The Amish have very strict rules about when members can leave their community. This is an important question for those interested in understanding Amish culture and practices. In the opening paragraphs below, we’ll provide a quick overview of the key ages and requirements around Amish youth deciding whether to stay or leave the church.
Quick Answer Summary
The key ages that relate to an Amish person’s decision to stay or leave the church are:
- Age 16 – Amish youth take part in rumspringa, a period of greater freedom before deciding whether to get baptized and join the church as an adult.
- Age 18-21 – Amish youth must decide by this age whether to get baptized and join the church or leave the community.
- Age 20-22 – Typical age range when baptism into the Amish church occurs for those who choose to stay.
- After baptism – Leaving the Amish church after baptism is very rare. Those who do leave after joining encounter shunning.
So in summary, the key age is late teens to early 20s when Amish youth must choose whether to formally join the church or leave the community.
Rumspringa – Age 16
At age 16, Amish youth enter a period called rumspringa. This Pennsylvania German term translates loosely to “running around.” During rumspringa, Amish youth get greater exposure to the modern non-Amish world and get to experience things that are normally forbidden in their conservative communities.
Some key points about rumspringa include:
- Starts around age 16 when Amish teens finish school
- Lasts until baptism, which typically occurs between ages 18-21
- Youth may buy modern clothes, own cars, use technology
- Allows for exploration before deciding whether to join church
- Not all youth indulge in wild behavior during this time
- Strict shunning applies if baptized members break rules
So while rumspringa gives Amish youth more freedom, they still face immense pressure to conform and get baptized into the church. Some enjoy testing boundaries during this period, while others maintain a more conservative rumspringa experience. Either way, by their early 20s the youth must make a choice to stay or leave forever.
Decision Time – Age 18-21
In the years following rumspringa, Amish youth must make the critical decision about whether to get baptized and join the Amish church as adult members. This decision typically occurs between the ages of 18-21.
Key considerations include:
- Baptism is required to marry within the Amish church
- Leaving the Amish means severing ties with family, friends, and the only way of life they know
- Joining means a lifelong commitment to the Amish way of life and church
- The decision is difficult due to outside influences youth have experienced
- Youth often consult with parents and church leaders before deciding
While exact statistics are hard to come by, it’s estimated that around 80-90% of Amish youth end up staying and getting baptized. Only 10-20% opt to leave and enter the non-Amish world.
Baptism – Age 20-22
For those who decide to stay, the next step is getting baptized into the Amish church. This usually occurs between the ages of 20-22 but may vary a bit by individual and community.
Key points about Amish baptism:
- Must make confession of sins and accept the church’s rules
- Baptism ceremonies are typically held twice per year in the Spring and Fall
- Candidates are baptized by having water poured over their head
- Joining the church means accepting the Ordnung rules and Amish way of life
- Church leaders will approve readiness for baptism
- After baptism, leaving the Amish becomes extremely rare
Baptism into the Amish church represents a lifelong commitment to remain with the faith and community. Youth know those who leave will face shunning. So the baptism decision is not taken lightly.
Leaving After Baptism
After Amish youth have gone through rumspringa, been baptized, and joined the church as adult members, leaving becomes very uncommon. Those who do choose to leave after baptism face strict shunning by former friends and family.
Key considerations after baptism:
- Leaving means being permanently cut off from the community
- Family and friends must follow shunning rules against ex members
- The outside world can be a difficult transition
- Modern conveniences and vices may tempt some to leave
- May occur over disagreements with church rules or leaders
- Typically only about 1-2% leave after joining
Overall, getting baptized as an adult is seen as a lifelong commitment. Those who do depart after joining encounter severe consequences and separation from everything familiar. But the appeal of the outside world leads a small number to still exit each year.
Conclusion
In summary, the key ages and requirements for Amish deciding to stay or leave the community are:
- Age 16 – Rumspringa period begins
- Age 18-21 – Decision time comes for baptism
- Age 20-22 – Typical baptism into the Amish church
- After baptism – Extremely rare to leave, face shunning if do
While rumspringa allows some youthful experimentation, most Amish end up choosing to join the church as young adults. After baptism, leaving is exceptionally uncommon. So in essence, the late teen years into the early 20s represent the key window when the stay or leave decision is made. Understanding this age range and Amish practices around rumspringa, baptism, and shunning provides important insight into Amish culture.
| Age Range | Amish Practice | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 16 years old | Rumspringa begins | Period of greater freedom before baptism decision |
| 18-21 years old | Decision Time | Must decide whether to join church or leave community |
| 20-22 years old | Baptism | Ceremony joining Amish church as adult member |
| After Baptism | Extremely Rare to Leave | Less than 2% depart after baptism and face shunning |
Understanding Amish Culture
Looking closely at the key ages and practices around rumspringa, baptism, and excommunication provides useful insight into Amish culture and customs:
- The rumspringa period represents a controlled exposure to the outside world before youth must commit to the Amish way of life.
- Despite rumspringa, the vast majority of Amish youth still opt to join the church.
- Baptism around ages 20-22 signifies a permanent, lifelong commitment to the Amish faith.
- After baptism, leaving is exceedingly rare due to immense pressure to conform.
- Those who do leave after baptism face complete shunning and separation from the community.
In essence, the ages where Amish decide to stay or leave reveal key aspects of their culture: conservatism, conformity, lifelong commitment to faith and community, and use of shunning against those who exit. This context helps provide deeper perspective on Amish practices. Other minority religious groups have similar ages and rituals related to joining their faith, demonstrating that the Amish way of life shares commonalities but also has unique attributes.
Impacts of Leaving the Amish
The few Amish who opt to leave after rumspringa face huge challenges transitioning to modern society:
- Little formal education beyond 8th grade makes finding employment difficult.
- No government IDs, birth certificates, social security numbers complicate getting documentation.
- Must learn to use electricity, modern technology, and transportation.
- Language barriers exist with Pennsylvania Dutch being first language.
- Cut off from familial and social support of former community.
- Culture shock and temptation of vices like alcohol, drugs, television, etc.
Anabaptist groups try to support transitioning ex-Amish but adjustment can be extremely difficult. Some manage well but sadly, suicide rates are very high for those leaving the Amish. This demonstrates the massive cultural and emotional impact of departing the tight-knit communities.
Final Thoughts
The Amish practice of rumspringa followed by the choice of baptism or leaving in the late teens to early 20s reveals key insights into Amish culture and worldview:
- Conformity and commitment to faith are highly valued
- Transgressions are punished through shunning
- Exposure to outside influences is carefully controlled
- Leaving means fully severing ties with family and friends
- Transitioning to modern society poses many challenges
These aspects of Amish practice regarding youth staying or leaving their communities provide a window into understanding distinctive elements of Amish culture and belief systems. Examining the key ages, rituals, and consequences around this critical life decision for Amish youth gives perspective on the deeply traditional and separatist nature of Amish society.