What is the Hutterite religion?

The Hutterites are a Christian group who live according to a strict code based on the Ten Commandments and the teachings of Jesus Christ.

These woman belong to the Hutterian Brethren Church of Canada. (CBC)

The religion and lifestyle started in Switzerland in the 16th century. The Hutterites – like the Mennonites – were born out of the Anabaptist movement. Their beliefs (based on the Bible) include that only adults, not infants, can choose their faith and Hutterites aren't baptized until age 20 to 25. They also believe church and state should be separate, and Christians should not take up arms.

What distinguishes the Hutterites is that they live communally. Followers were organized into a religion by Jacob Hutter, so are named after him.

However, the Hutterites were persecuted, partly because of their stance of participating in war. They moved across Europe and to parts of what was then Russia. In the early 1900s, the Hutterites came to the United States and then Canada, which exempted the Hutterites from military service. This was a privilege given to all "peace churches," such as the Mennonites and Quakers.

What are the types of Hutterites?

Hutterites are generally divided into three communal groups: the Lehrerleut, the Dariusleut and the Schmiedeleut. The Lehrerleut and the Dariusleut are mainly in Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia in Canada, and in Montana and Washington south of the border.

The Schmiedeleut are mainly in Manitoba, and in North Dakota, South Dakota and Minnesota. The Schmiedeleut split into two groups - Group 1 and 2 - in the 1990s, but both retain the same name.

A fourth group, the Arnoldleut of New York, now called the Bruderhof, was excommunicated in 1990 because it had differing views on fundamental beliefs.

What is the Hutterite lifestyle like?

It varies depending on the group, but there are some commonalities.

Hutterites live in colonies and have a "community of goods" - there is no private ownership of property except for small things. They live in colonies of about 15 families, but each family usually has its own home or apartment. Colonies range in size from about 60 to about 150 people.

Farming is a big part of the Hutterite culture, and it's how colonies support themselves. However, some have turned to small manufacturing because of scarce land and difficulties farming.

Hutterites wear dark clothing. Men wear simple pants, shirts and jackets, and sport beards. Women wear long sleeves, headscarves and long skirts, and never wear pants. Both the women's and men's attire aren't limited to black.

Hutterites go to church services on Sunday and to half-hour services daily. Members don't watch TV or listen to the radio to keep separate from the outside world.

Traditionally, Hutterite children leave school at age 15 (or whatever age allowed by each province) and work in the community. But this is where the differences start. According to John J. Friesen, professor of history and theology at the Canadian Mennonite University in Winnipeg, Group 1 of the Schmiedeleut Hutterian Brethren Church in Manitoba provides high school classes for members. Some members eventually go on to the Brandon University Hutterian Education Program to become teachers for the colonies.

Another Hutterian belief that the groups differ involves photographs. Some Hutterians believe they cannot willingly have their photos taken, based on the second of the Ten Commandments. "The commandment is, 'Thou shalt not make no graven images,' " says David Goa, director of the Chester Ronning Centre for the Study of Religion and Public life, at the Augustana campus of the University of Alberta. He says this is generally understood as no images of God, but can be interpreted differently.

"(But) since humans are created in His likeness, to some Christians, this means that the human visage is, in that sense, the human image of God."

Goa adds that some Hutterites cover up mirrors in their homes.

The groups in Alberta and Saskatchewan, the Dariusleut and the Lehrerleut, won't make images of themselves, says Friesen.

"Others will allow casual shots, but they won't pose," he says. "But if someone takes a picture of them casually, they won’t say anything."

However, Friesen says, members of Group 1 of the Schmiedeleut are not camera shy.

"They're not at all reluctant to take photos. As a matter of fact, some of them have cameras."

How many Hutterites are there in Canada? Where are they located?

There were 28,020 Hutterites living in colonies in Canada in 2001, according to Statistics Canada. The bulk of them, 9,075 are in Manitoba. There are also 5,110 in Saskatchewan, 3,715 in Alberta and 125 in British Columbia.

The number of colonies in Canada, 309, break down this way: 105 in Manitoba, 57 in Saskatchewan, 146 in Alberta and one in B.C., according to Friesen.