‘An Amish Paradox’ book chronicles challenges of community

WOOSTER, Ohio — Winds of change are rustling through the hills and valleys of Amish Country, challenging traditions and altering lifestyles.

This ongoing struggle to interact with the outside world without becoming consumed is chronicled in An Amish Paradox, a new book by Charles Hurst and David McConnell of The College of Wooster that profiles the internal tensions and the external pressures weighing on the world’s largest and most diverse Amish community.

The book focuses on the consequences of this cultural clash in five specific areas: religious convictions, family practices, educational choices, occupational shifts and health care options.

The project began more than seven years ago when the two professors with adjacent offices discovered they were both studying phases of Amish life.