what are the hutterites beliefs

Who are the Hutterites and what do they believe?

• The Hutterites, not to be confused with the Hutters (a pejorative term for witches), are a Christian Anabaptist sect of...
• The Hutterites live in colonies, which they call “Dorfs”. They maintain a communal lifestyle as their creed requires all...
• Most members of this religious group still farm for their food, which they...

Full Answer

What do Hutterites believe about Jesus?

Hutterites are insistent that all of life belongs under the lordship of Jesus. Along with beliefs in nonviolence and baptism following confession of faith, the radical economic practice of sharing goods in intentional community stems from this principle. All of Hutterite experience is fashioned in the context of this shared life.

What do Hutterites believe about the economy?

Along with beliefs in nonviolence and baptism following confession of faith, the radical economic practice of sharing goods in intentional community stems from this principle. All of Hutterite experience is fashioned in the context of this shared life.

What are the characteristics of the Hutterites?

The Hutterites firmly hold to believer's baptism for adults, pacifism, and living completely separate from the world. The Hutterites practice communal living, where everyone puts their output “in” and takes “out” just what they need. In a colony, each family has an individual dwelling,...

What is the biblical basis for Hutterite communal living?

Although many Hutterites refer to the Pentecost account in the early chapters of the Acts of the Apostles as the primary biblical basis for communal living, the theological motivation for this lifestyle is more wide-ranging.

What are Hutterites religious beliefs?

Hutterites are pietist Christians believing in adult baptism and pacifism, as do other Anabaptists such as the Mennonites, the Amish, and the Brethren in Christ; yet they also follow biblical texts enjoining strict community of goods. They follow Peter Rideman's Confession of Faith (c.

How do Hutterites worship?

The evening church service is an integral part of Hutterite life. Services are led by the head preacher and involve the singing of hymns, a sermon, and prayer. Sunday services are somewhat more involved and elaborate, and in many colonies Sunday is a day of rest and no or little work is performed.

Are Hutterites allowed to drink alcohol?

They speak English in school or in business, German in the home. They drink alcohol but do not dance. Though each family has its own home, everybody in the colony - usually between 35 and 130 people - shares meals in the same dining hall.

How are Hutterites different from Amish?

However, whereas the Amish practice traditional farming, live on single-family dairy farms, and use horses for fieldwork and transportation, the Hutterites live on large, highly industrialized, communal farms.

How many wives do Hutterites have?

The Hutterites invented a matching procedure during which once or twice a year the marriageable youth were assembled, and the preacher gave each male a choice of three females from which to select a wife. The man had to wait for the next time if he did not want to marry any of the three.

Do Hutterites marry cousins?

The young people of the pacifist communal sect rarely marry within their own colony. The local colony contains only 51 people and most are related. First cousins don't marry, but more distant cousins sometimes do.

Can a person join a Hutterite Colony?

Q: Is it possible to become a Hutterite if you're not born one? A: Some people have joined the colony but left after a few years. While the colony has made some changes, it's often difficult for outsiders to make the transition. “Believe me, it's a life of submission,” Wipf said.

Do Hutterites get vaccinated?

Since May, many Hutterite community members have been receiving their COVID-19 immunizations, and uptake within Hutterite communities continues to rise as members attend clinics. As well, mobile vaccine teams have visited a number of communities to provide immunizations upon request.

Why do Hutterites clean so much?

The main reason for their success, I think, is they have a lot of peer pressure that keeps them accountable. Neighbors pop in unannounced daily. They see clean homes modeled for them by all of their neighbors. The culture is unified in their efforts to keep everything clean and tidy.

Why do Hutterites cover their hair?

Like several other Anabaptist groups, such as the Amish and some Mennonites, Hutterites take to heart St Paul's admonition in his First Letter to the Corinthians (chapter 11:3-16). Therefore, baptized women must have their heads covered twenty-four hours a day.

What language do Hutterites speak?

High GermanMembers of Hutterite colonies use Hutterisch, High German, and English for a number of communicative purposes. Hutterisch is used for daily communication within the colony, and High German is the language of worship (Hostetler & Huntington, 1967. (1967). The Hutterites in North America.

What do Hutterites do for fun?

Hutterites do different things in their leisure time. Boys and men play sports, such as hockey, volleyball, baseball, soccer, football, and lacrosse. Females are more involved in crafts, such as creating flower arrangements, knitting, crocheting, needle-point and rug-making.

Do Hutterites use cell phones?

Hutterites have only recently begun to embrace technology. Televisions are not allowed, but the elders have given permission to use cell phones and computers to communicate and stay competitive in business, especially farming. Some people have criticized Hutterites for buying up much of western Canadian farmland.

Why do Hutterites clean so much?

The main reason for their success, I think, is they have a lot of peer pressure that keeps them accountable. Neighbors pop in unannounced daily. They see clean homes modeled for them by all of their neighbors. The culture is unified in their efforts to keep everything clean and tidy.

What do Hutterites do for fun?

Hutterites do different things in their leisure time. Boys and men play sports, such as hockey, volleyball, baseball, soccer, football, and lacrosse. Females are more involved in crafts, such as creating flower arrangements, knitting, crocheting, needle-point and rug-making.

How do Hutterites prevent inbreeding?

Q: Do Hutterites bring in new blood to prevent inbreeding? A: “This is a myth. Young men, forget it,” he said. “This myth is a lie and it was probably started by someone who has a problem with his or her own life and saw it as an opportunity to be someone for a short time.

What is the Hutterites religion?

The religion of the Hutterites is unique in that they believe in community of goods, in which all material goods are held in common. This idea is gleaned from several biblical sources. Throughout biblical history God has separated His people from the world.

Where were the guiding principles of the early Anabaptists stated?

The guiding principals of the early Anabaptists are stated in the Schleitheim Confession. In 1527, a group of Swiss Anabaptists led by Michael Sattler, met in Schleitheim, Switzerland, and agreed unanimously on the following principles:

What does Christ teach us?

Throughout the Gospel, Christ teaches us to “love our neighbours” and the manifestation of this love is in caring for each other and in the sharing of possessions. Community of goods was practised in the the early church: the apostles and the early Christians held all things in common (Acts 2: 44-47, Acts 4: 32-35).

What does Jesus teach the rich young ruler?

Throughout the Gospel, Christ teaches us to “love our neighbours” and the manifestation of this love is in caring for each other and in the sharing of possessions.

Why is the Lord's Supper important?

The Lord’s Supper is symbolic of the suffering of Jesus, and should be done in remembrance of Him.

Can Christians take oaths?

Oaths are not to be taken by Christians.

Why did the Hutterites move?

Partly because of their pacifism and beliefs about baptism, and partly because of various European wars, the Hutterites have been forced to move a great deal since their founding in 1528 in the Tyrol province of Austria. Within a hundred years of Hutter’s death, the entire sect had been forced out of Moravia.

What did the Hutterites do?

The Hutterites practice communal living, where everyone puts their output “in” and takes “out” just what they need. In a colony, each family has an individual dwelling, usually including a yard, and household goods, but the buildings, equipment, land, and all monetary or material gain belong to the colony as a whole.

What is the history of the Hutterites?

The history of the Hutterites is intertwined with the Protestant Reformation. As Anabaptists, the Hutterites share common roots with the Mennonites and the Amish. The group takes its name from Jakob Hutter, a Moravian Anabaptist pastor who was martyred in 1536 by King Ferdinand I of the Holy Roman Empire. Hutter’s followers emerged as the only ...

Where did the Hutterites settle?

The Hutterites proceeded to abandon Europe altogether, founding three colonies in the then-U.S. territory of South Dakota from 1874–77. This was not to be their last migration, however, as the U.S. also rescinded their military exemption for a time, beginning in 1918.

What is the Hutterite theology?

In accordance with this confession of faith, Hutterite theology emphasizes credobaptism, a belief in the Church invisible, Christian pacifism, and the rejection of oaths. The Hutterite Churches also believe in "a set of community rules for Christian living and the principle of worldly separation ".

What do Hutterites do?

Hutterite colonies often own large tracts of land and, since they function as a collective unit, they can make or afford higher quality equipment than if they were working alone . Some also run industrial hog, dairy, turkey, chicken and egg production operations. An increasing number of Hutterite colonies are again venturing into the manufacturing sector, a change that is reminiscent of an early period of Hutterite life in Europe. Before the Hutterites emigrated to North America, they relied on manufacturing to sustain their communities. It was only in Russia that the Hutterites learned to farm from the Mennonites. Because of the increasing automation of farming (large equipment, GPS-controlled seeding, spraying, etc.), farming operations have become much more efficient. Many colonies that have gone into manufacturing believe they need to provide their members with a higher level of education.

How many children did the Hutterites have?

The very high birth rate among the Hutterites has decreased dramatically since 1950, as they have dropped from around ten children per family in 1954 to around five in 2010. Hutterite fertility rates remain relatively high compared to the general North American population, but relatively low compared to other traditional Anabaptist groups like the Amish or the Old Order Mennonites. While Hutterite women traditionally married around the ages of 20 or 21, marriages in the 21st century very often are delayed until the late 20s. Whereas Hutterite women traditionally had children until their mid 40s, today most Hutterite woman have their last child around the age of 35.

How do Hutterite children get education?

Hutterite children get their education in a schoolhouse at the colony, according to an educational agreement with the province or state. The school is typically run by a hired "outside" teacher who teaches the basics, including English. In some Schmiedeleut schools, teachers are chosen from the colony. The "German" education of colony children is the responsibility of the "Assistant Minister" at some colonies, but most colonies elect a "German Teacher", who in most cases also takes care of the colony garden. His job entails training in German language studies, Bible teaching, and scripture memorization. The German Teacher co-operates with the outside teacher with regard to scheduling and planning. Some Hutterite colonies are allowed to send their children to public school as the parents see fit, but in some cases it is customary to remove them from school entirely in 8th grade or at the age of 15; however, many colonies offer them a full grade 12 diploma and in some cases a university degree. Public school in these instances is seen as a luxury and children are sometimes made to miss days of school in favor of duties at the colony. In a few rare cases, allowing a child to continue attending school past this limit can result in punishment of the parents, including shunning and removal from the church.

What are the roles of the Hutterite colony?

Hutterite colonies are mostly patriarchal with women participating in roles such as cooking, medical decisions, and selection and purchase of fabric for clothing. Each colony has three high-level leaders. The two top-level leaders are the Minister and the Secretary. A third leader is the Assistant Minister. The Minister also holds the position as President in matters related to the incorporation of the legal business entity associated with each colony. The Secretary is widely referred to as the colony "Manager", "Boss" or "Business Boss" and is responsible for the business operations of the colony, such as bookkeeping, check-writing and budget organization. The Assistant Minister helps with church leadership (preaching) responsibilities, but will often also be the "German Teacher" for the school-aged children.

What are Hutterite communes called?

Hutterite communes, called "colonies", are all rural; many depend largely on farming or ranching, depending on their locale, for their income. Colonies in the modern era have been shifting to manufacturing as it gets more difficult to make a living on farming alone. The colony is virtually self-sufficient as far as labor, constructing its own buildings, doing its own maintenance and repair on equipment, making its own clothes, etc., is concerned. This has changed in recent years and colonies have started to depend a little more on outside sources for food, clothing and other goods.

When do Hutterite women return from working in the fields?

Hutterite women return from working in the fields at sunset.

What is the Hutterian Brethren?

The Hutterian Brethren or Hutterites are a faith group stemming from the Radical Reformation of the 16th century.

How many families live in a Hutterite colony?

On average, fifteen families live and work on the typical Hutterite colony, where they farm, raise livestock and produce manufactured goods for sustenance. The communal lifestyle of the Hutterites finds its roots in the biblical teachings of Christ and the Apostles.

What is the Hutterite movement?

See Article History. Alternative Title: Hutterian Brethren. Hutterite, member of the Hutterian Brethren, a branch of the Anabaptist movement , originally from Austria and South Germany, whose members found refuge from persecution in Moravia. It stressed community of goods on the model of the primitive church in Jerusalem.

Why did the Hutterites migrate to Canada?

Persecutions drove the Hutterites to Hungary and Ukrainein the 17th century and to South Dakota in the 1870s; during World War I, because of persecution inspired by their pacifism, they migrated to Canada. After the war many returned to the United States.

What was the birth rate of the colonies after the war?

After the war many returned to the United States. Their high annual birth rate (45.9 per 1,000) has necessitated new colonies, sometimes to the displeasure of neighbours who distrust their communal life, object to their pacifism, and generally misunderstand their unorthodox way of life.

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Where is the Hutter community?

The community, which acquired the name of its charismatic leader, Jakob Hutter (tortured and burned as a heretic in 1536), still survives, mostly in the western sections of the United States and Canada, and has a population of about 20,000.

Overview

Theology

Contrary to other traditional Anabaptist groups like the Amish, the Old Order Mennonites and the Old Colony Mennonites, who have almost no written books about Anabaptist theology, the Hutterites possess an account of their beliefs, Account of Our Religion, Doctrine and Faith, of the brethren who are called Hutterites (original German title Rechenschafft unserer Religion, Leer und Glaubens), written by Peter Riedemann in 1540–1541. There are also extant theological tracts an…

History

Society

Subgroups

Population and distribution

Depiction in media

See also