Building Mennonite Belonging (Toward an Intercultural Church)

Hyung Jin Kim Sun is a Mennonite. He was born in Paraguay and raised by a Korean immigrant family, before attending an evangelical seminary in the United States. There he joined a Mennonite church, though he often returned from gatherings feeling uneasy. Most Mennonites he met were white, with European heritage, and their faith community was often their ethnic community as well. As a Korean-Paraguayan, Kim Sun felt that he would never be Mennonite enough. This crisis of religious identity prompted him to work towards an intercultural Mennonite church where all people could experience full belonging.

Building Mennonite Belonging explores the interplay between ethnicity, culture, race, and faith in Canada and other multicultural societies. Using three Mennonite theologies – messianic community, missional church, and shalom church – Kim Sun navigates the intersection of identity and belief to broaden the vision of Mennonite peoplehood. These theologies show that Mennonites aspire to engage with the world, dialogue with those from diverse backgrounds, seek peace, and strive for reconciliation. The materials to build an intercultural church can be found within existing Mennonite teachings and traditions. Though centred on Mennonites, Kim Sun’s insights resonate with any faith community grappling with ethnocultural and racial diversity.

Envisioning new possibilities for faith communities in the twenty-first century, Building Mennonite Belonging advocates for a church that reflects and responds to the diverse society it inhabits. Kim Sun’s work is not only a call to action, but a guide to fostering a more inclusive church and society.