Affirms
No prohibition; standard medical care including transfusions is accepted
Hutterites have no prohibition on blood transfusions or standard medical procedures. Colonies use modern medical facilities and hospitals, distinguishing themselves from Jehovah's Witnesses on this point. The Acts 15 dietary restriction on blood is not applied to medical transfusions.
While Hutterites maintain separation from many aspects of modern technological culture, they do not extend this to avoidance of medical care. The community's mutual aid ethic means that medical costs are borne collectively by the colony.
Key Distinctions
- Official position:
- permitted — no religious prohibition on blood transfusions
- Scriptural basis:
- Acts 15:29 understood as dietary rule, not medical; love of neighbour supports medical care
Scripture References
Sources
- John Hofer, The History of the Hutterites (1988)