Jakkob Hutter
This is a closely researched biography of Jakkob Hutter, the founder of the Hutterite movement in the Tyrol in the mid-16th century. Hutterites were an Anabaptist, community close in belief systems to the Mennonites and Amish that arose out of the radical reformation of protestants in the 16h century in central Europe. The Hutterites lived communally sharing money and food. They espoused a general, nonreactive world view-they didn’t participate in military service, policing endeavors, and refused to pay taxes on any activities related to these agencies
The book, a biography, is laid out based on Hutters writings and subsequent government investigations and persecutions of this community. The letters (8 newly translated and researched), give insight into the Hutterite movement and Jakkob’s ideas on building a pastoral community. The authors allow Hutter to speak for himself, which makes for an interesting perspective into the early Hutterite movement. These letters are reminiscent of Paul’s missives to early Christ Communities in the founding stages of the Early Church.
The authors, Emily Bart Mandel and Johnathan Seeling have unique positions with the Bruderhof Archives-Ms. Mandel is the senior archivist-which afforded them access to the letters of Hutter and the government documents surrounding government investigations, interrogations of Hutter, his wife Katrina. Additionally, their biography covers government correspondence and thinking into the persecutions of this community. These offer a unique perspective into Government thinking related to persecutions of early Christian Sects.
Jakkob Hutter isn’t meant to be read, at least in my opinion, from beginning to end. Rather, it’s laid out in a way, that allows the scholarly researcher and the casual reader to focus on areas of interest.
Jakkob Hutter makes an excellent addition to any academic collection, and, specifically for any collection that’s focused on the early Radical Reformation Movement.

It is fair to say that attempting to actually review "Jakob Hutter: His Life and Letters" is an almost futile task. This isn't so much a book you read to enjoy as you read to learn, absorb, and educate yourself about Hutter, the Hutterites, and the Anabaptist movement that emerged out of the 16th century Radical Reformation.

"Jakob Hutter" is a scholarly biography and collection of writings by and about Hutter, an early leader of the Hutterites - a pacifist communal Anabaptist group. At this time in history, Anabaptists (think also Friends/Quakers, Amish, Brethren, Mennonite) were a heavily persecuted religious minority for their beliefs outside what was accepted as the religious norm at the time.

This collection includes Hutter's eight surviving letters (newly translated directly from the seventeenth century codices where they have been preserved), related documents beginning with an extensive biography of Hutter and his wife Katharina based on recent archival research, Hutterite chronicles, government reports, witness reports, and a final chapter detailing information known about Hutter's death and legacy.

The Hutterite movement was focused around the areas of Tyrol and Moravia. It was a scattered movement and the letters included here document Hutter's known pastoral letters of encouragement and admonition to various congregations in Tyrol and Moravia. The work here is remarkably researched and peer-reviewed for inclusion in the "Classics of the Radical Reformations" series. Those invested in religious history will be fascinated by this documentation, both intellectually resonant and surprisingly emotional in presentation. As someone who spent several years within the Anabaptist tradition, I found myself fiercely fascinated here and learning much about names I knew but didn't necessarily fully understand.

This is the first peer-reviewed book on Hutter and serves as part of a year-long international celebration leading up to the 500-year anniversary of the Anabaptist movement on 1/21/2025.

While Hutterites may seem like a thing of the past, existing Hutterite colonies are concentrated in the Dakotas, Montana, and Washington state along with Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta in Canada.

Strong regional interest: Existing Hutterite colonies are concentrated in North and South Dakota, Montana, and Washington state in the US; and Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta in Canada.

This isn't a book likely to experience wide appeal, however, for those interested it will most certainly captivate as it did me.