Like so many of the early Anabaptist leaders, Hutters ministry lasted less than a decade before he was martyred. His leadership of the community that still bears his name nearly five centuries later lasted only two years. This biography reveals a complex character, criticized by contemporaries and some historians, but evidently a respected leader and community builder. The letters included in this comprehensive collection of writings by and about him reveal a pastor who was deeply concerned for the flourishing of those he served. This is a welcome addition to the Classics of the Radical Reformation series, in which we encounter not only Hutter but his wife, Katharina, and a number of other little known but significant early Anabaptist leaders. Stuart Murray Williams, director, Centre for Anabaptist Studies, Bristol Baptist College In the years-long process of creating and editing their volume, Emmy Barth Maendel and Jonathan Seiling have produced a most worthy addition to the Classics of the Radical Reformation series. They have therein illuminated, brilliantly, the unique communitarian faith and early history of one of the three Anabaptist movements that would outlast the centuries. The in-depth and highly readable biographical introduction on Jakob Hutter brings together a whole spectrum of new scholarship. All eight of Hutters extant writings and a wealth of parallel contextual materials rounds out the scope of the volume. This is a must-read, particularly now as we celebrate five hundred years since the birth of Anabaptism, of which Hutterianism is an essential part. Leonard Gross, author, The Golden Years of the Hutterites This volume is of great significance for the study of early Anabaptism. Jakob Hutter offered a vision of communal living that was more radical than others in the Radical Reformation. His call to mission was also a powerful feature of his leadership. The introduction sets Hutter carefully and clearly in his context. Then follows a comprehensive and splendidly scholarly range of primary source material. This task has never been undertaken before and it makes Jakob Hutter: His Life and Letters essential reading for all who wish to understand and be challenged by what Hutter said and did, in seeking to follow Jesus. Ian Randall, Cambridge For many years, the sources on early Hutterite history most accessible to English-speakers have been dominated by the Hutterite Chronicle and the writings of Peter Riedemann and Peter Walpot. Now, for the first time, we have access to a remarkable collection of writings by and about the founding leader of the Hutterites: Jakob Hutter. This exhaustively curated source collection gathers into one volume the primary sources relevant to Hutter's literary and historical legacy. I highly recommend Jakob Hutter: His Life and Letters not only to scholars but to anyone interested in the fascinating and inspiring story of Hutterite beginnings. John D. Roth, Goshen College The letters of Jakob Hutter, newly translated here, supply a searing exposure to the profound inner life and pastoral compassion of a consequential Anabaptist leader. Written amid polarization within Reformation-era Christendom on the one hand and persistent schismatic conflict among the early Anabaptist fellowships in Central Europe on the other hand, Hutters letters acknowledge anxiety, display grief, summon solidarity, manifest longing, offer encouragement, and express joy. These letters also channel the emotional valence of Pauls epistles in a way that brings Pauls apocalyptic theology of grace to life, not in abstract doctrinal statements but in the heartfelt disclosure of Gods mercy amid extreme stress and suffering. The editors have provided many helpful tools for reading and understanding these letters well, from a detailed biographical introduction to a wealth of other primary sources that illuminate the context for Jakob Hutters life and letters. Gerald J. Mast, series editor, Studies in Anabaptist and Mennonite History This volume provides the best scholarly introduction to the life and pastoral career of Jakob Hutter, the founding father of the Hutterites. This work has greatest emphasis on English translations of the eight preserved letters authored by Hutter, but it places them in the context of chronicle sources as well as published official records. It helps us to understand how and why the continuing religious communitarian movement has retained the name of Jakob Hutter. James M. Stayer, professor emeritus, Queens University A testimony to how gripping simple truth can be in the lives of folks suffering under the oppression of political, social, and religious systems. Jakob Hutter was a hatmaker with a message dangerous enough to undo an entire consortium of social reality. His message was direct, unflinching, and practical. His suggested alternative, a community in which all goods would be shared with all, was also simple. It was something simple folks could understand. It made sense. Moreover, this effective alternative also happened to be according to Hutter biblically more faithful than the religious rigor undergirding the oppressive systems of the day. For this reason, it was revolutionary and dangerous. Mennonite Quarterly Review
