What do you think?
Rate this book
Amish Grace: How Forgiveness Transcended Tragedy
On Monday morning, October 2, 2006, a gunman entered a one-room Amish school in Nickel Mines, Pennsylvania. In front of twenty-five horrified pupils, thirty-two-year-old Charles Roberts ordered the boys and the teacher to leave. After tying the legs of the ten remaining girls, Roberts prepared to shoot them execution with an automatic rifle and four hundred rounds of ammunition that he brought for the task. The oldest hostage, a thirteen-year-old, begged Roberts to "shoot me first and let the little ones go." Refusing her offer, he opened fire on all of them, killing five and leaving the others critically wounded. He then shot himself as police stormed the building. His motivation? "I'm angry at God for taking my little daughter," he told the children before the massacre. The story captured the attention of broadcast and print media in the United States and around the world. By Tuesday morning some fifty television crews had clogged the small village of Nickel Mines, staying for five days until the killer and the killed were buried. The blood was barely dry on the schoolhouse floor when Amish parents brought words of forgiveness to the family of the one who had slain their children.
The outside world was incredulous that such forgiveness could be offered so quickly for such a heinous crime. Of the hundreds of media queries that the authors received about the shooting, questions about forgiveness rose to the top. Forgiveness, in fact, eclipsed the tragic story, trumping the violence and arresting the world's attention.
Within a week of the murders, Amish forgiveness was a central theme in more than 2,400 news stories around the world. The Washington Post, The New York Times, USA Today, Newsweek, NBC Nightly News, CBS Morning News, Larry King Live, Fox News, Oprah, and dozens of other media outlets heralded the forgiving Amish. From the Khaleej Times (United Arab Emirates) to Australian television, international media were opining on Amish forgiveness. Three weeks after the shooting, "Amish forgiveness" had appeared in 2,900 news stories worldwide and on 534,000 web sites.
Fresh from the funerals where they had buried their own children, grieving Amish families accounted for half of the seventy-five people who attended the killer's burial. Roberts' widow was deeply moved by their presence as Amish families greeted her and her three children. The forgiveness went beyond talk and graveside presence: the Amish also supported a fund for the shooter's family.
AMISH GRACE explores the many questions this story raises about the religious beliefs and habits that led the Amish to forgive so quickly. It looks at the ties between forgiveness and membership in a cloistered communal society and ask if Amish practices parallel or diverge from other religious and secular notions of forgiveness. It will also address the matter of why forgiveness became news. "All the religions teach it," mused an observer, "but no one does it like the Amish." Regardless of the cultural seedbed that nourished this story, the surprising act of Amish forgiveness begs for a deeper exploration. How could the Amish do this? What did this act mean to them? And how might their witness prove useful to the rest of us?
The outside world was incredulous that such forgiveness could be offered so quickly for such a heinous crime. Of the hundreds of media queries that the authors received about the shooting, questions about forgiveness rose to the top. Forgiveness, in fact, eclipsed the tragic story, trumping the violence and arresting the world's attention.
Within a week of the murders, Amish forgiveness was a central theme in more than 2,400 news stories around the world. The Washington Post, The New York Times, USA Today, Newsweek, NBC Nightly News, CBS Morning News, Larry King Live, Fox News, Oprah, and dozens of other media outlets heralded the forgiving Amish. From the Khaleej Times (United Arab Emirates) to Australian television, international media were opining on Amish forgiveness. Three weeks after the shooting, "Amish forgiveness" had appeared in 2,900 news stories worldwide and on 534,000 web sites.
Fresh from the funerals where they had buried their own children, grieving Amish families accounted for half of the seventy-five people who attended the killer's burial. Roberts' widow was deeply moved by their presence as Amish families greeted her and her three children. The forgiveness went beyond talk and graveside presence: the Amish also supported a fund for the shooter's family.
AMISH GRACE explores the many questions this story raises about the religious beliefs and habits that led the Amish to forgive so quickly. It looks at the ties between forgiveness and membership in a cloistered communal society and ask if Amish practices parallel or diverge from other religious and secular notions of forgiveness. It will also address the matter of why forgiveness became news. "All the religions teach it," mused an observer, "but no one does it like the Amish." Regardless of the cultural seedbed that nourished this story, the surprising act of Amish forgiveness begs for a deeper exploration. How could the Amish do this? What did this act mean to them? And how might their witness prove useful to the rest of us?
237 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2007
177 people are currently reading
1964 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 501 reviews
April 26, 2018
Read because I grew up not too far from the highest concentration of Amish in the world: Holmes County, Ohio, and because I didn’t know much about the Nickel Mines shooting.
This book first goes over the Nickel Mines school shooting incident itself, then the aftermath, focusing on the victims’ families extending friendship to the shooter’s family and forgiveness to the dead shooter. Next, it briefly traces the history of the Amish faith, and then it analyzes how that history affects the practice of Amish faith (including forgiveness). The authors examine other incidences where the Amish extended forgiveness in unusual circumstances to support their assertion that the Amish response to the school shooting was not unusual for Amish people.
A decent overview and analysis of Amish culture and religion in the context of the tragedy.
This book first goes over the Nickel Mines school shooting incident itself, then the aftermath, focusing on the victims’ families extending friendship to the shooter’s family and forgiveness to the dead shooter. Next, it briefly traces the history of the Amish faith, and then it analyzes how that history affects the practice of Amish faith (including forgiveness). The authors examine other incidences where the Amish extended forgiveness in unusual circumstances to support their assertion that the Amish response to the school shooting was not unusual for Amish people.
A decent overview and analysis of Amish culture and religion in the context of the tragedy.
September 10, 2008
I found this book to be very repetative and dull. While the concept is interesting, the execution left a lot to be desired. The first third of the book tells of the events leading up to, during and immediately after the Nickels Mines schoolhouse tragedy. The last 2/3 is where the authors discuss forgiveness as practised by the Amish. It had the potential to be interesting but just didn't deliver. It seemed as if I was reading the same things over and over again, just worded differently, or using a different example. Every once in a while I would read a paragraph or two that really made me think about forgiveness and my faith so it wasn't a complete loss, but still....
With more organization and many fewer pages this could have been an interesting book or article but just didn't do much for me as it was.
With more organization and many fewer pages this could have been an interesting book or article but just didn't do much for me as it was.
May 4, 2009
Forgiveness is at the core of Christianity, yet I suspect it is many times one of our least-practiced virtues. It is certainly among the most difficult, and flies in the face of human nature and modern society, both of which typically tells us to revenge wrongs. This book examines the concept of forgiveness in the context of the infamous and horrific Nickel Mines school shooting. Along the way, the authors, all professors in Amish history and culture, provide insights into both the Lancaster PA.-area Amish, and the Anabaptists in America as a whole. It also examines how difficult or easy it is to forgive, looks at the difference between forgiveness (exchanging hate for love) and pardon (releasing someone from obligation for an offense), and whether or not extending forgiveness in the wake of something as repugnant as the Nickel Mines shooting is even desirable.
After reading this book, I am even more convinced of the necessity for forgiveness. Definitely recommended.
After reading this book, I am even more convinced of the necessity for forgiveness. Definitely recommended.
March 25, 2016
The first section of this book is so heart wrenching. As the author says, in some way we lost last safe place in America. What those families suffered is terrible. Then they shocked the nation with their ready offer of forgiveness. That part of the book was interesting, and I learned quite a bit.
It was the last two sections that were troubling. There the author delves into the philosophy, theology and psychology of forgiveness in general, and in the Amish communities in particular. Kraybill does't try to come to any conclusion, just explain what people believe.
The Amish beliefs are so sad. While they are correct that we must forgive those that hurt us because the Bible says so, they are wrong in tying their forgiveness of others to their salvation. The saddest part of this book is, as you go along, you start to realize just how works basted their theology is. Salvation for them is not in trusting Jesus' sacrifice. It's in submitting to men and man's rules. It's in their keeping unity at all costs. It's in their own efforts. What could be sadder than a group who has the Bible but chooses to add Man's rules to it.
Christ didn't die so we can continue to earn our salvation. He died so we can have the assurance that we are going to heaven. He has forgiven us our sins, and commands we show the same forgiveness to others. It's a way of showing His love to others, not a way of maintaining our salvation.
The author's conclusion is strange as well. Yes the Amish have been taught to forgive since they were born, and it is a tradition for them. His conclusion though is that they are the only ones that could forgive a tragedy such as that because of their traditions. The Biblical command applies to every Christian, and even if it's not their culture. The Lord will strengthen those that want to follow His commands, making it possible for anyone to forgive.
So really I won't recommend this book, unless your researching Amish beliefs. Even though the Bible is quoted as authoritative, it becomes quite clear that tradition caries just as much weight for them as it does.
It was the last two sections that were troubling. There the author delves into the philosophy, theology and psychology of forgiveness in general, and in the Amish communities in particular. Kraybill does't try to come to any conclusion, just explain what people believe.
The Amish beliefs are so sad. While they are correct that we must forgive those that hurt us because the Bible says so, they are wrong in tying their forgiveness of others to their salvation. The saddest part of this book is, as you go along, you start to realize just how works basted their theology is. Salvation for them is not in trusting Jesus' sacrifice. It's in submitting to men and man's rules. It's in their keeping unity at all costs. It's in their own efforts. What could be sadder than a group who has the Bible but chooses to add Man's rules to it.
Christ didn't die so we can continue to earn our salvation. He died so we can have the assurance that we are going to heaven. He has forgiven us our sins, and commands we show the same forgiveness to others. It's a way of showing His love to others, not a way of maintaining our salvation.
The author's conclusion is strange as well. Yes the Amish have been taught to forgive since they were born, and it is a tradition for them. His conclusion though is that they are the only ones that could forgive a tragedy such as that because of their traditions. The Biblical command applies to every Christian, and even if it's not their culture. The Lord will strengthen those that want to follow His commands, making it possible for anyone to forgive.
So really I won't recommend this book, unless your researching Amish beliefs. Even though the Bible is quoted as authoritative, it becomes quite clear that tradition caries just as much weight for them as it does.
January 2, 2010
I grew up near Lancaster, PA and when the shooting in Nickel Mines occurred in 2006 I was among the very, very shocked and very saddened. When I heard of the forgiveness bestowed by the Amish, I had disbelief and after reading this book, it became clearer to me that forgiveness wasn't really a choice, it's a way of life for the Amish. The book delves into the reasons behind the Amish practice of forgiveness when it comes to outsiders - and how the opposite occurs when a fellow Amish person chooses not to follow the Amish way of life.
I felt the book did keep going back to things it had already discussed, a lot of breaks in the flow, but there were very interesting historical components and explanations for why the Amish forgive those who commit horrific crimes.
The book made me think about my own life and how forgiveness is so hard for me. I will definitely try to be more forgiving in the future and use the Amish way as an example.
I felt the book did keep going back to things it had already discussed, a lot of breaks in the flow, but there were very interesting historical components and explanations for why the Amish forgive those who commit horrific crimes.
The book made me think about my own life and how forgiveness is so hard for me. I will definitely try to be more forgiving in the future and use the Amish way as an example.
Want to read
November 6, 2015The facts are these: on the 2nd of October, 2006, in Nickel Mines, Pennsylvania USA, a man got inside a school (belonging to an Amish community), shot 10 school girls and then killed himself. Five children got killed.
I’ve watched the movie (Amish Grace) based on the book… and those facts.
Obviously, it was a tragedy for both the children’s parents and to the wife of the shooter, namely. The story has an high point, because it revolves around the notion of forgiveness (a very distinct trait of the Amish community). Still, on the facts domain, I would refer the mother of the shooter who, some years on, said there are “no words to describe what it felt like…70 Amish people encircling us” (at funeral’s day). The wife of the shooter spoke of “redemption”. Defying logic and human common sense, the Amish community followed the way of forgiveness.
The fictionalized story talks about a man ruminating upon a baby child he’d lost; he’s preparing the assault on the school, telling no one about that. When it happens (the tragedy) some of the parents of the children involved follow the way of forgiveness.
But there’s one mother --Ida--who dares to “hate the man who took our daughter’s [Mary Beth] life”; she thinks about leaving the community; grief-therapy sessions won’t work. Her sister had been shunned in the past from the community.
During those sessions, it’s easy to spot strong, opposing currents of feelings; on one side some mothers who point the way of forgiving, but Ida being very reluctant, facing the troubled wife of the shooter, unmercifully. Also, a reporter who wonders repeatedly throughout the movie: how genuine the forgiveness had been.
The movie will surely make you wonder about those common terms (and dilemmas) such as “forgetting and forgiving”, “justice by man versus divine justice”; pardon or…. forgiving.
Meanwhile, one of the children (Rebecca) who had been in a coma, in hospital, recovers and tells about the brave attitude of Mary Beth before being killed. MB asked to be shot first and nevertheless would pray for the shooter. Upon knowing these details Ida changes her attitude and affirms: “before she died …MB had forgiveness in her heart, I cannot do no less”.
The story results great because it challenges one to see the difference between an world-view [check on the reporter] and the Amish community very uncommon way of life; one of humility, kindness …the community above the individual.
August 23, 2010
Amazing discussion of forgiveness after a horrible community tragedy. I loved this book!
Read
April 19, 2017Although I had no foreknowledge of the Nickel Mines schoolhouse shooting when my aunt sent me this book, I was immediately intrigued, and got so caught up in it that I had read the entire tome within twenty-four hours of receiving the package in the mail. These Anabaptist kinfolk have an awful lot to teach us about life, especially about the countercultural values of simplicity and nonviolence. Included below are two quotations that I found especially convicting:
“Rather than making their own way alone, Amish people must yield to the authority of the church community and ultimately to God. These sentiments pervade Amish religious life in was that many outsiders find puzzling. For instance, verbal expressions of personal faith in public settings are seen as prideful, as if one were showing off one’s religious knowledge. Reciting Bible verses publicly signals a ‘proud heart,’ and individual interpretations of the Bible and personal testimonies in a church service are seen as exemplifying haughtiness rather than genuine faith. For the Amish, genuine spirituality is quiet, reserved, and clothed in humility, expressing itself in actions rather than words. Wisdom is tested by the community, not by an individual’s feelings, eloquence, or persuasion.” (page 93-94)
“Interestingly, the Amish apply the same humility to their own eternal destiny that they applied to Roberts’s eternal fate. They are loathe to speculate on both salvation and damnation, and unwilling to insist either that they are saved or that Charles Roberts went to hell. Amish people speak of having a ‘living hope’ of salvation. Unlike many evangelical Christians who openly pronounce assurance of salvation, the Amish resist declaring that they are saved. Such proclamations of human certainty are, in the Amish mind, an offense to God, for only God knows the mysteries of salvation. Our task, they would say, is to follow faithfully the way of Jesus in daily life and not to pressure to know the mind of God. Nevertheless, they have hope and confidence that God will be a just and merciful judge.” (page 168)
“Rather than making their own way alone, Amish people must yield to the authority of the church community and ultimately to God. These sentiments pervade Amish religious life in was that many outsiders find puzzling. For instance, verbal expressions of personal faith in public settings are seen as prideful, as if one were showing off one’s religious knowledge. Reciting Bible verses publicly signals a ‘proud heart,’ and individual interpretations of the Bible and personal testimonies in a church service are seen as exemplifying haughtiness rather than genuine faith. For the Amish, genuine spirituality is quiet, reserved, and clothed in humility, expressing itself in actions rather than words. Wisdom is tested by the community, not by an individual’s feelings, eloquence, or persuasion.” (page 93-94)
“Interestingly, the Amish apply the same humility to their own eternal destiny that they applied to Roberts’s eternal fate. They are loathe to speculate on both salvation and damnation, and unwilling to insist either that they are saved or that Charles Roberts went to hell. Amish people speak of having a ‘living hope’ of salvation. Unlike many evangelical Christians who openly pronounce assurance of salvation, the Amish resist declaring that they are saved. Such proclamations of human certainty are, in the Amish mind, an offense to God, for only God knows the mysteries of salvation. Our task, they would say, is to follow faithfully the way of Jesus in daily life and not to pressure to know the mind of God. Nevertheless, they have hope and confidence that God will be a just and merciful judge.” (page 168)
January 6, 2023
Thorough and beautiful.
Read
February 24, 2021Ich hab einfach durchgehend geheult also ich würde nicht empfehlen, es im Homeoffice zu lesen wenn jeden Moment jemand anrufen kann.
ABER fand das Buch jetzt nicht so gut geschrieben, es wurde gefühlt 100 Mal erwähnt dass du seventy times seven vergeben musst und ja, I GOT IT, THANKS. Hab mich gefragt ob denen 1. Nichts anderes einfällt was sie schreiben können oder 2. Sie denken ich wäre dumm und es immer noch nicht verstanden hab oder 3. Wollen sie mir einfach paar Bibelzitate einprügeln die ich jetzt sicher niemals wieder vergessen werde?
ABER fand das Buch jetzt nicht so gut geschrieben, es wurde gefühlt 100 Mal erwähnt dass du seventy times seven vergeben musst und ja, I GOT IT, THANKS. Hab mich gefragt ob denen 1. Nichts anderes einfällt was sie schreiben können oder 2. Sie denken ich wäre dumm und es immer noch nicht verstanden hab oder 3. Wollen sie mir einfach paar Bibelzitate einprügeln die ich jetzt sicher niemals wieder vergessen werde?
August 5, 2011
This book takes a look at the tragic shooting in a school house in the Amish community in Lancaster, PA. Parents lost five children in the shooting yet amazed the world by forgiving the man almost immediately after it happened. This book asks the question why and how were they able to forgive so quickly and "easily." I never really knew much about the theology of the Amish until I read this book. I would not say that this book is an extensive systematic theology of what they believe (for in fact the Amish do not have a systematic theology in the 300 years of their existence according the authors). But it does give us their motivation. These people basically believe that, "granting forgiveness to one's debtors is an act that God requires of those who seek divine forgiveness." The Amish see divine forgiveness very very closely intertwined with human forgiveness. If the Amish do not show grace to others how can God? In my opinion this makes logical sense but to me has a serious error. I feel that they could fall into a trap of a works based faith. The Amish clearly understand that Jesus came and died for the forgiveness of sins but at the same time they feel they have to do so something (i.e. a work) to keep this forgiveness. Also, "this understanding of salvation reflects the Amish focus on practice rather than doctrine..." The Amish have an emphasis on orthopraxy over orthodoxy. I think this can be seen in their view of salvation. This is an inspiring story and clearly a model of forgiveness but we must remember it is not the model of forgiveness. For THE model is of Christ coming to this earth and dying for a people he did not need to save. Dying for totally broken and depraved sinners like you and like me. When we realize that we never deserved any of the grace the we receive daily then and only then will be be able to start to see how amazing that grace is. So, would I recommend this book...sure (but read it with an eye of discernment) because it is inspiring but we must keep in mind THE model of forgiveness, the gospel.
August 29, 2017
The first 50 pages detailing a horrific incident and it's aftermath are worth reading the book alone. And I think the book is worth owning, not just borrowing from the library. And it's worth reading (at least the first 50 pages) more than once. It's heartbreaking, uplifting, beautiful. I had to keep putting the book down because the tears in my eyes made me unable to see the pages clearly.
The touching comments and views remind me of a poem by a 17th century Puritan poet Anne Bradstreet called In Memory of My Dear Grandchild Elizabeth Bradstreet. It's a touching poem that shares the Amish view of life as fleeting and being grateful for what one has.
"Farewell dear babe, my heart's too much content,
Farewell sweet babe, the pleasure of mine eye,
Farewell fair flower that for a space was lent,
Then ta'en away unto eternity.
Blest babe, why should I once bewail thy fate,
Or sigh thy days so soon were terminate,
Sith thou art settled in an everlasting state."
The rest of the book after the first 50 pages talks about the culture of forgiveness in the Amish community and the difference between forgiveness, reconciliation and pardon. It also touches on Amish history here and there back when they were called Anabaptists (rebaptizers) in the 1500's.
I highly recommend this book to anyone. If you're not a Christian I'm not sure what you might think of this book considering it focuses on faith, forgiveness in relation to Christianity. I think some might still find it beautiful.
I recommend this book in particular to: Christians; people interested in the idea of faith, forgiveness, crime and punishment and the Amish.
The touching comments and views remind me of a poem by a 17th century Puritan poet Anne Bradstreet called In Memory of My Dear Grandchild Elizabeth Bradstreet. It's a touching poem that shares the Amish view of life as fleeting and being grateful for what one has.
"Farewell dear babe, my heart's too much content,
Farewell sweet babe, the pleasure of mine eye,
Farewell fair flower that for a space was lent,
Then ta'en away unto eternity.
Blest babe, why should I once bewail thy fate,
Or sigh thy days so soon were terminate,
Sith thou art settled in an everlasting state."
The rest of the book after the first 50 pages talks about the culture of forgiveness in the Amish community and the difference between forgiveness, reconciliation and pardon. It also touches on Amish history here and there back when they were called Anabaptists (rebaptizers) in the 1500's.
I highly recommend this book to anyone. If you're not a Christian I'm not sure what you might think of this book considering it focuses on faith, forgiveness in relation to Christianity. I think some might still find it beautiful.
I recommend this book in particular to: Christians; people interested in the idea of faith, forgiveness, crime and punishment and the Amish.
July 25, 2009
On October 2, 2006, a disturbed and heavily armed man entered an Amish school in Pennsylvania and took the children hostage. He eventually sent everyone but 10 young girls away, and as police surrounded the school, shot the children and then committed suicide. Five of the girls died, and the others suffered critical injuries.
The first section of the book gives background on the Amish and their beliefs, and then recounts the tragic events of that day. The authors then turn to the response of the Amish people, which they describe as "Amish grace" - the almost immediate forgiveness, lack of bitterness or anger or desire for retaliation. The families of the victims and others in the community not only openly expressed forgiveness for the shooter, but embraced his family with love and support (including attending his funeral). The book analyzes this response carefully, including the culture and teachings and habits that created it. The final section tries to give some insights into the place of forgiveness in modern Christianity and society.
The book suffers a little from repetition, which may have been the result of multiple authors contributing. But I very much enjoyed the insights into Amish culture and teachings. In some ways, they are more Christian then most of us in their careful attempts to follow the teachings of Jesus. At the end of this book, I was ready to try harder.
The first section of the book gives background on the Amish and their beliefs, and then recounts the tragic events of that day. The authors then turn to the response of the Amish people, which they describe as "Amish grace" - the almost immediate forgiveness, lack of bitterness or anger or desire for retaliation. The families of the victims and others in the community not only openly expressed forgiveness for the shooter, but embraced his family with love and support (including attending his funeral). The book analyzes this response carefully, including the culture and teachings and habits that created it. The final section tries to give some insights into the place of forgiveness in modern Christianity and society.
The book suffers a little from repetition, which may have been the result of multiple authors contributing. But I very much enjoyed the insights into Amish culture and teachings. In some ways, they are more Christian then most of us in their careful attempts to follow the teachings of Jesus. At the end of this book, I was ready to try harder.
February 26, 2010
I first thought very highly (and I guess I still do)of the Amish's ability and willingness to forgive and reach to the families of offenders. But, now in light of knowing that the Amish believe that if they do not forgive then they will not be forgiven by God. The book talked about how important and how much they emphasis forgiveness in the Amish culture. Sometimes to their own peril. In cases of domestic abuse, sexual abuse ect. It was interesting to read the history of the Amish culture and how of course this has been the first of MANY times that the Amish forgived the people who were their enemies and were out to cause them harm.
I guess it got me thinking about people or things that have occurred in my life that I need to let go or forgive. Its hard for me because I am not sure if they did anything to merit my forgiveness but I know that I am letting the hurt feeling control some aspects of my life. Its a interesting book ---probably alot of theology behind things but I find that interesting.
I guess it got me thinking about people or things that have occurred in my life that I need to let go or forgive. Its hard for me because I am not sure if they did anything to merit my forgiveness but I know that I am letting the hurt feeling control some aspects of my life. Its a interesting book ---probably alot of theology behind things but I find that interesting.
April 17, 2013
Amé este libro, me ayudó mucho a reflexionar sobre como vivimos nuestra vida actualmente: donde colocamos nuestras prioridades, a qué le dedicamos tiempo y en especial, nuestra falta de humildad muchas veces para acatar, perdonar y amar.
A simple vista es una comunidad que se restringe demasiado y no "disfruta" de la modernidad, sin embargo leyendo el libro pude entender mejor en dónde están sus valores y cómo el auto-restringirse ayuda a que sus familias y comunidades tengan bajos índices de violencia, de delitos, etc. Lleva mucha entrega a sus creencias (ellos viven separados del mundo, aunque tengan vecinos no amish) pero a ellos les funciona, muy pocos se alejan de su comunidad e incluso unos pocos que lo hacen, regresan.
Muy interesante y digno de leer, en estos párrafos no podría hacerle honor a lo complejo y hermoso de su comunidad, el libro lo hace mucho mejor, toma un estudio más profundo de sus costumbres y creencias el entender cómo fueron capaces de perdonar lo sucedido en el asesinato en su escuela, este libro lo explica muy bien.
Lo recomiendo mucho.
A simple vista es una comunidad que se restringe demasiado y no "disfruta" de la modernidad, sin embargo leyendo el libro pude entender mejor en dónde están sus valores y cómo el auto-restringirse ayuda a que sus familias y comunidades tengan bajos índices de violencia, de delitos, etc. Lleva mucha entrega a sus creencias (ellos viven separados del mundo, aunque tengan vecinos no amish) pero a ellos les funciona, muy pocos se alejan de su comunidad e incluso unos pocos que lo hacen, regresan.
Muy interesante y digno de leer, en estos párrafos no podría hacerle honor a lo complejo y hermoso de su comunidad, el libro lo hace mucho mejor, toma un estudio más profundo de sus costumbres y creencias el entender cómo fueron capaces de perdonar lo sucedido en el asesinato en su escuela, este libro lo explica muy bien.
Lo recomiendo mucho.
November 1, 2014
Like many people, I was profoundly moved by the spirit of forgiveness that radiated out of Nickel Mines after the school shooting in 2006. When I learned about this book, I dropped everything and ran to read it. I was not disappointed with the in-depth exploration of forgiveness and the Amish culture that made it possible.
The authors do a superb job providing important detail of the incident and its impact on the community, without watering down the severity of the atrocity or resorting to caricature -- either with the Amish community or the man who committed the crime.
This book taught me important things about Amish life, their religious perspective, and how we can all learn from their example. (And, perhaps even more importantly, why we're not all poised to react to things in exactly the same way.) There's a bit of repetition, and some delving into the arcane backstory of Amish traditions, but those are minor critiques. Highly recommended.
The authors do a superb job providing important detail of the incident and its impact on the community, without watering down the severity of the atrocity or resorting to caricature -- either with the Amish community or the man who committed the crime.
This book taught me important things about Amish life, their religious perspective, and how we can all learn from their example. (And, perhaps even more importantly, why we're not all poised to react to things in exactly the same way.) There's a bit of repetition, and some delving into the arcane backstory of Amish traditions, but those are minor critiques. Highly recommended.
August 26, 2009
The first third of the book is utterly soul-shattering, in the best possible way. The calm, clear-eyed way the authors describe what happened in Nickel Mines (which takes up no more than a few pages), and then the beautiful succession of loving acts that transpired in its wake, will remind you that, despite all daily evidence to the contrary, sometimes people are good -- no, wonderful -- simply because they want to be.
The last two thirds of the book are quite a bit drier, and although they're interesting, they're sort of a hard landing after the way it begins; it becomes more of an academic look at the nature of forgiveness, and its roots in Amish tradition, than the spiritual experience explored in Part One. The whole thing is still well worth reading, but after landing with so much initial impact, it's a little disappointing to feel the book's energy fade.
The last two thirds of the book are quite a bit drier, and although they're interesting, they're sort of a hard landing after the way it begins; it becomes more of an academic look at the nature of forgiveness, and its roots in Amish tradition, than the spiritual experience explored in Part One. The whole thing is still well worth reading, but after landing with so much initial impact, it's a little disappointing to feel the book's energy fade.
May 11, 2018
This powerful book was written as a result of the school shooting in Nickel Mines. Pennsylvania on October 2, 2006. The focus of the book is not Charles Roberts, the shooter, but rather on the amazing forgiveness that flowed from the Amish community to the shooter's family. The depth of the book takes its readers to a better understanding of the religious beliefs and habits of the Amish and the foundation stones that led the Amish to forgive so quickly. The book really challenged me on many fronts from the practical ways I need to forgive to the difference between forgiveness and reconciliation to the essential separation of the Christ-follower to the world. This well-written book provided a solid explanation and scriptural basis for much of the Amish lifestyle.
January 21, 2008
In 2006, a gunman went into a one-room Amish schoolhouse and shot ten girls, killing five of them, and then killed himself. What is the immediate response of the Amish community? The Amish instantly voice their forgiveness of this man and his actions. They visit his widow and children and go to the killer’s funeral. It almost feels superhuman. The authors investigate this incident and the forgiveness that followed and look into the origins of Amish forgiveness in the Amish culture, how it is cultivated in young children, and how forgiveness works to heal.
August 16, 2009
This true story is about the Amish after the Nickel Mines tragedy...and, to the world's amazement, their willingness to forgive. I enjoyed learning more about the Amish people -- their religion and their culture...but the real message of the book is the power of sincere forgiveness. I highly recommend this one!
February 1, 2019
This was one of the most heartbreaking stories I had read. I didn't have dry eyes through this one! But the forgiveness they showed even towards pure hate was stunning. Only God could have given them that strength.
March 16, 2019
I learned so much from this book about the Amish faith and way of life. I’m also very impressed with the forgiveness extended by the Amish. I want to make forgiveness be as automatic in my life as it is for the Amish.
February 24, 2010
Such wonderful insight into Amish life, history and why precisely they look toward reconciliation rather than any sort of divisiveness. Such a lesson to us all.
June 7, 2018
This is an incredibly sad story but also incredibly moving. I'm not sure I would of been able to forgive such an unspeakable act. This book was a lesson in forgiveness and selflessness. Inspiring.
December 19, 2010
I recently finished reading "Amish Grace: How Forgiveness Transcended Tragedy" by Donald B. Kraybill, Steven M. Nolt, and David L. Weaver-Zercher. From Wikipedia:
"When a group of Amish schoolgirls are taken hostage and killed in their classroom, their parents and the Amish community of Nickel Mines, Pennsylvania, stun the outside world by immediately forgiving the killer.
I previously new very little about the Amish (mostly from the film Witness?). As I learned more, I couldn't help but notice some similarities to my own heritage. I loved the book both because of its thoughtful examination of the nature of forgiveness and because it's a fascinating story of a group of Christians who obviously and in many ways aren't excusing themselves from being transformed by the radical, counter-cultural demands of the gospel."
I gave it 4 out of 5 stars.
This quote from page 12 caught my attention:
“We believe in letting our light shine,” said one Amish father, “but not shining it in the eyes of other people.”
I love that phrase. It reminds me of 1 Thess. 4:9-12:
9 Now about your love for one another we do not need to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love each other. 10 And in fact, you do love all of God’s family throughout Macedonia. Yet we urge you, brothers and sisters, to do so more and more, 11 and to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life: You should mind your own business and work with your hands, just as we told you, 12 so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody.
The Amish take very seriously what Jesus said about forgiveness in Matthew 6. From page 95 of the book:
"To say that the Lord’s Prayer is a “good, well-rounded prayer” covers a lot of territory. But the prayer’s words about forgiveness “forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors” ring loud in Amish ears. One elder explained emphatically, “Forgiveness is the only thing that Jesus underscored in the Lord’s Prayer. Do you know that Jesus speaks about forgiveness in the two verses right after the Lord’s Prayer? So you see, it’s really central to the Lord’s Prayer. It’s really intense.”
The fundamentals of Amish forgiveness are embedded in those two verses: “For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses” (Matthew 6: 14-15).
The Amish believe if they don’t forgive, they won’t be forgiven. This forms the core of Amish spirituality and the core of their understanding of salvation: forgiveness from God hinges on a willingness to forgive others. The crucial phrase, repeated frequently by the Amish in conversations, sermons, and essays, is this: to be forgiven, we must forgive.
This notion was never clearer than in the aftermath of the Nickel Mines shooting. In response to a flood of inquiries about how the Amish could forgive, local leaders provided an explanation in an unsigned letter: “There has been some confusion about our community’s forgiving attitude, [but] if we do not forgive, how can we expect to he forgiven? By not forgiving, it will be more harmful to ourselves than to the one that did the evil deed.”"
Here's an interesting passage from pages 126-128 where the authors explore the meaning of forgiveness:
"Forgiveness is a concept that everyone understands - until they’re asked to define it. Many Christians say that people should forgive because God forgave them. The Amish say that people should forgive so that God will forgive them. But those statements point to theological motivations for offering forgiveness; they do not define what forgiveness is. Others argue that forgiveness brings emotional healing to the forgiving person, but this psychological motive for forgiveness also fails to define forgiveness.
In recent years, psychologists such as Robert D. Enright and Everett E. Worthington Jr. have helped to define forgiveness and examine its effects. As a result of their clinical research, both Enright and Worthington have come to believe that forgiveness is good for the person who offers it, reducing “anger, depression, anxiety, and fear” and affording “cardiovascular and immune system benefits.” To make that claim, however, they’ve needed to clarify what forgiveness is and what it is not.
Enright, in his book Forgiveness Is a Choice, uses philosopher Joanna North’s definition of forgiveness: “When unjustly hurt by another, we forgive when we overcome the resentment toward the offender, not by denying our right to the resentment, but instead by trying to offer the wrongdoer compassion, benevolence, and love.” In Enright’s view, this definition highlights three essential aspects of forgiveness: that the offense is taken seriously (“the offense was unfair and will always continue to he unfair”), that victims have “a moral right to anger,” and that for forgiveness to take place, victims must “give up” their right to anger and resentment. In sum, forgiveness is “a gift to our offender,” who may not necessarily deserve it.
Forgiveness, then, is both psychological and social: psychological because the forgiver is personally changed by the release of resentment, and social because forgiveness involves another person. That other person, the wrongdoer, may or may not change as a result of the forgiveness. In fact, Enright and many other scholars argue that forgiveness does not and should not depend on the remorse or apology of the offender. Rather, forgiveness is unconditional, an unmerited gift that replaces negative feelings toward the wrongdoer with love and generosity. “In spite of everything that the offender has done,” writes Enright, forgiveness means treating the offender “as a member of the human community.”
There are certain things, however, that forgiveness does not mean. Partly in response to their critics, forgiveness advocates have developed a long list of things that forgiveness is not: it is not pretending that a wrong did not occur, it is not forgetting that it happened, and it is not condoning or excusing it. To the contrary, “forgiveness means admitting that what was done was wrong and should not be repeated.” Similarly, forgiveness is not the same thing as pardon. In other words, granting forgiveness does not mean that the wrongdoer is now free from suffering the disciplinary consequences of his or her actions (for example, legal or other forms of discipline).
Finally, forgiveness should not he confused with reconciliation the restoring of a relationship. That’s because “reconciliation requires a renewal of trust, and sometimes that is not possible.” Forgiveness may open the door to reconciliation, anti in some ways is a prerequisite for reconciliation, but a victim may forgive an offender without reconciliation taking place. For instance, a victim of domestic abuse may forgive her abuser but at the same time seek legal means to keep him at a distance. Forgiveness advocates such as Enright even argue that forgiving a dead person is both possible and appropriate, even though reconciliation cannot take place in such cases."
In the following passage from pages 175-177 the authors emphasize how truly counter-cultural Amish Grace really is:
"To hear the Amish explain it, the New Testament provides the pattern for their unique form of spirituality. In a certain sense they are right. The Amish take the words of’ Jesus with utmost seriousness, and members frequently explain their faith by citing Jesus or other New Testament texts. But the Amish way of life cannot be reduced simply to taking the Bible or even Jesus seriously. Rather, Amish spirituality emerges from their particular ways of understanding the biblical text, a lens that’s been shaped by their nonviolent martyr tradition. With the martyrs hovering nearby, offering admonition and encouragement, the Amish have esteemed suffering over vengeance, Uffgevva over striving, and forgiveness over resentment. All Christians can read Jesus’ words in Matthew’s Gospel “forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors” but Amish people truly believe that their own forgiveness is bound up in their willingness to forgive others. For them, forgiveness is more than a good thing to do. It is absolutely central to the Christian faith.
All of this helps us understand how the Nickel Mines Amish could do the unimaginable: extend forgiveness to their children’s killer within hours of their deaths. The decision to forgive came quickly, almost instinctively. Moreover, it came in deeds as well as words, with concrete expressions of care for the gunman’s family. For the Amish, the test of faith is action. Beliefs are important, and words are too, but actions reveal the true character of one’s faith. Therefore to really forgive means to act in forgiving ways - in this case, by expressing care for the family of the killer.
In a world where the default response is more often revenge than forgiveness, all of this is inspiring. At the same time, the fact that forgiveness is so deeply woven into the fabric of Amish life should alert us that their example, inspiring as it is, is not easily transferable to other people in other situations. Imitation may be the sincerest form of flattery, but how does one imitate a habit that’s embedded in a way of life anchored in a five-hundred-year history?
Most North Americans, formed by the assumptions of liberal democracy and consumer capitalism, carry a dramatically different set of cultural habits. In fact, many North Americans might conclude that certain Amish habits are problematic, if not utterly offensive. Submitting to the discipline of fallible church leaders? Forgoing personal acclaim? Constraining intellectual exploration? Abiding by restrictive gender roles? Declining to stand up for one’s rights? Refusing to fight for one’s country? Could any set of cultural habits be more out of sync with mainstream American culture?
Many observers missed the countercultural dimension of Amish forgiveness, or at least downplayed it, in the aftermath of the Nickel Mines shooting. Outsiders, typically impressed by what they saw, too often assumed that Amish grace represented the best in “us.” Few commentators did this as crassly as the writer who equated the faith of the Amish with the faith of the Founding Fathers. In his mind, the Nickel Mines Amish were not acting counterculturally; they were simply extending a long American tradition of acting in loving, generous, and “Christian” ways. Other commentators, eager to find redemptive lessons in such a senseless event, offered simple platitudes. Rather than highlighting the painful self-renunciation that forgiveness (and much of Amish life) entails, they extolled Amish forgiveness as an inspiring expression of the goodness that resides in America’s heartland.
We are not suggesting that the Amish response to the shooting was not praiseworthy. We contend, however, that the countercultural value system from which it emerged was too often neglected in the tributes that followed in the wake of the shooting. As if to drive home the depth of this cultural divide, ministers in one Ohio Amish community forbade a member from giving public lectures on Amish forgiveness. Ironically, the very value system that compelled the Nickel Mines Amish to forgive Charles Roberts constrained a member’s freedom to talk about forgiveness with curious outsiders. No, the Amish response at Nickel Mines was not so much the “best of America” as it was an expression of love by a people who every day challenge many of the values the rest of us hold clear"
"When a group of Amish schoolgirls are taken hostage and killed in their classroom, their parents and the Amish community of Nickel Mines, Pennsylvania, stun the outside world by immediately forgiving the killer.
I previously new very little about the Amish (mostly from the film Witness?). As I learned more, I couldn't help but notice some similarities to my own heritage. I loved the book both because of its thoughtful examination of the nature of forgiveness and because it's a fascinating story of a group of Christians who obviously and in many ways aren't excusing themselves from being transformed by the radical, counter-cultural demands of the gospel."
I gave it 4 out of 5 stars.
This quote from page 12 caught my attention:
“We believe in letting our light shine,” said one Amish father, “but not shining it in the eyes of other people.”
I love that phrase. It reminds me of 1 Thess. 4:9-12:
9 Now about your love for one another we do not need to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love each other. 10 And in fact, you do love all of God’s family throughout Macedonia. Yet we urge you, brothers and sisters, to do so more and more, 11 and to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life: You should mind your own business and work with your hands, just as we told you, 12 so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody.
The Amish take very seriously what Jesus said about forgiveness in Matthew 6. From page 95 of the book:
"To say that the Lord’s Prayer is a “good, well-rounded prayer” covers a lot of territory. But the prayer’s words about forgiveness “forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors” ring loud in Amish ears. One elder explained emphatically, “Forgiveness is the only thing that Jesus underscored in the Lord’s Prayer. Do you know that Jesus speaks about forgiveness in the two verses right after the Lord’s Prayer? So you see, it’s really central to the Lord’s Prayer. It’s really intense.”
The fundamentals of Amish forgiveness are embedded in those two verses: “For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses” (Matthew 6: 14-15).
The Amish believe if they don’t forgive, they won’t be forgiven. This forms the core of Amish spirituality and the core of their understanding of salvation: forgiveness from God hinges on a willingness to forgive others. The crucial phrase, repeated frequently by the Amish in conversations, sermons, and essays, is this: to be forgiven, we must forgive.
This notion was never clearer than in the aftermath of the Nickel Mines shooting. In response to a flood of inquiries about how the Amish could forgive, local leaders provided an explanation in an unsigned letter: “There has been some confusion about our community’s forgiving attitude, [but] if we do not forgive, how can we expect to he forgiven? By not forgiving, it will be more harmful to ourselves than to the one that did the evil deed.”"
Here's an interesting passage from pages 126-128 where the authors explore the meaning of forgiveness:
"Forgiveness is a concept that everyone understands - until they’re asked to define it. Many Christians say that people should forgive because God forgave them. The Amish say that people should forgive so that God will forgive them. But those statements point to theological motivations for offering forgiveness; they do not define what forgiveness is. Others argue that forgiveness brings emotional healing to the forgiving person, but this psychological motive for forgiveness also fails to define forgiveness.
In recent years, psychologists such as Robert D. Enright and Everett E. Worthington Jr. have helped to define forgiveness and examine its effects. As a result of their clinical research, both Enright and Worthington have come to believe that forgiveness is good for the person who offers it, reducing “anger, depression, anxiety, and fear” and affording “cardiovascular and immune system benefits.” To make that claim, however, they’ve needed to clarify what forgiveness is and what it is not.
Enright, in his book Forgiveness Is a Choice, uses philosopher Joanna North’s definition of forgiveness: “When unjustly hurt by another, we forgive when we overcome the resentment toward the offender, not by denying our right to the resentment, but instead by trying to offer the wrongdoer compassion, benevolence, and love.” In Enright’s view, this definition highlights three essential aspects of forgiveness: that the offense is taken seriously (“the offense was unfair and will always continue to he unfair”), that victims have “a moral right to anger,” and that for forgiveness to take place, victims must “give up” their right to anger and resentment. In sum, forgiveness is “a gift to our offender,” who may not necessarily deserve it.
Forgiveness, then, is both psychological and social: psychological because the forgiver is personally changed by the release of resentment, and social because forgiveness involves another person. That other person, the wrongdoer, may or may not change as a result of the forgiveness. In fact, Enright and many other scholars argue that forgiveness does not and should not depend on the remorse or apology of the offender. Rather, forgiveness is unconditional, an unmerited gift that replaces negative feelings toward the wrongdoer with love and generosity. “In spite of everything that the offender has done,” writes Enright, forgiveness means treating the offender “as a member of the human community.”
There are certain things, however, that forgiveness does not mean. Partly in response to their critics, forgiveness advocates have developed a long list of things that forgiveness is not: it is not pretending that a wrong did not occur, it is not forgetting that it happened, and it is not condoning or excusing it. To the contrary, “forgiveness means admitting that what was done was wrong and should not be repeated.” Similarly, forgiveness is not the same thing as pardon. In other words, granting forgiveness does not mean that the wrongdoer is now free from suffering the disciplinary consequences of his or her actions (for example, legal or other forms of discipline).
Finally, forgiveness should not he confused with reconciliation the restoring of a relationship. That’s because “reconciliation requires a renewal of trust, and sometimes that is not possible.” Forgiveness may open the door to reconciliation, anti in some ways is a prerequisite for reconciliation, but a victim may forgive an offender without reconciliation taking place. For instance, a victim of domestic abuse may forgive her abuser but at the same time seek legal means to keep him at a distance. Forgiveness advocates such as Enright even argue that forgiving a dead person is both possible and appropriate, even though reconciliation cannot take place in such cases."
In the following passage from pages 175-177 the authors emphasize how truly counter-cultural Amish Grace really is:
"To hear the Amish explain it, the New Testament provides the pattern for their unique form of spirituality. In a certain sense they are right. The Amish take the words of’ Jesus with utmost seriousness, and members frequently explain their faith by citing Jesus or other New Testament texts. But the Amish way of life cannot be reduced simply to taking the Bible or even Jesus seriously. Rather, Amish spirituality emerges from their particular ways of understanding the biblical text, a lens that’s been shaped by their nonviolent martyr tradition. With the martyrs hovering nearby, offering admonition and encouragement, the Amish have esteemed suffering over vengeance, Uffgevva over striving, and forgiveness over resentment. All Christians can read Jesus’ words in Matthew’s Gospel “forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors” but Amish people truly believe that their own forgiveness is bound up in their willingness to forgive others. For them, forgiveness is more than a good thing to do. It is absolutely central to the Christian faith.
All of this helps us understand how the Nickel Mines Amish could do the unimaginable: extend forgiveness to their children’s killer within hours of their deaths. The decision to forgive came quickly, almost instinctively. Moreover, it came in deeds as well as words, with concrete expressions of care for the gunman’s family. For the Amish, the test of faith is action. Beliefs are important, and words are too, but actions reveal the true character of one’s faith. Therefore to really forgive means to act in forgiving ways - in this case, by expressing care for the family of the killer.
In a world where the default response is more often revenge than forgiveness, all of this is inspiring. At the same time, the fact that forgiveness is so deeply woven into the fabric of Amish life should alert us that their example, inspiring as it is, is not easily transferable to other people in other situations. Imitation may be the sincerest form of flattery, but how does one imitate a habit that’s embedded in a way of life anchored in a five-hundred-year history?
Most North Americans, formed by the assumptions of liberal democracy and consumer capitalism, carry a dramatically different set of cultural habits. In fact, many North Americans might conclude that certain Amish habits are problematic, if not utterly offensive. Submitting to the discipline of fallible church leaders? Forgoing personal acclaim? Constraining intellectual exploration? Abiding by restrictive gender roles? Declining to stand up for one’s rights? Refusing to fight for one’s country? Could any set of cultural habits be more out of sync with mainstream American culture?
Many observers missed the countercultural dimension of Amish forgiveness, or at least downplayed it, in the aftermath of the Nickel Mines shooting. Outsiders, typically impressed by what they saw, too often assumed that Amish grace represented the best in “us.” Few commentators did this as crassly as the writer who equated the faith of the Amish with the faith of the Founding Fathers. In his mind, the Nickel Mines Amish were not acting counterculturally; they were simply extending a long American tradition of acting in loving, generous, and “Christian” ways. Other commentators, eager to find redemptive lessons in such a senseless event, offered simple platitudes. Rather than highlighting the painful self-renunciation that forgiveness (and much of Amish life) entails, they extolled Amish forgiveness as an inspiring expression of the goodness that resides in America’s heartland.
We are not suggesting that the Amish response to the shooting was not praiseworthy. We contend, however, that the countercultural value system from which it emerged was too often neglected in the tributes that followed in the wake of the shooting. As if to drive home the depth of this cultural divide, ministers in one Ohio Amish community forbade a member from giving public lectures on Amish forgiveness. Ironically, the very value system that compelled the Nickel Mines Amish to forgive Charles Roberts constrained a member’s freedom to talk about forgiveness with curious outsiders. No, the Amish response at Nickel Mines was not so much the “best of America” as it was an expression of love by a people who every day challenge many of the values the rest of us hold clear"
March 27, 2023
this book was so much.
i think forgiveness is so important to reflect on, and definitely i feel like the amish have helped me understand it in a healthier way.
but also, as the book says, it's not possible to extract just grace from the amish tradition.
the idea of unexpected, one-time tragedies vs ongoing, repeated oppression
how forgiving ur neighbor is harder than forgiving a stranger
and the critique that hate is too prevalent in our culture
i think forgiveness is so important to reflect on, and definitely i feel like the amish have helped me understand it in a healthier way.
but also, as the book says, it's not possible to extract just grace from the amish tradition.
the idea of unexpected, one-time tragedies vs ongoing, repeated oppression
how forgiving ur neighbor is harder than forgiving a stranger
and the critique that hate is too prevalent in our culture
January 16, 2024
My mother in law gave this to me to read and I was pulled in right away because it’s so local. I heard about this story prior to reading the book. I loved knowing the Amish were able to forgive so graciously. 3 stars because there were some boring parts, although it was necessary to the storyline. If I was someone reading this that didn’t live so close to the area, I would have been extremely bored.
April 25, 2021
I had just read this same story from the perspective of the mother of the shooter. It was good to read an outsider's view of the account. I really enjoyed learning more about the Amish culture. I felt the author's were quite repetitive, however. Analyzing forgiveness and what that entails was a good reflection for me.
February 24, 2024
This book tells an important story. You will also learn a good amount about Amish culture. The book is repetitive and could have easily been a long article.
September 23, 2012
I initially decided on this book because I thought it would focus more on the event itself but it did not. I should have known that b/c of the Amish beliefs. However, it was still a great read on how these tragic events led to complete and total forgiveness - not only did the Amish community forgive the shooter (Mr Roberts), they also reached out and showed amazing love & forgiveness to his family.
I remember the day this happened, this book indicated the Amish refer to this as "their 9/11." On Monday morning, October 2, 2006, a gunman entered a one-room Amish school in Nickel Mines, Pennsylvania. There, in front of twenty-five stunned, horrified pupils, thirty-two-year-old Charles Roberts ordered the boys and the teacher to leave. He then used zip ties to restrain the legs and arms of the ten remaining girls and proceeded to execute these defenseless Children with an automatic rifle and four hundred rounds of ammunition that he brought with him. The oldest hostage, a thirteen-year-old, begged Roberts to "shoot me first." She was the oldest and wanted to look after "the little ones" and their safety. However, Mr Roberts refused her offer and opened fire on all of them, killing five and leaving the others critically wounded.
After commiting this unfathomable act, he
then shot himself as police stormed the building and property. His motivation? He was "angry at God for taking his infant daughter," some nine years ago, which he had always been troubled and haunted by, and needed to kill some Christian girls, he told the children before the massacre.
This story captured the attention of media outlets in the United States and all around the world. By the next morning some 50+ television/media crews had clogged the small village of Nickel Mines, staying for five days until the funeral and burials of killer the victims and the shooter. The blood was barely dry on the schoolhouse floor when Amish parents brought words and actions of forgiveness to the Roberts family - the very one who had slain their precious children.
The outside world was stunned and unable grasp how such forgiveness could be offered so quickly for such a heinous crime. The media and authors received questions about the shooting, questions about forgiveness rose to the top. Forgiveness, in fact, was a main focus on this novel - it is an example of how forgiveness trumped such violence and captured the world's attention.
Within a week of the murders, Amish forgiveness was a central theme in 2,400+ news stories around the world, including, but not limited to The Washington Post, The New York Times, Larry King Live, and dozens of other media outlets.
Not long after having buried their own children, grieving Amish families accounted for nearly half of the seventy-five people who attended the killer's burial. Roberts' widow was deeply moved by their presence, their attitude of forgiveness and kindness toward her and her three children. This act of forgiveness didn't stop with talks of forgivness and graveside presence: the Amish also supported a fund for the shooter's family.
AMISH GRACE explored the many questions about the religious beliefs that led the Amish to forgive so quickly. Forgiveness: "All the religions teach it," mused an observer, "but no one does it like the Amish."
This was an amazing story on forgivness - and it's healing power. Forgiveness is after all what sets one free and enables them/us to heal. But How easy or quick would we be to forgive someone who committed such an act on our children or loved ones?
The Amish willingness to forgive so quickly begged for a deeper exploration. How could the they do this? What did this act of forgiveness mean to them? And how might their witness prove useful to the rest of us?
I remember the day this happened, this book indicated the Amish refer to this as "their 9/11." On Monday morning, October 2, 2006, a gunman entered a one-room Amish school in Nickel Mines, Pennsylvania. There, in front of twenty-five stunned, horrified pupils, thirty-two-year-old Charles Roberts ordered the boys and the teacher to leave. He then used zip ties to restrain the legs and arms of the ten remaining girls and proceeded to execute these defenseless Children with an automatic rifle and four hundred rounds of ammunition that he brought with him. The oldest hostage, a thirteen-year-old, begged Roberts to "shoot me first." She was the oldest and wanted to look after "the little ones" and their safety. However, Mr Roberts refused her offer and opened fire on all of them, killing five and leaving the others critically wounded.
After commiting this unfathomable act, he
then shot himself as police stormed the building and property. His motivation? He was "angry at God for taking his infant daughter," some nine years ago, which he had always been troubled and haunted by, and needed to kill some Christian girls, he told the children before the massacre.
This story captured the attention of media outlets in the United States and all around the world. By the next morning some 50+ television/media crews had clogged the small village of Nickel Mines, staying for five days until the funeral and burials of killer the victims and the shooter. The blood was barely dry on the schoolhouse floor when Amish parents brought words and actions of forgiveness to the Roberts family - the very one who had slain their precious children.
The outside world was stunned and unable grasp how such forgiveness could be offered so quickly for such a heinous crime. The media and authors received questions about the shooting, questions about forgiveness rose to the top. Forgiveness, in fact, was a main focus on this novel - it is an example of how forgiveness trumped such violence and captured the world's attention.
Within a week of the murders, Amish forgiveness was a central theme in 2,400+ news stories around the world, including, but not limited to The Washington Post, The New York Times, Larry King Live, and dozens of other media outlets.
Not long after having buried their own children, grieving Amish families accounted for nearly half of the seventy-five people who attended the killer's burial. Roberts' widow was deeply moved by their presence, their attitude of forgiveness and kindness toward her and her three children. This act of forgiveness didn't stop with talks of forgivness and graveside presence: the Amish also supported a fund for the shooter's family.
AMISH GRACE explored the many questions about the religious beliefs that led the Amish to forgive so quickly. Forgiveness: "All the religions teach it," mused an observer, "but no one does it like the Amish."
This was an amazing story on forgivness - and it's healing power. Forgiveness is after all what sets one free and enables them/us to heal. But How easy or quick would we be to forgive someone who committed such an act on our children or loved ones?
The Amish willingness to forgive so quickly begged for a deeper exploration. How could the they do this? What did this act of forgiveness mean to them? And how might their witness prove useful to the rest of us?
Displaying 1 - 30 of 501 reviews