Review of John L Ruth, Forgiveness: A Legacy of the West Nickel Mines Amish School, Herald, (2007). ISBN: 9780836193732.
With the words of this post's title John L Ruth concludes his little book on the response to wrongdoing against them by living a live of forgiveness. The reference to the West Nickel Mines Amish School refers to one of a long line of school shootings in the USA. On October 2nd2006 Charles Roberts, a 32 year old milk-truck triver (and according to Ruth also a Methodist) entered the West Nickel Mines Amish School and took the school children hostage, eventually letting the teacher and boys leave he remained with 10 young Amish girls. By the end of the day six lives had been lost (including Roberts who shot himself). What made the story more poignant and(ironically in view of Amish beliefs) more of a media event was the response of the Amish community. Yes they said they forgave the perpetrator but it is more than that, their response as a community was a grace-ful response. Ruth quotes from Ann Taylor Fleming speaking in the aftermath of the tragedy on PBS's NewsHour:
The modern media descended en masse into this rural enclave ... And what they found and what we heard from that community was not revenge or anger, but a gentle, heartstricken insistence on forgiveness; forgiveness, that is, of the shooter himself. The widow of the shooter was actually invited to one of the funerals, and it was said she would be welcome to stay in the community. In a world gone mad with revenge killings and sectarian violence, chunks of the globe, self immolating with hatred, this was something to behold, this insistence on forgiveness. It was so strange, so elemental, so otherworldly. This, the Amish said, showing us the tender face of religion at a time where we are so often seeing the rageful face. This was Jesus' way, and they had Jesus in them, not for a day, an hour, not just in the good times, but even in the very worst (cited on p. 43-44).
What I mean by saying that the Amish response was grace-ful (that is, full of grace) is that some attended Charles Roberts' funeral as well.
The cynic could say that Ruth's book is slightly manipulative, cashing in on tragedy; I am normally just such a cynic but in this case I don't think so. Ruth is not some outside journalist picking up on a good story, he himself has a proven track record in studying the Amish (he is himself a Mennonite). Forgiveness is best seen as a road-map of sorts introducing by means of both observation and history why - and more importantly how - the Amish responded in the way they do. It is rooted in a history of suffering and interdependence on each other (community).
As an introduction to the Amish this book is reasonable but there are better books out there. However, what Forgiveness does that these other books do not is offer not only a historical survey but a glimpse of how the Amish think and live as they do, and therefore how they can respond to tragedy in as noble and inspiring way as they have. I have previously gone on record to register my criticisms of certain aspects of Amish life (private schooling in particular) but this has always been done with a profound respect for their ethos of discipleship, Forgiveness has only served to increase that regard.
For anyone who in the aftermath who criticised or were confused by the Amish's response to the murder of five of their own children then this is highly recommended.
Comments