“Rules of a Godly Life” is a popular Pietist devotional source for the Amish. Comprised of 47 proverbs, this text was originally written in the early 18th century by a non-Amish author. The proverbs are intended to guide the Amish on how to center their daily life on God through their everyday thoughts, words, and deeds. This includes what one’s mind should focus on when waking up and going to sleep, and how to conduct yourself when interacting with others during the day, all in order to maintain God’s focus in all that you do and live in accordance to the Bible.
Despite its title, “Rules of a Godly Life” does not actually detail Amish rules, which are known as the Ordnung. The Ordnung vary from community to community, district to district, by each individual group of Amish, and they specify prohibitions and restrictions on modern technology, job options for Amish men and guidelines for everyday living such as dress codes and how to interact with non-Amish people. When an Amish person is baptized, they are promising to uphold these rules of their church and to never break from them. The “Rules of a Godly Life,” on the other hand, are considered more of an annex to the Bible—an inspirational book to help guide the way to a more fulfilling life.
