Introduction

Epiphany (or the Day of the Three Kings) on January 6 celebrates the revelation of Jesus to the Gentiles as represented by the Magi.

Most of us probably don’t think much about being Gentile. Long used to our place in the grand scheme of the church, especially if we belong to a homogenous congregation or the dominant ethnicity of our neighbourhood, we miss the radical fact that the Jewish Messiah was also “a light for revelation to the Gentiles” (Luke 2:32) and that we, once considered “outside,” were brought completely “inside” in Christ. The drama, tension and theological argument in the New Testament around inclusion and intercultural unity in the church are lost on us.

As North American society becomes increasingly multicultural, however, and, in the words of Rob Brynjolfson, “irreversibly pluralistic,” the church today faces a challenge similar to that of the early church. She is challenged to enter into the radical nature of God’s intention for all peoples, His body.

This issue introduces that challenge and highlights Mennonite Brethren who are engaging it with particular intentionality. The theme will be continued in the following issue.

—dd