Bruderhof Explained in 2 Minutes

Bruderhof are a small anabaptist denomination that live in communal colonies. This 2-minute video will explain what they are like.

[@anluisa9960]

I worked in the middle east doing refugee aid work. Several Bruderhof folks had been sent by their communities to help. One in particular had learned excellent Arabic with a very nice Bedouin accent. Very nice people

[@MarcoEitzen]

I live in Paraguay and have friends in the Bruderhof community here. Their parties are friendly and they invite people of all walks of life

[@bigscarysteve]

There's a Bruderhof community about forty miles from where I live. I see them walking around my town fairly frequently--as their dress is distinctive. A friend of mine goes to their community a lot when they have dinners and other events for outsiders. He's looking for a wife. While he might find a girl free from worldly values there, I keep telling him it's still not gonna work out--he's a Baptist pastor.

[@noahfletcher3019]

Yup, it ain't gonna work out. We're talking about deep and profound differences. Most likely your friend will have to change and rethink his way of life. It might not be worth it.

[@salyluz6535]

@@noahfletcher3019: Well, it kind of depends on the guy. There are many different types of Baptist, as I have learned from my Baptist relatives. In some kind of Baptist are not that far off from Anabaptist. Perhaps he might even end up joining them, because a large percentage of their people join from other backgrounds.

[@DamonNomad82]

There is a collection of seven small villages in eastern Iowa near Iowa City called the Amana Colonies, that were founded in the mid-1800s by the "True Inspiration Congregations", a group very similar to the Bruderhof. They immigrated to the US to escape persecution in Germany, and lived a communal life in their new home for almost 80 years before reorganizing into family homes in 1932. The Amana Colonies are now a popular tourist destination, which I have been to several times and highly recommend to anyone traveling near Iowa City.

[@robertfreid2879]

Yeah, the Nazis actually persecuted them...

[@salyluz6535]

@@robertfreid2879: Same thing with the Bruderhof,, that’s why they left Germany.

[@martinkullberg6718]

Interesting!

[@bukharagunboat8466]

Last year I used a really nice Advent devotional published by the Bruderhof. Watch for the Light. The assembled writings come from a range of Christian backgrounds, and vary in length. I found the book encouraging and thought provoking.

[@christianwalton7080]

Although I'm not Anabaptist, this group generally seems respectable enough.

[@henri5862]

More about this church please!

[@braulio5805]

The information in internet is east to find and available. The Bruderhof communities. Write them. Read in wikipedia, internet, watch more videos and bruderhof chanels. They are great. I've visited them in the past. I have some books from them too. They have their own editorial calles The Plough ... Even I'm thinking about to contact and visit them again and also thinking about to join them. I've visited some others communities, comunes, ecovillages, and alternative lifestyle projects un Europe and read about many more aroubd the world and the Bruderhof really works and are really good and kind. Not a cult and not a club or crazy or caotic one at all like many others. One of the best experience in Life to visit them.

[@mcgheebentle1958]

I got super interested in this group a couple years ago! Super wholesome folk. Sometimes I think about buying some land out in Idaho or Wyoming or Montana or Kansas and starting a community like this with some friends and family! It’s something I think about all the time. Except instead of having an anabaptist leaning, we would be reformed 😎 Oh I can dream. But I mean if God opens the door... let’s just say I’d leap through!

[@conradogoodwin8077]

I'm not sure it's as much of a leap as a crawl... I mean, you start all enthusiastic, but living in a community like this shows some deep aspects of cross-carrying. I guess you could say it's "apocaliptic", because it reveals parts of you (and the other participants) that take a great deal of working out to stay in one mind or one accord, or whatever you decide to call it. It's not just a co-existence; it's a commitment on many levels.

[@salyluz6535]

A good starting place if you’re not familiar with Bruderhof, is to look up Anabaptist at Wikipedia and understand the basic history of Anabaptism. There are many different “flavors” of Anabaptism by now, 500 years later. So though most of us agree on the basics, the way we choose to live our faith out may look extremely different. There’s also a lot of detailed info at the Bruderhof website, and there are at least five or six different Bruderhof KZbin channels, probably more. If you seek, then you will find! I’ll try to remember the names of all the Bruderhof YT channels I am subscribed to right now... I believe “Norann & Chris” they have a channel & live at a Bruderhof in Australia. There’s “Laura from the Bruderhof” “Ruben and Maureen” and also one just called “Bruderhof” that has covered a wide variety of things like their history, tours of different Bruderhofs, books published by the Bruderhof etc. There is also a KZbin channel called “Bruderhof Music” and I know there are a couple more but I can’t think of thim right now. Bruderhof communities are also generally very hospitable and welcoming to visitors.

[@francesrude3007]

Thanks so much for posting. I always learn from your vids.

[@ThoinFrostaxe]

I highly recommend the channel Laura From The Bruderhof, she’s done some amazing videos.

[@crusader2112]

God Bless and thanks for sharing.

[@andresmartinezramos7513]

This is an actually apparently reasonable group. It's not often these videos cause a good impression of the subjects in question. (Not your fault Joshua, I'm talking about beliefs systems and my own impression).

[@bruderhofmusic]

We also make music! 🎵

[@ReadyToHarvest]

Neat! I will have to take a listen.

[@emsdiy6857]

I love your videos it's nice to learn these things

[@robmullin1128]

We have Bruderhof in Upstate,NY.

[@JaysonCarmona]

Would like you to explore the doctrine of repentance and how it is approached between different sects and denominations.

[@DM-eu2bc]

My husband grew up in the Bruderhof and was emotionally abused by the leadership , forced to work in the factory as a child and excommunicated from his family when he finally left at age 25.

[@reverendjusticelevens9003]

Sounds like a great church, but would not want to be so, how would you say, living in the past.

[@conradogoodwin8077]

The Bruderhof folks don't live "in the past", although one of their foundational goals is to experience the common life as is shown in the early Christian church in Acts 2. Otherwise, "thinking outside the box" is encouraged, and indeed the confines set by this sort of community are a seedbed for radical thought. Of course, there are limitations inherent to this goal, about which people have argued for ever and a day, but in a lot of ways it's "rubber meets the road" when it comes to Christ's teachings.

[@j5eze]

Finished watching LOTR trilogy yesterday. From how you describe them they seem to be the Hobbits of Christianity. A wholesome, peaceful, hard working people.

[@brunobcosta1]

This was very illustrative. Could you do or have you done a longer video on this topic?

[@conradogoodwin8077]

I think it's worth noting that the Bruderhof communities started functioning independently from the Hutterites between the world wars, and "found" the Hutterite folks _after_ establishing a similar practice. You started telling the story after the union had occurred. Later, the two have parted ways in some regards, but there has been some learning good things from the others on either side, I think.

[@martinkullberg6718]

Seems very peacefull these brüderhoffs!💒😃 first time I hear off them, I also frequently meet german brothers and sisters from Germany ,visiting the christian assembly that I attend , when they are on hollyday in my countrie,or where called by God to preach there for that day.

[@jdeatley5939]

How does this faith movement handle abuse? Also, is there financial transparency?

[@sysamanthahopeang6268]

I notice theybdress very modestily with veil

[@juliocastillo1945]

Hi there, I'm sorry if this question has been posted here but I'll like to know if Bruderhof Communities are actually registered as a charity or religious association with the government? Thank you very much.

[@sysamanthahopeang6268]

Wow ive never heard of this before too so fascinating indeed. Is Anabaptist same with baptist

[@sysamanthahopeang6268]

Are they similar to amish

[@thetraditionalist]

interesting group

[@jacksprattt6396]

Why did you approach this differently than you usually do?

[@ReadyToHarvest]

I'm not sure precisely what you are asking, but a lot of the traditional doctrinal questions I examine in some other groups I didn't bring up here because Bruderhof don't have any set position on them.

[@jacksprattt6396]

@@ReadyToHarvest You usually go through a list of common beliefs and say they believe this or that they do not believe this.

[@noahfletcher3019]

@@jacksprattt6396 like he said, they have anabaptist leanings but they don't have specific set of doctrines. To go by his ordinary format, he would have to invent information.

[@jacksprattt6396]

@@noahfletcher3019 So why did he even include them if they don't have a doctrine?

[@noahfletcher3019]

@@jacksprattt6396 because they are Christians

[@mitchellsmith4690]

Seems almost like monasticism for families...

[@raygengarratt7220]

❤

[@byhisstripes2713]

Dig a little deeper on this group. Lots of hidden stuff

[@oldtimeway1]

Please do another video on the real Hutterites. I think the majority of traditional Hutterites view the Bruderhof people as being Hutterite wannabees or apostate brethren but definitely not the same as they are.

[@thechurchoftherevolution8343]

I second this recommendation!!

[@RonJohn63]

If I'd known 35+ years ago that Bruderhof existed, I might have been a Christian longer than I was.

[@4jgarner]

Can I ask what knowing about them would have changed for you?

[@RonJohn63]

@@4jgarner as a Christian in the 1980s, I was deeply dissatisfied with the contrast between how Christians (for 1900 years, but the Prosperity Gospel didn't help) have lived their lives, and how the NT describes living communally. Eventually, I'd have realized that prayer isn't answered, and the logical consequence of that, but might not have worried about it so much.

[@alessandrorossi1294]

Are you been better satisfied with how atheists have lived their lives for the past 1900 years?

[@RonJohn63]

@@alessandrorossi1294 that's irrelevant. If there is no theistic God, I'm not going to pretend like there is.

[@4jgarner]

@@RonJohn63 interesting. So what initially pushed you out, if I'm understanding correctly, was the communal style living versus what? Also if I'm misstating your position please correct me.

[@edwinrivera5377]

2 min Apostolic Christian Church

[@kelliez9991]

Socialistic compounds

[@caveaudio8138]

and?

[@salyluz6535]

Christian Socialism based on Love… sounds kind of like how Jesus lived with the 12 Apostles, sharing 1 money bag. And like the Church of Acts 2. Hmmm.🤔💙🌻✌🏽

[@Rog5446]

They tend to speak less about their faith than other branches of christianity. Thank goodness for that.

[@bigscarysteve]

Set forth your case, says the Lord; bring your proofs, says the King of Jacob. (Isaiah 41:21) But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear. (1st Peter 3:15)

[@Rog5446]

@@bigscarysteve Wot???

[@salyluz6535]

@@Rog5446 I think he’s just saying that we should be ready to talk about it if people ask questions. I would say that true faith is more about our actions than our words.

[@robertfreid2879]

The Nazis persecuted the Bruderhof out of Germany in the 1930s, to the point where they were banned by 1937. Their religious communes were harassed and raided by the black uniformed Allgemeine-SS and the Gestapo (Nazi secret police). Many practitioners took refuge in Great Britain or the US. A lot would not return to Germany until the early 2000s (2002 to be precise), though attempts with the Bruderhof community leaders and the West German - later reunified German governments to work out a resettlement plan were undertaken in the post-war decades of the 1950s, 1960s, 1980s and 1990s... Some good sources on the Bruderhof and their experience with the Nazi regime: 1). kzbin.info/www/bejne/eaG3e6B-rt5jZtU 2). Jany, Berit. "Coming Home: The Bruderhof Returns to Germany". ideaexchange.uakron.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1104&context=amishstudies 3). en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nazi_Dissolution_of_the_Bruderhof