In the sixteenth century, choosing to be baptized as an adult was a crime punishable by death across Europe. Today, adult believer’s baptism remains the defining theological pillar of the Old Order Amish church, distinguishing them from traditional Catholic and Protestant denominations.
The Biblical Basis for Adult Baptism
The Amish base their rejection of infant baptism on literal interpretations of the New Testament. In Anabaptist theology, baptism is an outward pledge of a conscious inner transformation. An infant cannot comprehend sin, repent, or make a voluntary covenant before God and the church.
Voluntary Vows in Late Adolescence
Amish youth are typically baptized between ages 18 and 22, after completing Rumspringa. Before kneeling before the bishop, candidates undergo months of religious instruction to ensure they fully understand the lifelong commitment to humility, non-resistance, and church discipline.
