Essay On The Cultural Tradition Of Rumspringa In Amish Communities

The Amish are Swiss Anabaptist Christian communities with foundations in the Protestant Reformation of the sixteenth century. Amish people follow basic Christian beliefs but have distinct cultural traditions that set them apart form mainstream society. They are known as “plain people,” who live simply, dress modestly and reject modern technology and conveniences. One fundamental Anabaptist doctrine is that community members are baptized during adulthood instead of at infancy (Robinson 2002). Joining the church is a decision that is made after the age of sixteen. Despite a reputation of conformity, the Amish strongly believe in free will and freedom of choice. Unlike most Christian religions, the Amish can refuse baptism, and leave their communities for the outside “English” world. From this religious and institutional doctrine, a cultural tradition evolved called Rumspringa (Hostetler, 1993).
In some Amish communities, Rumspringa is rite of passage – or test of faith – which occurs during adolescence, usually at the age of 16. The traditional behavioral norms are relaxed or ignored, and Amish youths experience the non-Amish world before making an important choice. After a childhood of simple Amish life, they are allowed to indulge in “normal” American life. They go to parties, drive in cars, use electricity, watch TV, listen to any music they want, and dress in modern clothes. During Rumspringa, some Amish drink alchohol, smoke, use drugs and have sex. As unbaptized members of the community, they are living outside the authority and restrictions of the Church. This period can last a few weeks to two years, and the youth can leave or rejoin the formal Amish community at any time. 90% of the young adults do return to the Amish faith (Pinsker 2002).Therefore, to be an adult member of the Amish means you made a conscious choice to live according to the faith of the church.
Rumspringa traditions are different depending on the community. Some do not follow the tradition at all, some give youth a few weeks to experiment with the outside world, while others are very liberal and allow them years to make the decision. Most communities allow males more freedom than girls. Some require adult chaperones to monitor behavior (Hostetler, 1993). The behaviors during Rumspringa also vary depending on the individual and their peer group. Rumspringa is a personal choice and many Amish youth do not experiment at all, and use the time period to find a sensible spouse within the community. Some belong to a wild peer group and explore neighboring communities, going to bars and experimenting with typical teenage rebellious activities. However, most Amish are inculcated back into the Church:

A fling with worldliness reminds Amish youth that they have a choice

regarding church membership; however, most of the forces of Amish life
funnel them toward church membership. Knowing they have a choice
likely strengthens their willingness to obey church standards and, in the
long run, the authority of the church itself (Robinson, 2003, p. 44).
The Amish seem to be saying to their church members, you have a way out, nobody is forcing you go to do anything, however the sociology of the community reinforces the traditional ways of life.
Amish research indicates that there is no “typical” Rumspringa experience (Stevick, 2007). The practice is unknown in some communities. Some Amish report the Rumspringa tradition as a formal period of courtship. Boys and girls meet in groups in a local home and sing German hymns and gospel songs and enjoy some socialization with the opposite sex. Other experiences are much wilder, with one teenager in a documentary becoming a drug dealer.
When a member of the Amish community leaves, they have a short time, usually a year or two when they may be allowed to return. After that, they are shunned. Shunning is an Amish practice that considers the ex-member an outsider and is not an accepted part of the community. They family cuts tie and the member is treated like a stranger. As a result, leaving the Amish church after Rumspringa is a huge decision, that is not taken lightly and may explain the high rate at which members abandon the outside world and stay within the confines of the community (Stevick, 2007).
Lucy Walkers 2002 documentary Devils Playground, gives a riveting portrayal of the Rumspringa process by following Amish teenagers in rural Indiana at they explore the outside “English” world. The film focuses on the struggle the teens feel being torn between the two worlds. There is also an emphasis on the consequences of being baptized, and then leaving the church. This results in shunning, which is an extremely negative experience. Alternatively, it is much more accepted to never be baptized because then you are not breaking a sacred vow to god, church and community. One Amish teen, Faron, is the son of a preacher. He becomes addicted to drugs and becomes a drug dealer to support his habit. The other young subjects seem very confused, and overwhelmed by the modern world. They felt guilty for not being more pious. Amish adults were interviewed and some missed the freedom that they experienced during Rumspringa, but do not regret joining the church. Although the film is fascinating, and the tensions the teens feel are real, the viewer does get the impression that the subjects are not entirely representative of the Amish microculture at large.
There has been a great deal of more formal academic research on Amish communities (Hostetler, 1993; Kraybill, 2001; Stevick, 2007). Kraybill’s The Riddle of Amish Culture (2001) examines the dichotomy in Amish culture between extreme stubborn cultural strength and individualism; contrasted with with a submissive, plain and gentle demeanor. Amish communities are also conflicted with a modern world that is encroaching on their way of life. More personal narratives – found in Shactman’s Rumspringa: To be or no to be Amish, (2007) have provided intriguing insights into the Amish culture and lifestyle. Rumspringa is the only real interaction most Amish have with the outside world. The Amish only educate their children to the eighth grade and Amish do not go to high school or college. The Amish operate their own schools. As a result, the Amish youth experience Rumspringa as blank slates, with little knowledge or experience of the outside world. Shactman focuses on the role of free will in the process of identity formation for young Amish teens. Some go crazy, going to weekend-long parties, using recreational drugs and engaging in sexual promiscuity. Other teens – who are part of the “hopelessly uncool” group – are much more religious and conservative (Shactman, 2007). They go to strictly chaperoned courtship ceremonies. Most explore a little, and then retreat back into the safety of their families, perhaps with a renewed admiration of their own communities and culture. By exploring the outside world, and all it has to offer, along with all its problems, the Amish come to a better understanding of why they live the way they do. Rumspringa is a turning point in their lives, however, most do not turn away, they turn back to their culture.
The Amish have a very strict, conservative and religious culture. However, a fundamental tenet of their belief system revolves around the ideal of personal choice and commitment. Every member of the community must decide for themselves if the Amish way of life is for them. Once the decision is made, and the commitment to god and community is made, any deviation is seen a serious transgression worthy of shunning. In a strong, centralized and cohesive community like the Amish, being shunned is the worst form of punishment. Cast out of their community, the member loses their Amish identity and must then accept the outside world as their own. Members of the Amish community are sometimes offered the opportunity to “run around” during Rumpsringa, however, this is only to reinforce the ideals of the Amish way of life. Only after experiencing all the world has to offer, from alcohol to iphones, can a member of the community reject them with the knowledge that it was a conscience choice they were not forced to make.

References

Devils Playground [Motion picture]. (2002). Columbia Pictures.
Kraybill, D. B. (2001). The riddle of Amish culture. JHU Press.
Hostetler, J. A. (1993). Amish society. JHU Press
Shachtman, T. (2007). Rumspringa: To be or not to be Amish. Macmillan.
Stevick, Richard A. (2007). Growing Up Amish: The Teenage Years (Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press.
Robinson, B.A. 2003 (Nov. 13) The Amish: Beliefs, practices, and conflicts.  Religious
Tolerance.org http://www.religioustolerance.org/amish.htm