Like so many of the early Anabaptist leaders, Hutter’s ministry lasted less than adecade before he was martyred. His leadership of the community that still bearshis name nearly five centuries later lasted only two years. This biographyreveals a complex character, criticized by contemporaries and some historians,but evidently a respected leader and community builder. The letters included inthis comprehensive collection of writings by and about him reveal a pastor whowas deeply concerned for the flourishing of those he served. This is a welcomeaddition to the Classics of the Radical Reformation series, in which weencounter not only Hutter but his wife, Katharina, and a number of other littleknown 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 theirvolume, Emmy Barth Maendel and Jonathan Seiling have produced a most worthyaddition to the Classics of the Radical Reformation series. They have thereinilluminated, brilliantly, the unique communitarian faith and early history ofone of the three Anabaptist movements that would outlast the centuries. Thein-depth and highly readable biographical introduction on Jakob Hutter bringstogether a whole spectrum of new scholarship. All eight of Hutter’s extantwritings and a wealth of parallel contextual materials rounds out the scope ofthe volume. This is a must-read, particularly now as we celebrate five hundredyears since the birth of Anabaptism, of which Hutterianism is an essentialpart. —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, Hutter’s letters acknowledge anxiety, display grief, summon solidarity, manifest longing, offer encouragement, and express joy. These letters also channel the emotional valence of Paul’s epistles in a way that brings Paul’s apocalyptic theology of grace to life, not in abstract doctrinal statements but in the heartfelt disclosure of God’s 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 Hutter’s 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, Queen’s University

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