Hutterites: Religion and Community
What is the relationship between religious belief and practice, and community as depicted in The Hutterites in North America? And is community possible without religious belief, and vice-versa? Hutterite colonies or communities evolve around the belief that absolute authority resides in a single supernatural being, an omnipotent God, who created the universe and placed everything in a divine order and hierarchy. All events are ordered of God and nothing happens without the knowledge of God. Hutterites also believe that only through continual submission of the self to the will of God in communal living can the individual attain eternal life after death.Hutterites' religious belief is that they must live communally. Material goods and wealth have no meaning. Everything belongs to the community and everything is done for the good of the community. Hutterites are a selfless, not selfish, people. Their society is communal and modern in its technology and productive features, but adherence to religious authority prevents a distributive economy based on material wants. Food is consumed in a communal setting. Clothing and most needs of the individual are distributed. A communal corporation for the
The Hutterites and their colonies are very structured. From early childhood through adulthood, there is a hierarchical structure primarily based on gender and age. God is Lord over man, man is over woman, and the elder over the younger. Man has power over animals. Man is ruler over material things, inventions and machines, and he may use them as long as the proper relationship and function are observed. Communal seating is organized by sex and age; men on one side, woman on the other. Gender and obedience are taught through patriarchal sexual constraints in work, school, and prayer. Public punishment and general fear of social banishment reinforce these. However, all social control in the Hutterites is derived primarily from their religion. All law and social rules are governed by their interpretations of the bible. Aggression is all but non-existent. Children are taught to handle anger, frustration, and violent thought socially. Obedience comes from a mixture of tradition, respect, and intimidation. Is religious belief possible without community? Again, I do not believe a community, such as the Hutterite community or communal living, could not exist without a single religious belief or common thread. However, looking at the definition of a community in the more traditional sense, I believe it is possible to have a successful, thriving community with an unlimited number of beliefs or religions. This is common in the vast majority of all communities today. There are an unlimited number of beliefs that exist in a community. Many of the people within the community may have beliefs that are very similar, but yet different in small aspects. There will also be people in those communities that have beliefs or a religion that is vastly different than the majority or the norm of the community. However, the community will have an educational system that may not strongly be centered
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Approximate Word count = 1284
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)
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