Final answer:
The practice in the Amish community where adolescents explore the outside world before deciding to commit to the community's way of life is known as Rumspringa. This significant rite of passage begins around the age of 16 and allows the youth to partake in non-traditional activities before potentially being baptized into the Amish church.
Step-by-step explanation:
In the Amish community, the practice where adolescents are given the freedom to explore the outside world is known as Rumspringa. This period of exploration provides the youth with an opportunity to experience life outside their community before deciding whether to be baptized as full members of the Amish church.
The concept of Rumspringa is integral to the Amish belief in adult baptism and informed commitment to the community's way of life. It serves as a significant rite of passage, akin to other cultural coming-of-age practices around the world. While the practice varies among different Amish groups, it typically begins around the age of 16 and can last for a few years.
During Rumspringa, young Amish people can dress in non-traditional clothes, use technology, and participate in activities that are normally prohibited in their community. The end of Rumspringa often culminates in the individual's decision to either return and be baptized into the Amish church, thereby committing to the Amish lifestyle, or to leave the community permanently for the outside world.