The Search for Peace in Times of Chaos—Volume church are joining in marriage, continuing the faith, and starting a new family together While parents not select who their children will marry, approval must be given, and the deacon usually acts as the go-between They involve the entire Amish community A couple’s engagement is usually kept secret until just a few weeks before the wedding, when their intentions are published in church Amish marry Amish—no intermarriage is allowed Divorce constitutes a basic violation of God’s will and is not permitted, and separation is very rare In common with many conservative Christian faith groups, their family life has a patriarchal structure Although the roles of women are considered equally important to those of men, they are very unequal in terms of authority Unmarried women remain under the authority of their father Wives are submissive to their husbands Only males are eligible to be become Church officials.10 Death and Afterlife Death is regarded as part of God’s plan Those who die obedient will share in the resurrection and be with Christ forever At the resurrection, Christ will create a new heaven and a new earth in which righteousness will reign Judgment and Salvation They believe that since the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth, and, therefore, prone to all unrighteousness, sin, and wickedness, the first lesson of t he p recious New Testament of the Son of God is repentance and reformation of life, and that, therefore, those who have ears to hear and hearts to understand must bring forth genuine fruits of repentance, reform their lives, believe the Gospel, eschew evil and good, desist from unrighteousness, forsake sin, put off the old man with his deeds, and put on the new man, which after God, is created in righteousness and true holiness For neither baptism, supper, church membership nor any other outward ceremony can, without faith, regeneration, change, or renewing ~ 31 ~