and examines the case of renowned Mennonite theologian and ethicist John Howard Yoder, whose serial sexual violence became widely known in 2015. I first sketch briefly Yoder's sexual abuse and Mennonite institutional responses to victim– survivors and to Yoder himself. While focus on so prominent a figure can obscure the trauma suffered by the many, many victim–survivors of other perpetrators, such a public reckoning can also help to break the silence and motivate visible institutional change. The second part of the article considers the ways in which the inadequacy of the tradition's theology of nonviolence and commitment to communal discernment and accountability contributed to the failure to respond to victims and to bring Yoder to justice. At the same time, I argue both of these long-standing commitments also present potential resources for Mennonite responses to sexual violence. The theology and practice of nonviolence must be recast and expanded to attend to power dynamics and abuses internal to the community. Such a trauma-informed peace theology can ground and direct more adequate response to sexualized violence. In the same way, communal discernment and accountability can be a resource if recast in light of the needs of victim–survivors—for example, by addressing power differentials, the limits of traditional reconciliation approaches based on Matthew 18, and the need to report abuse to outside agencies.

Between Utopia and Reality: insecurity in Indigenous and Mennonite Communities in and around the City of Filadelfia, Boqueron, Paraguay

How can the social transformations of present-day Filadelfia, Boqueron, Paraguay be studied? In this article, new dynamics that show insecurity in Mennonite and indigenous communities are described. Qualitative interviews were carried out. Fourteen representatives were interviewed on: a) The main incidents that demonstrate vulnerability and, b) the identification of the aggressors as the Settlers. The reports provided by indigenous persons show that actions that are legal can still constitute a nightmare when exploitation and conditions of vulnerability are added. Regarding the Mennonite Settlers, they say that their youngmen in their desire to break the rules, consume, sell and introduce illicit drugs to their communities. Regarding the incidents of violence against women, those who force or abuse female members of the congregation are their fathers, brothers, uncles and grandfathers..

A Nurse-Led Population-Based Health Education Project to Improve Infant Care Knowledge for an Old Order Mennonite Community

Population health is changing the focus of nursing practice as nurses are challenged to focus on health promotion and education for communities rather than limiting their practice to restorative care for individual acute care patients. This new focus is necessary to improve knowledge of maternal and infant health among vulnerable populations. One particularly vulnerable population is members of Old Order Mennonite communities, who frequently rely on self-trained local midwives in the community for home births and home remedies when caring for their infants. Providing evidence-based education to members of this isolated population can be a challenge because they do not typically access information outside of the community. The purpose of this article is to share the process of developing, publishing, and disseminating a culturally sensitive infant care manual for an Old Order Mennonite community using a community-based participatory model and to highlight the impact nursing outreach can have on improving health knowledge.

Family display, family type, or community? Limitations in the application of a concept

In this paper we develop the concept of family display by responding to David Morgan’s suggestion that researchers should consider whether ‘family displays’ are used to convey a ‘type’ of Family. We do so by applying the concept to the accounts of migrant family children living in an English city, and those of adults that grew-up in Mennonite communities in Mexico and Canada. Analysis uniquely shows that migrant family children do display a type of ‘Family’, and that this is influenced by familial constructs privileged by intended audiences. We contribute further by arguing that whilst some families do display core values attached to Family ‘types’, this is not the case in the example of the Mennonite community and researchers should be cognisant of applying this concept to all contexts. This is because the priority for display may not be the presentation of legitimate Family, but other features of collective identity.

The Problem of Illegal Emigration of the Mennonites of the Black Sea Region in the 1920s-1930s (According to the Memoirs of the Families A. Herman and M. Reuter)

The article discusses the causes of illegal emigration of the Mennonites from the Black Sea region, identifies the main routes and shows the role of Mennonite mutual aid in the implementation in the 1920s-1930s. Mennonite memoirs show that the main causes of emigration were repressions against the wealthy layers of the village, the anti-religious struggle that affected wide circles of Mennonites. Young Mennonites suffered from the inability to obtain a higher or secondary specialized education, while maintaining their religious beliefs; they were afraid to be arrested as members of the families of the anti-Soviet element. The main routes of illegal emigration passed through the western regions of Russia to the Baltic countries, to Poland and Germany; through Central Asia to China, through Transcaucasia to Turkey and Iran, through the Far East to China and further to the countries of North and South America, to Germany. The Far East was the most successful channel of illegal mass emigration in the region of Blagoveshchensk, where refugees were supported by local Mennonite communities, the Harbin Refugee Assistance Committee, Protestant missionaries, the German consulate in China, and co-religionists in the United States and Canada. Mutual assistance at the interpersonal level, as well as between relatives and communities in different regions, continued to play the role of an effective support mechanism, maintaining ties within the Mennonite community.

Ethnic boundary dynamics in immigrant entrepreneurship: a Barthian perspective

ABSTRACT This paper sets out to better understand the role of ethnic boundary dynamics in immigrant entrepreneurship, in particular in terms of intersections at the boundaries between ‘ethnic’ and ‘mainstream’ economies, internal differentiation within ethnic community boundaries, and the socially constructed nature of ethnic boundaries more broadly. To better account for these dynamics, we develop a Barthian perspective on immigrant entrepreneurship, building on and integrating Fredrik Barth’s work on entrepreneurship, ethnic boundaries, and spheres of value. A Barthian perspective shifts the analytic focus from the ethnic group to entrepreneurial activities and, by implication, to the ethnic boundary dynamics that these activities generate. We draw on ethnographic research conducted among immigrant Mennonite entrepreneurs in Belize, and identify three boundary dynamics among the Mennonites: bridging the boundary between Mennonite ethnicity and the wider Belizean society, stretching the boundaries of individual Mennonite communities, and allying across the boundaries between Mennonite communities. In developing a Barthian perspective, the contribution of our paper lies in developing a comprehensive framework for understanding the role of ethnic boundary dynamics in immigrant entrepreneurship, thereby also responding to calls for more micro-processual approaches to understanding the ‘mixed embeddedness’ of immigrant entrepreneurs in their ethnic community and the wider society contexts.

«Неличная история»: меннонитская община Александровска в переломный год Украинской революции

The purpose of the article is to reconstruct the history of Alexandrovsk city`s Mennonite community in 1919, to show the conditions and ways of personal and community`s strategies of survival. The diary of the Mennonite entrepreneur A. Dick was the main source for the consideration about the problem. Living in the outskirts of the Russian Empire, A. Dick and other residents of Alexandrovsk felt the revolution not as a changing of power, but rather as anarchy. 1919 was a point of no return in the history of the revolution. For the local Germans the years of Anti-German Legislation (1914–1917) were transformed into the collapse of the post-war years. The anti-German policy of the tsarist government influenced the attitude towards the communities that next governments and political forces demonstrated during the Ukrainian Revolution. The congregations had to act in given circumstances. Traditionally aggressive Mennonite ethos had to be changed according to the new survival strategies. The political culture of the communities, that had had a dialogical nature, was used to communicate with the political regimes of first half of 1919. The communities intended to interact with the Bolsheviks making illusion of congregation’s loyal attitude towards their power. Since anarchist N. Machno regarded the local Germans as a class and military enemy, the Mennonites kept tactics of self-elimination from the public sphere. The Mennonites followed the tradition of an active congregational life that was a source of emotional hypercompensation for them. Biological survival was the first priority aim. Individual emigration became a more reliable way of self-preservation than community forms of salvation that had been traditional for the Mennonite. The influence of the left radical ideology led to the breakdown of the congregation members` traditional identity. New form of sub-identity was forming. A. Dick`s diary proves that during the revolutionary years the Mennonite community of Alexandrovsk passed the way from leadership to outsider position. Scholarly significance: can be used for the researches on the problems of interethnic relations in the conditions of the Ukrainian revolution, history of the Mennonite communities in Ukraine. Novelty: a new source has been introduced and its general characteristic has been presented.

Forest Teams as an Alternative Service of the Mennonites in the Russian Empire Until 1914

Introduction. In the Russian Empire, the Mennonites, like German colonists, had numerous privileges, including they were not drafted for military service. This privilege was abolished after the Edict of 1874 was issued. However, they could not serve in the army due to their religious views. Methods and materials. The source base of the topic under study includes mainly written materials. Therefore, to show how the “military service” of the Mennonites was organized in forest teams, we used materials from the archives of the Russian State Historical Archive (387, 1246, 1282, 1292). Based on the documentary material with the use of the historical systemic method, we restored the chronology of the negotiation process between the authorities and the Mennonites on the introduction of alternative service. The paper reveals the terms of the agreement between the Mennonites and the Russian authorities. The Mennonites were forced to agree with these conditions in order not to take up arms. Analysis and Results. Based on the archival material, we found that the reaction from the Mennonites was immediate. On the one hand, they tried to establish a dialogue with the authorities on the resolution of an alternative civilian service, and on the other hand, many began to migrate to America. As a result, the Mennonites succeeded in obtaining the right to serve in forest teams and to submit to the Ministry of State Property. It was revealed that the subordination to the civil department instead of the military one changed their position from unranked soldiers to obligated workers. Therefore, they received monetary reward for their work. It was established that the Mennonite communities built and equipped barracks at their own expense; bought clothing and food; delivered the Mennonites to the place of service; paid rent for the ground areas allocated for agricultural needs to forest teams. A working day of obligated workers was strictly regulated and did not differ from the army one in fact. In the first half of the day, they always dealt with clearing and improvement of forests, and mainly with their protection. In their spare time the Mennonites played musical instruments and read books. In addition, they were necessarily taught reading and writing in Russian. Educational supplies were purchased at the expense of the team. Despite many difficulties in organizing and maintaining forest teams, many of the Mennonites performed their duties conscientiously and were encouraged by the ministry for good service more than once.